10/26/2026
We love to hunt and track for other hunters but, we first join our church in prayer and worship.
A letter to my fellow beloved deer hunters:
It has been laid heavy on my heart for a couple seasons to do a study into the age old reasoning about the tree stand being someone’s church.
The original Greek for our English translation “church” is the word “ekklesia”, meaning “a called out assembly” or “congregation”.
What we now refer to as “a church”, a building, was not the word’s original meaning. “Ekklesia” was an assembly of people, and was mostly used in the Bible to describe a group gathered of believers.
Me alone in my tree stand can never be an “ekklesia”. It may be my “prayer room” without walls, but an “ekklesia”, an actual assembly together, broadens your faith by allowing you to disciple others, learn scripture and its applications by those wiser than yourself, and gain strength and support from believers in times of hardship.
There are Sunday mornings I have sat in a stand and felt no conviction as I believe God was the one calling me there just to give me a word in a place where I would listen. I believe these are good days for a Christian deer hunter, but do not be deceived and your mind corrupted by evil to believe this is your church. I was once a man who could not be reached by God aside from my tree. Conviction was ignored by me daily in my job, with my family, friends, and in my lukewarm faith.
God tried to speak to me every day, but my tree stand was the only place I stayed still and quiet enough to listen. “It’s my church”, I told people.
In Matthew 4:19-20, Jesus tells Peter and Andrew to “follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” He was to show them how to spread the Gospel.
“IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM”
Notice Jesus didn’t say, “pray and you’ll catch tons of big fish”. It should also be noted that Peter and Andrew didn’t say, “just one more cast”.
I believe there will always be the occasional Sunday Jesus wants you in a tree because He knows your heart and you find peace there to speak with Him, but please be attentive to any conviction you have of “ekklesia” and listen to your heart and be guided by the Lord. When Satan tells you “this is your church” he is twisting the truth, and feeding you our modern day interpretation of what church is. Do not let your hobby become an idol in your heart, and know to rebuke this in the name of Jesus.
I was afraid to go all in as a believer because I thought it meant giving up what I felt God had blessed me with in the deer woods. Rather it has given me perspective and a reason for congregation, I still get to hunt, and now I have more means and opportunity to do so as I have been faithful.
Exodus 20:8 says “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Keep this in mind while atop your perch. Pray and listen. Don’t think of church as a place you go on Sunday, but pray to find and be a part of “ekklesia” daily to keep you grounded in faith and obedient to His plan for your life. He will lead you to a congregation where you can worship with those whom you can relate.
Good luck out there and be safe, and if you look over and He is there telling you “follow me”, GO. It will change your life as it did mine.
