Who I am in my Heart is 'Ranger Bud'

Pastor Tri Robinson has often said that the reason the Rockin V Ranch works is because it's who Bud is. Nothing could be more true. 

"When I was a kid, I only played Cowboys and Indians," Bud said. "I had boots and a hat on no matter what else I was wearing, no matter what the weather was."

Another reason why the Rockin' V works is that it connects kids with people they can look up to.

"Roy Rogers, Gene Autrey, Hopalong Cassidy, John Wayne - these were my heroes. They were these singing cowboy heroes, always fighting to uphold what is right," Bud said. "But in today's culture, there's no such thing as a hero like my generation had. And so I just got to thinking about that in this role, in what I could do in children's ministry. I sort of had this vision of the cowboy heroes, and the impact they could have on kids."

To help kids take the Wild West Show with them when they leave church, today's sing-along is being recorded. "Songs of the Rockin' V" is on track to be available in early 2001.

"We want to provide a resource for our kids, and for churches beyond us," said Vineyard Boise worship pastor Casey Corum, who is co-producing the project with Bud. They hope to be finished in time for the Vineyard's national children's ministry conference, which Vineyard Boise will host in March.

When Bud first took the reins of Vineyard Boise's children's ministry four years ago, it was hard to build a program that would generate excitement in the kids and confidence in the parents. Bud figured that if he could find some teachers to lead the Sunday School classes, he could then create a strong ministry program.

"But I had it all backwards from God's plan," he said. "God just told me to be who I am, and who I am in my heart is Ranger Bud."

Once Ranger Bud was introduced, the kids' excitement skyrocketed - and so did the enthusiasm of the leaders. The Wild West Show became the spark that ignited the whole ministry.

"My first couple of years here, parents were having to drag their kids to Sunday School," Bud said. "Now the kids are dragging their parents."

Bud said he knows of four families who call Vineyard Boise their church because their kids love the Rockin' V, and there are probably more. He told the story of one boy who attended the Vacation Bible School that kicked off the Wild West Show two years ago; now his entire family attends the Vineyard.

An average of 400 kids participate in the Rockin' V Ranch every Sunday, Bud said.

With so many kids, Bud obviously needs plenty of ranch hands to assist. His team of adult leaders are heroes just as much as he is. They faithfully show up each Sunday to invest their lives in the children of Vineyard Boise.

Bud said it takes 87 leadership positions to keep the Rockin' V running smoothly. But right now, there are just 38 people filling all those slots.