The primary designer and builder of Jesus Gospel Park refers to himself as ‘the Old Cowboy’ . . . “I’m just a nobody,” and on the Park’s official video Sherrie Childers is identified only as “the Old Cowboy’s wife.”  The Park has 85 text plaques, several press-button audio boxes, and yard crosses and laminated words of scripture to take home.  In the KSWO video (see link above) Sherrie Childers recalls that after three trees died next to their house at the same time, the Old Cowboy said they would become “the three crosses for the Jesus Gospel Park“[#2].  Based on his hand-drawn plans for 20 stations telling the full story of Jesus’ life, it took six years to build the Park — to build visitor pathways to spiritual enlightenment and redemption.  Any attention-shifting back to the servant-of-God makers and maintainers of the park would be a diversion.  In one section, a pile of grey stones offers visitors a chance to affirm their faith by carrying a stone to the three crosses and placing it on the ever-growing accumulation under the central cross.

During my unannounced visit in 2025, I had three cameras on tripods — one across the highway with traffic cones and a ladder — set up to prepare for dusk shots when the Old Cowboy and Ms. Childers happened to arrive.  They didn’t ask why I was there or what I was planning to do with the photos, and the Old Cowboy instructed a helper to make sure all the lights were working for the “photo shoot.”  He said his wife was very impressed by the spectacle I was making of myself, and I had to apologize to her that I didn’t mean to be rude, but couldn’t talk right then while dusk was setting in.  Ms. Childers said she understood and placed a bag full of goodies and brochures on my car before they just drove off soon after.  

A section of the Park honoring veterans has an iron fence (with unlocked gates) around it and a roof overhead.  Artifacts from American wars, including a WWII bomber pilot jacket (replica?), and a plaque with the names of local veterans[#’s 4 & 8].  An audio box plays the combat recollections of a WWII veteran, and nearby several large white crosses on a section of white concrete suggest the vast fields of veteran cemeteries while about a dozen angels hover overhead in the near distance[#3].  The Old Cowboy told me that in addition to other new Park additions, more crosses are coming.

External resources:

• jesusgospelpark.org
• Jesus Gospel Park youtube video
• KSWO video with interview