Book excerpt: The Gospel of John Cowboy Style: A Paraphrase of the Gospel in Cowboy Language steps into the boots of countless books, compositions, paintings, and sculptures that have, over the centuries, turned to the gospels for inspiration and to particular cultures for means of expression. Author Mel Hooten, drawing upon personal history and long experience, retells the gospel of John in the lingo of the cowboy. From start to finish, including both the gospel writers narrative and every figures words, this retelling presents the gospel afresh through the straight-talking dialect of the Texas Panhandles traditional cowboys. With this approach, The Gospel of John Cowboy Style presents familiar passages in a new light. In John 3:16, for example, Jesus says, Ya see, God loves this world so much, that He gave His one and only Son to die, so that every man, woman, boy, and girl who believes in Him will not die, but will be a-livin forever. If you struggle with unfamiliar words in traditional translations of the Bible, The Gospel of John Cowboy Style offers an easy-to-understand retelling of the good news of Jesus Christ. Whether you love the heritage of the American West or enjoy the thrill of hearing the gospel in new ways, this paraphrase will rope you in with its powerful mixture of cowboy culture and gospel content.