Ministry to People with Special Needs with Rebekah Burford
March 28th, 2023
Join us this week as we talk to Pastor Rebekah Burford about her journey in rural ministry and her desire to minister effectively to people with special needs. She draws on her own experiences as she shares some thoughts on what better ministry could look like in this area.
As always, feel free to reach out to the show with ideas and feedback, or just to find encouragement. You can contact our host Joe at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
You can check out Special Touch Ministry at their website here!
Pastoral Transition in Rural Communities with Alvin Koski
March 21st, 2023
Join us as we visit with Alvin Koski today about pastoral transition, discipleship, and how to find new growth as programs ebb and flow.
As always, you can reach out to the show with feedback or ideas, or just to find conversation and encouragement, by connecting with our host at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com!
Adapting to Rural Culture with Steve Mallery
March 14th, 2023
Join pastor Steve Mallery as he talks about his journey of learning to adapt to the rural context. In today’s episode we also discuss how to change the reputation of a church and how to have effective longevity.
As always, if you want to reach out to the show with ideas or feedback, or just for some encouragement, contact our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
The Blessings and Challenges of Longevity with Foster Beckstrand
March 7th, 2023
Pastor Foster Beckstrand has been in Dazey, ND for 24 years. Over that span he was walked through the ebbs and flows of rural church life while faithfully serving his community. Tune in today as we discuss longevity with him!
As always, feel free to reach out to the show with ideas or feedback, or if you just need encouragement! My email is joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
The Rural Church and Missions Impact with Manual Probuhdas
February 28th, 2023
Join us today as we discuss the impact of the rural church on global missions efforts with pastor and missionary Manual Probuhdas. We discuss the rural church as it relates to supporting, sending, and identifying with missionary work in many different global contexts.
As always, feel free to reach out to the show if you are in need of encouragement, or if you have ideas or feedback for the show. Email our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Revitalizing the Rural Church with Mike Skaggs
February 21st, 2023
Pastor Mike Skaggs has spent his 30 year ministry career revitalizing rural churches. Join us today as he shares about how to find footing in a community, the importance of integrity in all areas, and how to keep God’s church on mission.
As always, if you want to reach out to the show for encouragement, feedback, or to contribute ideas, feel free to email our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Rural Resource: Rural Mission by Will Basham
February 14th, 2023
Join us today as we interview pastor and author Will Basham about his book Rural Mission: Insights from a Rural Church Planter. This book offers a very practical and relatable look into the strategies of rural ministries. Pastor Will also helped found a resource called Rural Church Voices that highlights other rural authorship as well. Included are links to that resource, to Will’s book directly, as well as my email if you ever want to contact the show!
My email is joseph.g.epley@gmail.com if you ever want to reach out to the show with ideas or feedback!
Planting Rural Churches Part 4 with Chad Randleman
February 7th, 2023
Join us as we hear from Chad Randleman and his journey with planting a rural church. Today we get to talk about how failures often function as a “check” for our character, how to internalize the vision God has given us so that we can press on through challenges, and ultimately how we can trust God to build his church and hold people loosely.
If you ever want to reach out for conversation, encouragement, or to give feedback and ideas about the show, reach our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Planting Rural Churches Part 3 with Doug Gentry and Kevin Peterson
January 31st, 2023
Join us as we hear from Pastor Kevin and Pastor Doug on their experience planting a dinner church in their community. Their story is rich with insights on how church planting is possible from an existing rural congregation. They also share how their journey into a new model has brought fresh life for their Sunday morning services!
If anyone wants to reach out to the show with ideas or feedback, email our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com!
Planting Rural Churches Part 2 with Randy Jumper
January 24th, 2023
Join us today as we talk to Pastor Randy Jumper about the various challenges facing rural contexts. We speak of the nature of small town ministry, the breakdown between generations, and the geographic shift of rural life. We also get a look at the tried and true principles that still work when it comes to planting a rural church.
If you ever have ideas or feedback for the show, please reach out to our host Joe Epley at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Planting Rural Churches Part 1 with Will Hampton
January 17th, 2023
Join Pastor Will Hampton as he shares his journey with rural church planting. We cover topics today including raising up leaders, the value of rural ministers, and how to effectively plant churches in small places.
If you have any feedback or ideas for the show, reach out to our host Joe Epley at Joseph.g.epley@gmail.com!
The Rural Church in History: Celtic Christianity
January 10th, 2023
Join host Joe Epley as we dive into the history of the church. During the dark ages, it was not the established church of the day, but instead a rural church movement from Ireland that brought renewal to the Christian Church. This look into Celtic Christianity has some exciting lessons for the rural church of today.
If you have any questions about Rural Advancement, want to connect for an interview, or would like more info on a topic, please reach out to our host at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Rural Advancement: Year in Review
January 3rd, 2023
Join host Joe Epley as he discusses where we’ve been for 2022, what we’ve learned so far, and where we plan on going with the podcast for 2023!
If you ever want to get in contact with the show and ask questions or contribute ideas, you are welcome to reach out to our host at joseph.g.epley@gmail.com
Obedience to God's Call with Troy and Brenda Renter
December 27th, 2022
Join pastors Troy and Brenda Renter as they discuss their varied ministry career, going from large churches to small ones and the lessons they learned. We discuss obedience to the call of God, how to empower change in the rural church, and how to be faithful even when you are experiencing resistance in ministry.
Embracing the Process with Paul Richardson
December 20th, 2022
Pastor Paul Richardson talks about embracing the process of discipleship. Leadership, conviction, and becoming followers of Jesus takes intentionality and hands on development. Tune in today and listen!
Bi-vocational Voices Part 6 with Tim Floyd
December 13th, 2022
Tim Floyd is a pastor and a full time chaplain at a psychiatric hospital. Tune in as we discuss the value of a bi-vocational context for helping minister’s find personal satisfaction in difficult seasons, as well as discussing how God uses all things in life for our good and his glory.
Bi-vocational Voices Part 5 with Aimee Osterhout
December 6th, 2022
Join us today as we talk with Pastor Aimee Osterhout about her journey in a rural community of 98 people! Today she tells us of the value of persistence in reaching your community and the importance of trusting in the Lord’s timing!
Bi-vocational Voices Part 4 with Maynard and Brenda McCarthy
November 29th, 2022
Join us today as we interview Pastors Maynard and Brenda McCarthy and hear about the lessons that bi-vocational ministry has taught them. We will highlight their journey and how it affected their parenting and family especially. Tune in as we continue this conversation!
Rural Resource: The Forgotten Church Part 2 with Author Glenn Daman
November 22nd, 2022
Join us today as we continue discussing Glenn Daman’s book, The Forgotten Church: Why Rural Ministry Matters For Every Church in America. Today, we interview author and pastor Glenn Daman regarding his book. Listen in as we discuss the importance of learning community history, the trends in education towards rural resourcing, and the need for a long term heart for the rural church.
Rural Resource: The Forgotten Church Part 1
November 15th, 2022
Join host Joe Epley as he walks through various bits of wisdom from the book The Forgotten Church: Why Rural Ministry Matters For Every Church in America by Glenn Daman. The book walks through the value and validity of rural ministry as well as the lessons and wisdom needed to lead in a rural context. Next week we will hear from Glenn Daman personally and his thoughts on the book!
Bi-vocational Voices part 3 with Tyler McGuire
November 8th, 2022
Tyler McGuire works both as a pastor and in the public school system. Join us today as we discuss empowering other in the church, touching the community, and seeing growth through unconventional means.
Bi-vocational Voices part 2 with Steve McBrien
November 1st, 2022
Join us today as we discuss being bi-vocational with Steve McBrien, pastor in Oswego, Kansas. Steve shares about how coaching has opened doors to mentoring young men in his community and why being bi-vocational is not just an option, but an opportunity.
Bi-vocational Voices part 1 with Garrett Freier
October 25, 2022
Join us this week as we hear from Garrett Freier, who spent 10 years in bi-vocational small town ministry as a youth pastor. Listen in today as he shares the challenges and blessings that bi-vocational ministry brought into his life.
Community Outreach Part 3 with David Bright
October 18, 2022
Join us today as we dive into how to meet the community in unlikely places. Pastor David Bright opens up about the Liar’s Table, how that turned into Granite Station Cowboy Church, and the lessons learned on the journey!
Community Outreach Part 2 with Kent Anderson
October 11, 2022
Join us today as Kent Anderson discusses the need to reach community stakeholders, the benefit of long term relationship building, and his desire to see churches use resources for community bridge-building.
Show Notes:
- Trinity Bible College and Graduate School Master of Arts in Rural Ministry
- www.ruralcompassion.org
- kent@ruralcompassion.org
Community Outreach Part 1 with Chuck Pruett
October 4, 2022
On today’s episode, Pastor Chuck Pruett shares lessons learned from his tenure in a Minnesota small town.
He shares about a culture of embracing change, the advantages of different types of outreach, and the importance of follow up.
Rural Mindsets: The Good, the Bad, and the Godly, part 4 with Dwight Sandoz
September 27, 2022
Join us today as we finish out our series on rural mindsets. Dwight Sandoz is the head of Rural Advancement, and he shares the wisdom he has gained from a career of rural ministry. Listen in as we discuss a culture of raising leaders, how to deal with tough personalities, and how to keep the plain things the main thing!
Rural Mindsets: The Good, the Bad, and the Godly, part 3 with Gerad Strong
September 20, 2022
Gerad Strong was raised rural, has pastored rural churches, planted rural churches, and now helps other pastors do the same. Join us as we discuss rural mindsets, speaking of how to develop leaders, leave a scarcity mindset behind, and get creative with God’s calling on our lives.
Rural Mindsets: The Good, the Bad, and the Godly, part 2 with Kevin Geer
September 13, 2022
Pastor Kevin Geer was raised in a small town and now pastors a church intent on planting churches in rural places. Tune in as we discuss leadership, how to be comfortable with change, and how to live life for God’s approval above all else.
Rural Mindsets: The Good, the Bad, and the Godly, part 1 with Twyla Kuntz
September 6, 2022
Join us today as we talk with long time rural minister Twyla Kuntz about which mindsets help rural churches, which ones hurt rural churches, and hear the wisdom she has lived by over her rural ministry career.
Rural Resources: God's Country Part 2, Interview with Brad Roth
August 30, 2022
Join us today as we interview Brad Roth about his book, God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church. Listen in as Brad Roth discusses his rural journey and the spiritual lessons God has taught him along the way. Check out the links below to see the book we are discussing today, as well as his newest work.
Rural Resources: God's Country Part 1
August 23, 2022
Join host Joe Epley as he talks through some of the lessons he pulled from the book God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church by Brad Roth. Then tune in next week as we interview the author and hear his insights!
Discipleship Part 4: Miracles in the Marketplace with Steve Donaldson
August 16, 2022
Join us today as we hear insights from Steve Donaldson, founder of Rural Compassion. He shares about how to instill creativity in the rural church and cultivate a dependence on God’s power in the rural pastor.
Discipleship Part 3: Lessons on Community with Neil Oravsky
August 9, 2022
Neil Oravsky has recently completed his masters degree through Trinity Bible College and Graduate School on the subject of spiritual formation among emerging adults. Join us today as we talk with Neil about community, discipleship, mentorship, and how to help young adults integrate into the rural church.
Discipleship Part 2: Holy Spirit Empowered Discipleship with Alton Garrison
August 2, 2022
Alton Garrison speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering the local church to disciple people. He also lays out tangible goals on how to help a church find its niche in the community and see God work through the unique gifts of a local body of believers.
Discipleship Part 1: A Visit to Rural Kansas with Dwight Dozier
July 27, 2022
In this episode we sit down and visit with Pastor Dwight Dozier, a rural minister in Great Bend, Kansas who has served the church there for over two decades. Listen in as Pastor Dwight shares about the high bar of Christian discipleship and the unique challenges facing rural churches.
The Church In An Age of Marketing and Media: Integrating Practical Strategies
March 3, 2021
Pastor Denny Curran of River of Life Church in Cold Spring, MN joins us to discuss the unique role of websites and social media in making the community aware of your church’s presence. Denny presents practical strategies and methods his church has exercised and how they have effected church turnout.
Show Notes:
How Education Furthers Ministry: From a Church That Has More Than Doubled Post-COVID
October 20, 2020
Why should a rural pastor enter a master’s program? On this episode, Dwight Sandoz asks pastor Stephen White why graduate studies has helped him answer the questions he did not even know needed to be answered and how it has furthered his ministry during the season of COVID-19. Stephen and Dwight also touch on the topics of applying learned ministry concepts and the spiritual and worshipful benefits of academics.
A Confident Call: Insight on the Life and Ministry of a Female Pastor with Dawn Slack
October 12, 2020
What is it like to be a female pastor in a conservative area? On today’s podcast, Dwight Sandoz interviews Pastor Dawn Slack on some of the challenges and benefits of being a female pastor of a rural church in today’s world. While giving insight to the topic of calling, she provides encouragement and advice to those in both vocational and non-vocational ministry on how to confront challenges that come their way.
Pastor Cody Cochran: The Challenges and Benefits of Church Planting
September 30, 2020
As the senior pastor of three PAC church plants in the West Texas area, Pastor Cody Cochran, recounts some of the challenges church planters face, the sacrifices they must make as well as some of the ways God has provided for their churches along the way. Pastor Cody speaks to their values as a church to stay connected as a community, disciple and new leaders and emphasize the transformative importance of missions within a church.
Pastor Cody Cochran: Unique Pastoral Strategies in Unwelcoming Places
September 22, 2020
After filling in for what was originally supposed to be a few weeks at a rural church in a “not very desirable town” in West Texas, Pastor Cody Cochran describes why, 19 years later, he is still the pastor of that church and what it took to overcome the numerous challenges that faced him throughout the journey.
Show Notes:
- Bethel Church in Anson, TX
- Facebook: Cody N Jennifer Cochran
- Instagram: @codypreacherman
Serving God From Behind the Pulpit and on the Governmental Level: A Conversation with Pastor Cory Musgrave
September 17, 2020
Cory Musgrave always loved politics growing up. Now, while pastoring New Beginnings church in Illinois as well as running for State Representative in the 109th district of Illinois, Pastor Cory confesses to listeners what it was like to communicate this transition to his congregation and also gives insight into balancing the tension between church and state.
Show Notes:
"Not Your Ordinary Church:" an Extraordinary Church Movement Seeking to Reach an Unordinary Community
September 10, 2020
Reverend Cory Musgrave is the lead pastor of a rural church in Fairfield, Illinois that is making out-of-the-ordinary movements for the Kingdom of God. In their conversation, Garrett Freier draws out Pastor Cory’s story of how his church works to draw in people disaffected by church and seeks to reach their community and their government by non-ordinary means.
- New Beginnings Church Fairfield, IL. Phone: (618)842-3683 Email: pastorcory@nbclife.church
- Trinity Bible College and Graduate School Master of Arts in Rural Ministry
Utilizing the 7 Mountains of Influence on the Native American Reservation: With Dobie Weasel From Life Tribe Ministries
September 1, 2020
In this episode, Dobie Weasel tells his testimony of how God brought him from a life of dealing drugs, and severe alcohol abuse to becoming a traveling evangelist, pastor, and now the founder and president of Life Tribe Ministries. Alongside his incredible testimony, Dobie tells of his experience ministering on the reservation and how Life Tribe Ministries has successfully utilized the 7 Mountains of Influence to minister to Native Americans across the United States.
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