Randy,
Jimmy Gault told my wife and I about the Fellowship of Christian Sportsman Hunting Club. My wife and are both Christians and avid hunters. We are interested in learning more about this Christian organization.
Thanks,
Tom Geary
I sent the following reply:
Tom,
Thank you for your interest in FCS. Our Website is http://www.geocities.com/rctribe@sbcglobal.net/FCSpage.htm. You are a blessed man to have a wife who shares your love for hunting. I will add you to my distribution list so you will be kept abreast of FCS news. Regarding women, we currently allow wives of members to attend all Club activities but do not allow them to join the Club. We have voted on this (allowing them to join) twice over the years and it went down in flames both times. Of course, if you join, you can always propose that we revisit it again. I hope that you will give us a try.
Randy Rowley
FCS President
Tom sent the following reply on 2/2/03:
Randy,
Thanks for your response.
It seems unusual that a Christian organization would exclude women/wives from club membership. I certainly understand the thinking of men in a secular society, however, I do not understand such thinking from a Christian's standpoint. Could you please give me some insight, as I do not fully comprehend the thinking of Christian men who feel this way?
What occurs in the club setting that should be kept from wives or other women?
Tom
I sent the following reply:
Tom,
Good question. Many Christian organizations exclude one sex or the other. The WMU (Women's Missionary Union) is one of many Christian organizations that exclude men. My wife works for the Christian Women's Job Corps, which serves disadvantaged women, and also excludes serving men. The Club was established, in 1988, as an avenue for men to let their hair down and have fun. In fact our original name was the B & P (Burp & Poot) Club. Our very first bylaw was to burp and poot at every opportunity. Our second bylaw was to never say excuse me when engaging in the above (something that the ladies would not appreciate). In 1990 we changed our name to the Fellowship of Christian Sportsmen and refined our purpose to what it is today. In our 15 year history we have only had one woman express interest in joining the Club. Until 2000 we did not allow women to go on our most popular outings the Dove Retreats. One major barrier for the Dove Retreats was that they involved primitive camping. Toilets were the nearest bush. Our Dove Retreats are now held near a barn that has a toilet. We had our very first members’ wife at the Fall 2002 Dove Retreat. At the dove retreats we usually have a Bible study, song service, and prayer time. Sometimes very personal prayer requests are shared. These requests would probably not be shared in a mixed sex audience. I believe that many men fear that by allowing women to join the Club, they would attempt to feminize the Club. Many men feel that it is healthy to occasionally spend a weekend without their wife, and visa-versa. For the record I was the member who twice proposed to allow women to join. I also was the one who proposed allowing them to participate in all activities. I believe that eventually we will approve women becoming members, but only wife's of current members. I doubt if we will ever allow single women or married women whose husbands are not members of the Club to join. As Christians we are to avoid the appearance of evil. Having single women or women without their husbands running around in the woods with a bunch of married guys would certainly get people talking. As I said before, you are a blessed man to have a wife who shares your love of hunting. She is very welcome at all club activities that you attend.
Randy