fter his struggles with both drugs and alcohol at an early age, Kevin Rowe found God and will be forever grateful for Him.

Rowe has had two loves his whole life: God and his music, and both still play an important role in his life.

For 12 years, Rowe was part of the Kevin Rowe and the Prodigal Sons country gospel music group, touring all over the U.S.

Rowe’s love for music and God came full circle after he was asked to be the new pastor of Cornerstone Cowboy Church after the passing of Rev. Andy Starks in February.

On April 3, he had his first sermon at his new church.

Though he had no experience before then, Rowe was prepared to take over and has enjoyed the journey ever since.

“We’ve been here during the COVID-19, and God has been doing some really good stuff,” Rowe said.

While this is the first church he has pastored, Rowe has experience as an advisor for a number of pastors, not to mention his years of gospel music.

As a pastor, Rowe said his jobs are to protect the congregation, be there for them and handle the spiritual side of the church.

“The church being the group of people, not the building,” Rowe said. “You are everything from their friend, to their counselor to their spiritual guide.”

Born in Andrews, Texas, Rowe lived in Perrin, Texas, and it was there that he started playing music.

“I played music all of my life,” Rowe said.

Rowe moved to Tennessee when he was 18 and said he spent the time after that playing music, but fell into habits he had trouble escaping.

It wasn’t until Rowe found God that his life turned around for the better.

“God got a hold of me and changed my life,” Rowe said. “I gave my life to Christ and started doing gospel music.”

Rowe was able to find Christ in life because, according to him, he has seen all sides of the coin.

“I’m able to relate to people and relate to it because I have been there,” Rowe said.

Now Rowe is relating to people in the Teche Area, though he says the people and their way of life are not new to him. His wife, Angela, is a Crowley native.

There is one big difference Rowe has noticed between Texas and New Iberia.

“Lack of cowboy hats,” Rowe joked. “I travel all over the United States and there are a lot of different parts of the country … but everywhere you go, especially when you are dealing with God’s people, you can see the same people all over the United States.”

Though he’s able to put his love for cowboys hats to the side, Rowe said he loves being around strong prayer warriors and spiritually strong people at Cornerstone Cowboy Church.

“We’ve got a whole church of people like that,” Rowe said. “And it’s a strong foundation to build a strong bond of people in New Iberia.”

That strong bond has always been there for Rowe, but he said it took him being at his lowest point to know that.

“I’ve known God my whole life but I never lived for him,” Rowe said. “And I got in a position through drugs and alcohol in my life where my life was a literal void and mess. God came in and opened my eyes and He saved me.”

Rowe never had to attend rehab, but said God changed his life, and he will forever be grateful for Him always being there.

“When you give your life to Christ, you become a re-creation,” Rowe said. “I realized I couldn’t nor did I want to go without Him.”