As Assemblies of God chaplains on the professional rodeo circuit, Paul and Linda Scholtz from Pueblo, Colorado, have been ministering cowboys after recognizing their spiritual need. Each year the Scholtzes travel thousands of miles to pro rodeos around the country to share Christ. with jeans, boots and broad-brimmed hats.
But a three-day October event – North American International Military Horse Show which was held at Fort Reno, Oaklahoma, for the first time in 67 years – opened the doors for the couple to reach out another different group- the military. Paul Scholtz, who has been the chaplain for the U.S. Cavalry Association for the past two years, was assigned to be the duty chaplain of the show.
Fort Reno, which served as the U.S. military base for cavalry and infantry units from 1875 to 1907, became a remount station specializing in horse breeding and pack mule training until 1948, when such animals were retired from active U.S. Army use. However, the military put 2,500 horses and 6,000 mules into service last year during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan
Eighty contestants, composed of uniformed active retired military riders and police patrols from such diverse unites as the Queen of England’s Household Cavalry to the Michigan-based U.S. Army’s Blue Devils Horse Platoon, came to the contest just west of Oklahoma City and participated in events.
Scholtz preached in a Sunday morning service at the fort’s chapel built by German prisoners of war during World War II presenting a clear message of gospel. They focused on how God is aware of and available to every uniformed person in service and emphasized about the importance of making Christ a part of daily living by preaching 1 Timothy 3. Six people committed their lives to Jesus as Savior. Those who made salvation decisions received Bibles and Global University literature funded by Light for the Lost. Not only through preaching but the couples also revealed the glory of God by singing before the audience of 115.
