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Annual Western Round-Up will bring championship knife thrower to Victory Baptist Church

By Staff | Oct 12, 2010

ANDREA GALABINSKI Victory Baptist Church Pastor John Matey with flyer for upcoming Western Round-Up.

Once a year, Victory Baptist Church puts on a western rodeo hat, for a more than an unusual service and day.

On Sunday, Oct. 24, championship knife thrower, whip cracker and evangelist John Bailey will come to town, to be part of the popular annual celebration.

“Not long ago, Bailey won his third World Title for knife throwing,” said Victory Baptist Church Pastor John Matey. “We love having him here. It is a whole day of activities starting at 10 a.m. and ending around 3 p.m., with flexible services. We are also having a chili cook off and activities for children and adults.”

This is our sixth year Bailey will be at the annual celebration. “He’s good at what he does – and he preaches out of The Bible while putting on a show. He also does ax throwing, and has a Guinness Book Of World Record’s record for whip cracking,” said Matey.

“We’re also going to have a ‘jail’ and a ‘sheriff’ with the purpose of raising funds for a new school. Anyone can have someone thrown in jail, and they can get out of they pay ‘bail.'”

Of the new school, he said, “We don’t know when it will be built, but we want to start saving money for it. We’re taking our time, we want to do it right.”

The event is open to all, he said. “The main activity is a chili cook off – we’ve had this every year. Anyone can enter a chili with no entry fee. Judges judge it right after church so we can set it out.”

There will also be a good old-fashioned egg toss and balloon toss. They also do what he called “Candy in the Hay.”

“It started with kids, where they would literally find wrapped candy in a haystack. But the event has evolved into fun for all ages. Even adults enjoy it.”

Bailey said he enjoys the annual event, and particularly admires the church’s pastor. “I like the idea that he’s taken a church out of his retirement and has a heart for the people. He’s been trying to build the western theme up for a number of years and we’re helping him do it.”

Bailey holds all kind of records for his mastery of knives and cracking whips. He holds a title for speed and accuracy with a bullwhip and is still three-time undefeated quick draw knife thrower in the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame in Austin, Texas. “They sponsor the international competition. People from Germany, England and Russia and more for it.”

Of the local congregation, he said, “They are sweet people, nice people.”

The church will also hold a Bible Prophecy Conference for five days, from Nov. 1 through 5 with guest Dr. Ernie Moore. Moore lives in Jerusalem, and is the Jerusalem Bureau Chief for two U.S. radio networks, a novelist and lecturer. “He has weekly radio broadcasts around the world and up to 50 million listeners,” Matey said.

To learn more about Bailey, go to lashandsteel.com. For information from the church, call 229-8793. Victory Baptist Church is at 15880 Hart Rd. NE.