But the disagreement grew, and one of the Flying W Ranch ownership group, “came to me and said, ‘There are too many stories about church and all this stuff. That’s almost embarrassing,'” Thomson said.

Another ownership group member said, “I don’t know how we turned from a family business into a family ministry,” Thomson said.

Thomson initially agreed with the group about backing off, but Vaughn, who does the western story features such as the “Pea Little Thrigs” and “Rindercella” for the band, said he couldn’t back off.

“I had really pushed the envelope praying in Jesus name all the time. They had let that go for quite awhile. [But] they’d apparently gotten a few letters, and then sent Vern to tell me I’d better cut it out. They never said we couldn’t pray, but they said do it quickly and move on,” he said. “They wanted it backed way off.”

“That was not what God had called us to do,” Vaughn told WND. “We felt we needed to leave. Actually Vern was kind of on their side to start, so I said I need to leave.”

But Thomson, after praying over the issue, came back and told Vaughn he was right, and the two, joined by Stephenson, didn’t renew their contracts. One member, Ronnie Cook, remained, and assembled another band for the ranch, which retained the “Flying W Wranglers” name.

“They’re doing good,” Jay Chladek, general manager for the ranch, told WND.

Chladek said the cowboy singers left, “because they wanted to have their own ministry.”

He said the team members were allowed to talk about God on the ranch, “but they couldn’t minister like ministers singing in churches. It was all on their own choice.”

Asked whether there were limits imposed on their prayers, he said, “That’s not true. We still pray and we still have Gospel songs.”

In fact, the ranch has in its mission statement that the experience “be a blessing as we endeavor to represent the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and in deed to those who come.”

However, Chladek said that had been adopted only recently, and the former band members told WND the ranch got a negative reaction from the issue in the Colorado Springs community, known as the home to dozens of Christian organizations such as Focus on the Family, and immediately moved back towards a more Gospel oriented presentation.

“It’s really turned out to be a win-win for God,” said Thomson.

Van Sims, the manager for the new organization, a registered 501(c)3 ministry, said the group recently returned from a trip to Ecuador, played an event at the Cheyenne Frontier Days western celebration, did a couple of shows at their new home base near Colorado Springs, performed in Estes Park, Colo., for a Compassion International event, then appeared at a picnic for the Navigators nearly Colorado Springs. Still on the agenda for the week was a free park concert sponsored by several churches and a trip to Chicago for the WMBI appearance.

“They have been busy,” he said. “These guys were ordained as ministers in February. This ministry thing, that is what we are. We minister through our music.”

The Flying W Ranch was launched in the 1940s with Don Wilson bought the Douglass Homestead, which had been founded in 1867. The ranch would rent out horses for people to ride, and some evenings, a group would share a “potluck.”

Then came plans for a scenic horseback ride followed by a homecooked meal under the stars around an open campfire. In 1953, 11 guests paid $3 each to begin the program. The ranch had fed 1,650 people by the end of the summer, and by 10 years later, the attendance was 125,000.

Later came a reproduction of an Old West town and the western stage show, which originally included appearances by the Sons of the Pioneers.

“We’re still those crazy cowboys, who make fun of each other, laugh, have a good time, quote Scripture,” Thomson said. “But before they’re out of there they’ve heard the full message of Jesus Christ.”