God and Trauma by Samantha Jones

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Resources mentioned:

The post Embracing the Process with Paul Richardson appeared first on Rural Advancement.

www.ruralcompassion.org

The post Discipleship Part 4: Miracles in the Marketplace with Steve Donaldson appeared first on Rural Advancement.

www.trinitybiblecollege.edu

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www.ruraladvancement.com

https://acts2journey.com

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By Jim Von Wald

The transitioning of pastoral leadership in rural churches created challenges and opportunities for the pastor and the congregation.  Reducing the complications experienced during leadership change can increase the church’s effectiveness related to the missio Dei or mission of God.  Christopher Wright, in The Mission of God, wrote, “The whole Bible renders to us the story of God’s mission through God’s people in their engagement with God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s creation.”[1]  Successful leadership transition impacts all areas of the church’s engagement with the world around it.  A clear theological purpose to mentor leaders into and through pastoral leadership transition set in place the guardrails to follow God’s purpose to change the world in which it operates.  The training, mentoring, and multiplication of leaders without these guardrails could follow culture and tradition’s norms rather than biblical truth.

The study explored options discovered during interviews and literature.  It detailed how they can undergird rural pastors and churches through transition. The project launched to uncover best practices for ministerial succession or transition in rural churches, and a summary with suggested best practices will conclude the project.

The research used a qualitative methodology described and defined by Dr. Paul Alexander, President of Trinity Bible College.[2]  Prepared questions guided the semi-formal interviews with rural pastors and denomination leaders that produced findings.  Mixed methods of research through pertinent literature to pastoral transition, interviews, bylaw, and policy reviews support the thesis’ development.  The project scope initially considered only Minnesota Assembly of God rural churches, then expanded to additional relevant options outside of Minnesota and the Assemblies of God.  Clarity of definition necessitated defining terms like rural, transition, and succession.

A primary research purpose arose from the number of rural pastors approaching retirement age in the Assemblies of God denomination.  The transitional vacancies have reached a critical juncture as replacements do not appear readily available.  The anticipated transitions from those retirements do not include changes occurring in pastoral leadership due to other reasons which exacerbate the vacancy issue. An added passion for this project resulted from necessary personal decisions in my clerical role.  My spouse and family have invested 20 years planting and establishing a rural Minnesota Assembly of God church.  We find ourselves in a season where planning for transition described our current ministry journey.  Bird and Vanderbloemen stated, “every pastor is an interim pastor,” therefore, understanding pastoral transition connected desired leadership qualities and personal motivation to support other pastors in the process. [3]

This project initially launched from the challenge of finding resources or literature to guide rural pastors or churches through transition or succession. In contrast, many studies address the process and the consequences of change and succession in urban and suburban settings or large church environs.  Lack of transition resources for the rural areas communicates a sense of disregard and lack of value for the rural church.

All AG churches have value and are needed to accomplish the AG’s mission. Therefore, it is important that the AG not view existing churches as second class or missionally inferior to church plants, but value existing churches for the strengths they have; these strengths often come only through longevity and credibility in a community. Every church that pursues God’s mission has value in His Kingdom and should have value in the AG.[4]

Often, rural pastors have access to fewer professional development opportunities in transition and succession areas from a rural practitioner’s view.  In The Catalyst Leader, Brad Lomenick argues, “…culture is pushing into positions of influence people who are unequipped for the task they’ve been given.”[5]  Scott Schuler, an author and successful business owner stated, “I have never been offered or found leadership mentoring in any of the rural communities I’ve lived, and certainly not from a biblical worldview perspective.”[6]  Providing pastoral mentoring in a rural culture encourages developing young pastors and leaders from within the church.

As a rural pastor, I have learned the importance of planning organically occurring transitions and leading the church I pastor through such changes.  This research motivated me before exiting my current pastorate; I will mentor a future leader who understands the community, the church culture, and the rural ministry dynamics.  Further, I will seek to guide the leadership team and church body through a healthy transition process.  The combination of experience and this study creates a resource with options to undergird rural pastors in guiding their churches through transition.  The ultimate goal establishes an environment where the church can accelerate movement forward into the future God has for it.

Across the United States, the increasing age of rural pastors creates a sense of urgency, and many retirements loom.  Denominational resistance, a traditional view on transition, and lack of planning by the exiting pastors have contributed to the lack of rural transition resources. Historical bylaws, governance, and possibly a lack of forward-thinking have created barriers in many churches during transitional periods.  As an ancillary consequence, these factors also instilled unintended consequences for the rural church, a shortage of replacement pastors.  Pastors planning and praying for direction and programs to develop the next leader for the church from existing church members will help alleviate some of the shortages.

As a recommendation to overcome the emergent needs, pastors may consider the implications and the applications in this project.  Ruch described a pastor’s responsibility to develop the next leader of a church facing transition.  He argued, “The preparation process for success is a much longer runway than selection and handoff.  Years of guidance and training could position churches for a better future with prepared leaders.  If facilitation of these leaders is not addressed, in the future, churches will have pastors partially prepared.” [7]  Increasing the church’s ministry’s effectiveness and the Missio Dei may require a new pastoral transition model for the rural church.

Rural churches would benefit from well-developed transition plans and discussions among their leadership regarding transitions.  Each of the interviewees reported, the need for change involved a written, developed, and discussed transition plan.  Mullins suggested, “If you’ve been in ministry for a while, you have learned some lessons and insights along the way! Don’t underestimate the value of preserving them for others.”  Mullins shared that writing is not only for experts but for men and women willing to preserve their wisdom for future generations, for those who will lead the church into the future.[8]  Encouragement for pastoral leaders facing transition begins with a written plan, with clear steps that provide direction and clear communication that minimizes confusion or anxiety for the transitioning church.

A recommendation for further research could include the district offices’ creating templates and training processes regarding transition for leaders to institute before leaving a church.  Research may also consist of studying and developing a program for pastors, encouraging them to create future leaders from within a church for succession.  Any method may review working within traditional bylaw structure as those interviewed in this research accomplished or engage the district’s intentional interim pastors’ recommendation.  Another area of research could provide instruction and direction on changing bylaws to accommodate transition or succession.

My life’s investment into a rural church and community has brought hope and optimism about the church raising the next leader in the transition process.  I look forward with joy to the next season of ministry; a season where I prepare the next pastor to sit in my chair; a season to prepare the congregation for the continuity of God’s mission without disruption.  I trust some of the processes described and presented within this thesis will become an example and provide an option for other churches engaged in succession or transition.  My prayer for rural pastors concerned about their church’s response to change; be encouraged, begin to plan, and pray for options to utilize and implement during your transition; God will guide you each step of the way.

Read the Academic Article

Works Cited

Alexander, Paul. Trinity Bible College and Graduate School, Immersion Experience, Little Rock, AR, March 2019.

Drost, Paul “Church Planting: A Strategic Method for Increasing Missional Effectiveness in the Assemblies of God.” A project submitted to the Doctor of Ministry Committee in candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest, 2015.

Lomenick Brad, The Catalyst Leader, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2013.

Mullins, Tom, Passing the Leadership Baton: A Winning Transition Plan for Your Ministry, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015.

Ruch, Nathaniel. Preparing the Receiver of the Baton in the Succession Narrative, Doctoral Dissertation, Minneapolis, MN: Copyright @ 2018 Nathaniel Ruch.

Schuler, Scott. “Rural Church Multiplication/Church Planting and Revitalization” Interview, Immersion Experience, Trinity Graduate School, Foley, MN, October 2001.

Wright, Christopher J.H. The Mission of God. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2006.

Vanderbloemen, William and Warren Bird. Next: Pastoral Succession That Works, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014.

[1] Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission of God, (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2006), p 51.

[2] Paul Alexander, Trinity Bible College and Graduate School, Immersion Experience, Little Rock, AR, March 2019.

[3] William Vanderbloemen and Warren Bird, Next: Pastoral Succession That Works, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 9.

[4] Paul Drost, “Church Planting: A Strategic Method for Increasing Missional Effectiveness in the Assemblies of God.” A project submitted to the Doctor of Ministry Committee in candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, (Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest, 2015), p 134.

[5] Brad Lomenick, The Catalyst Leader, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2013), xxvii.

[6] Scott Schuler, “Rural Church Multiplication/Church Planting and Revitalization” (Interview, Immersion Experience, Trinity Graduate School, Foley, MN, October 2018).

[7] Nathaniel Ruch, Preparing the Receiver of the Baton in the Succession Narrative, Doctoral Dissertation, Minneapolis, MN: 2018 Nathaniel Ruch, 129.

[8] Mullins, Passing the Leadership Baton: A Winning Transition Plan for Your Ministry, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2015,148.

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Written by Dwight D. Dozier

This study researched the feasibility of church planting and ministry investment in rural areas in light of depopulation and its corresponding economic and social impact. Some church planters concluded that small town ministry offered little investment return and that efforts should focus on urban and suburban areas.

Population decline in rural America impacted communities beyond fewer people living there. With a declining population, communities experienced economic downturns, increased substance abuse and addictions, higher crime rates and mental illness, and fewer amenities and restricted access to essential services. These realities cried out for spiritual solutions. However, in the circumstances begging for healthy churches, churches have closed or declined into irrelevance.

In America, the evangelical church demonstrated indifference toward rural ministry, which created a challenging environment to recruit pastoral leaders and financial investors. This study pointed to evidence of opportunity and success models in small towns, making a case for human and financial resource investment.

Statistical analysis, literature analysis, personal interviews, and two case studies demonstrated the potential success and supported this position. While the literature analysis will be broad and general, the statistical analysis and case studies will focus on rural Assemblies of God in Kansas.

Church planting draws the attention of ministry investors; contrariwise, few wish to discuss revitalization. However, church revitalization plays an essential role in restoring spiritual vitality to rural communities. Bringing a dying church into a healthy trajectory requires a strategy and leaders committed to change.

Revitalization occurs when the power of Pentecost aligns with the purpose of Pentecost within the life of a church; when the mission of God emanates through the church into the community. The revitalization process in any context starts with an honest assessment, including facilities, music, ministries, and approachability. An honest assessment of approachability can prove painful.

It remains beyond this paper’s scope to suggest detailed strategies, yet a church willing to adapt can find an abundance of resources, successful models, and people ready to help. A willing church can experience new life, but a church that exists for itself will cease to exist.

Read the Academic Article

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Many pastors and church leaders find themselves in a different situation than they expected for their lives and ministry. Some rural pastors have begun expressing their personal discouragement with the events of Covid-19, politics and disappointment with the response some members have shown toward faith and church. For some, the shine has come off the joy of ministry, giving pastors thoughts of leaving ministry. What most thought would be a few weeks of social distancing and extra precautions in March of 2020 now stretches into 2021 with no conclusion in sight. No class or seminar could have fully prepared church leaders for the events of recent months. Uncertainty that most thought would pass quickly and move back to normal now has become a new normal.

How do Christ followers navigate the dark paths of the unknown? What should guide and temper our response to the things we do not understand, do not like, and in the natural realm, cannot change? What can we use to provide a compass to find our way through the maze of months and even years of uncertainty? Those who follow Christ have some things that remain constant even in tumultuous seasons. Believers and leaders live under the lordship of Christ and the authority of scripture and in that understanding, find anchors to remain steadfast providing beacons for our paths.

God is good and He remains in control. Nothing in the season of uncertainty altars the goodness of God. We agree with Joseph when he said to his brothers, “God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). God’s goodness does not change during a pandemic or other areas of social, relational, or physical challenge. God works good in a fallen and broken world and He continues to work good even now. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and His mercy endures forever” (Psa. 136:1). Pandemics and political challenge do not alter the nature and goodness of God.

We must continue to fulfill the mission of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing in the past year changes the call for believers to continue the mission God called them to fulfill. The church of Jesus Christ has always thrived through difficulty and it will continue in this season. The light of the gospel shines brightest in dark hours and it must continue to shine through each of us. People need the message of a Savior now in this season and God’s call to point them to His Son, who is the only one who can save, continues as our premium priority (John. 3:16).

The Lordship of Christ should never resurface as a question for a believer because surrender at salvation settled that fact. We must address the question of how to live out His lordship in present circumstances. A certainty remains, believers must continue to live out His love for each other and love for our world. We must be known by our love for one another as John the Beloved noted, “He who does not love does not know God” (1 John 4:8). Scripture does not require us to agree with our brother; however, we must love them and love our neighbors who may be far from God (Matt. 12:31). Those who live under the lordship of Christ continue to live and walk, in love.

The revealed word of God serves as “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Ps 119:105). Scriptures teach us how to respond in challenging seasons. The Bible gives clear instruction, although living out that instruction serves as a challenge. The New Testament continually reminds believers to live out life’s journey ‘in Christ.’ Current circumstances call for a biblical response in the daily lives as the people of God

This can only be achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit. We must all pray, “Lord help me to walk and live through the empowering work of the Holy Spirit.” He points people to the Savior, Jesus Christ and helps us to bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, self-control, and faithfulness. The Holy Spirit serves as the helper who enables believers to live out vibrant faith in a hostile and broken world.

Finally, prayer helps us in our meditation, conversation, and action, engaging the only one who has the ultimate power. Prayer in the Spirit becomes a lifeline for believers to remain encouraged and strengthened (Jude 20). Paul encourages believers in uncertain circumstances to pray in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27; Eph. 6:18-20). Praying in the Spirit provides an active way to address a world where we do not even know how to pray and refocuses our attention on the Omniscient One, who knows the future, provides comfort, and gives direction for individuals and the church. Congregational and individual prayer provides strength as renewed joy, peace, and faith arise in the face of uncertainty.

Where do go in the seasons of uncertainty? We find our way forward by following the ancient paths. We find peace and direction with the security of following the ancient words in scripture and the knowledge that the scripture repeats multiple times, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5-6, Deut. 31:6-8, I Chron. 28:20, Is 41:10-13, Ps 55:22, Matt. 28:20).  People of faith from Genesis to the current hour have leaned into the life of faith. We pray your faith will increase and the challenges of today will strengthen you and your ministry. Take courage, do not quit, God is for you and you will make it through this season!

Questions for Reflection

1. How can I encourage myself in the LORD?
2. Who should I contact to encourage them?
3. How should I pray in this season?

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If you were to ask me what these rural multisites have in common, I could list two distinct things I know about them. The first is that these towns and community centers can be found geographically in western South Dakota. The second is that each of them is the site of a rural church or community center, planted and parented by Bethel Church located in Rapid City, SD. These churches have popped up during the ministry tenure of Gerad Strong, who pastored Bethel Church from 2012-2020.

As I sat down with Pastor Gerad for a phone interview, it quickly became apparent that he had created healthy and growing churches in rural contexts. As much as this result caught my attention, I was captivated more so by the principles that produced this success. While not every church can succeed at producing feasible multisites, they all can generate healthy culture and impact their community. Once this became clear, we shifted our discussion to these principles, namely the celebration of change, the shift from a scarcity mindset to an outreach mindset, and the raising of leaders from within the local church.

1) The Celebration of Change.

Change can often seem like a curse word in churches. From Pastor Gerad’s point of view, change is a comprehensive retooling of what one believes about church and how one acts on that belief. During his tenure as pastor, he tackled challenge after challenge. He worked tirelessly to involve more lay people in ministry, to free up his time as a pastor to follow God’s vision, and to properly balance church boards and internal church concerns with community outreach. In some respects, many of these challenges are felt in rural churches across America, especially by the pastors who serve in them.

The question becomes simple: “What do you celebrate?” Pastor Gerad insisted that in order to change the DNA of the church, different things have to be celebrated. Instead of celebrating goals that only existing believers would cherish, he instead decided to celebrate the pivotal moments where unbelievers entered the church. Whether it was a community outreach or a new salvation or water baptism, Gerad became convinced that churches reproduce what they celebrate.

Sometimes growth is as simple as a fresh perspective. For a portion of his time at Bethel, Gerad also joined the sheriff’s department. This experience in the community led to a humbling moment of clarity. One of the heaviest thoughts that came to him was whether or not his community would notice if their church suddenly disappeared. If the answer was no, it meant the church was not doing enough to show true love to those around them. The second thing he realized was that Christians who have attended church for a long time (as well as the pastors that lead them), often spend time arguing about things that do not truly matter. While it may seem important to speak of the internal affairs of the church, it is, in Gerad’s opinion, much more important to look out toward the unbeliever and see what can be done to reach them.

2) The Shift from a Scarcity Mindset to an Outreach Mindset.

Gerad grew passionate as he discussed the need for a drastic shift in mindset within rural churches, pastors, and people. Many rural communities have, at one time or another, been affected by a deeply rooted sense of lack. Accompanying this is an impending sense that resources must be looked after or even hoarded because eventually they will not be there anymore. Gerad gave a solid rebuke to this mindset, instead calling for a reckless generosity on the part of churches, or at the very least a willingness to invest in outreach even if it does not yield immediate financial returns.

As pastors, this can be incredibly challenging to hear, and even harder to lead others into. However, once a shift in mentality takes place, a church begins to invest resources into the people of the community. From Gerad’s perspective, these churches experience God’s blessing and frequently see their community begin to open up to the Gospel.

3) The Raising Up of Leaders Within the Church.

Gerad spoke of developing leaders and it became apparent that he was both experienced in this area and an excited spectator who simply enjoyed watching people answer God’s call. Pastor Gerad truly listened to God’s heart for calling people, and in doing so found within himself a burden to disciple them well and prepare them for ministry. He began to ask himself and his church how they were fostering and cultivating the call of God in their local congregations. This culture eventually produced churches that are spreading the Gospel over an entire region of South Dakota. Even more surprisingly, or perhaps not surprisingly at all, this culture eventually gave rise to Gerad’s own replacement as lead pastor.

Keith Culver, who recently took over as lead pastor, represents the comprehensive journey of leadership development provided by Bethel Church. While sitting under the leadership of Bethel Church, Keith became aware of the call of God on his life. He then proceeded to share this call with Pastor Gerad, expressing desire for more training. During this time, he became the main campus pastor for the growing church and was in that role for seven years before expressing a desire to be a lead pastor. Gerad worked with him, giving him more and more opportunity and insight into leadership within the church, intending to send him out as a lead pastor. However, when Gerad received the call of God to minister elsewhere, it became clear to him, and eventually Keith, that God had been preparing him to take over as lead pastor at Bethel Church.

Keith’s story is inspiring because it holds lessons for us as rural pastors. We must be concerned enough about the call to ministry that we invite people to hear God’s call through our regular church meetings. We must weave the call of God into how we preach and teach. The challenge for us as ministers is to allow space for the Holy Spirit to call people directly into God’s service. Keith’s story teaches us the importance of leadership development. The call of God in a lay person must be matched with our intentionality to fan that call into flame and equip them to succeed. Finally, we must be willing to send people out if need be, knowing that God will take care of our own church even as we send people out.

Some rural pastors could not feasibly do multisite church, especially if the next closest “community” is nothing more than a herd of cows grazing over the next hill. However, every rural pastor can learn to embrace change, shift from a scarcity mindset, and develop leaders locally. It is precisely this fact—that this goal is entirely within the grasp of the rural church—that has caused Pastor Gerad Strong to so persistently practice these principles in his context. The combination of change, abundance mindset, and leadership development allowed a partnership that launched rural ministries in the western South Dakota communities of Edgemont, Sturgis, Summerset, Wall, and Cornerstone Rescue Mission. God is looking to instill in us the same persistence and intentionality, as we do our best to faithfully serve Him. As we practice these principles, God will continue bringing people to Himself through the rural church.

Questions for Reflection:

• What are some roadblocks in your church to meaningful change?
• What is a good first step you can practically take to overcome these roadblocks?
• What is one thing your church could better celebrate in order to reach the lost?
• How much does your church invest in outreach financially? Are there ways to increase or better utilize these available funds?
• What are you doing on a regular “Sunday Morning Service” to cultivate the call of God in believer’s lives?

The post Rural Multisite in South Dakota: A Celebration of Change appeared first on Rural Advancement.

I love rural churches and the calling of rural pastors. The redemptive communities they lead often set standards of faith and provide numerous elements of encouragement and hope for the community. The rural and smaller churches often times face challenges of available resources, trained leadership, or even the availability for attending various training opportunities in light of the necessity of bi-vocational career requirements, family necessities, and church budgets.

For fifteen years, I have preached weekly in different ministry settings ranging from small rural churches, to multicultural urban churches, to services abroad with multiple translations. Over the course of the journey I gained a few insights into how churches function—both in flourishing settings and overlooked aspects of ministry. These experiences and perspectives reveal a few key points that may benefit local churches and fill voids. This motivated me to write a book to address these and other areas dealing with the first impressions a first-time guest receives when visiting your church. This book, Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship, encourages excellence in everything, so all who are open to the Lord’s work in their lives can sense His magnificent, tangible presence. Few resources address practical matters for rural ministry, especially pertaining to the practical elements so the following paragraphs will highlight a sampling of areas where churches should work for effective engagement.

Making Guests Feel Welcome

Welcoming and convenient facilities should mark the guest’s first impression of the outside and inside atmosphere. Searching for a spiritually fitting home, potential members consider details such as parking, signage, physical accommodations, and the flow of services. After serving in multiple churches, I noticed churches seem to struggle with key details. Remember, a church is always communicating a message, thought, or idea with or without the church’s knowledge. When the church communicates a message founded in love and excellence, guests see the love and care of Christ more than the accommodations and great signage; visitors notice practical things.

“Finding a way to reach your audience and knowing your audience is imperative to growing a healthy church, mentoring, and discipling God’s people.”

– Girdler, Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship 

First time guests interpret church differently than the local church family. Usually, the church guest, the first-time attender, or the well-meaning searcher looking for a church home finds the weaknesses and observes “the little things” that are not so little. These areas become deciding factors for guests return visits or further consider of the church as a viable and spiritually fitting home for their family. Guests determine within the first 2 to 8 minutes whether they will return. That indicates that the church has less than 10 minutes to show them warm hospitality.  If guests arrive 15 minutes prior to the service, they likely decided about returning prior to the first song and prior to the first word of the message.

Communicate Clearly

Be prepared to explain everything you do and the reason(s) you do it (the what and the why) each week. Expect guests and prepare for them, which includes preparing the regular congregation for the weekly explanations that many find redundant or unnecessary. Keep in mind what the first-time guests need to hear this explained. Have the congregation become accustomed to repeated explanations so guest have the privilege of comfortable assimilation.

“I made a conscious effort that anytime one of our services included anything [anyone] would be curious about I comfortably went to the pulpit and read God’s Word on the subject matter.”

– Girdler, Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship

Guest often having questions about the accepted forms in the practice of communion. Some guests grew up in denominational settings that served “closed communion,” which required membership in that particular understanding of church to participate in their communion service. (Closed communion is not my theological stance nor my personal preference. I want to welcome all of Christ’s family.) However, leaders need to keep in mind that guests come from varying ecclesiastical backgrounds and they need to know and understand your process: “Am I allowed to participate?” “When should I eat the bread and drink the juice?” “How will communion be served?” “What are acceptable standards?” As respectful guest, they do not want to do anything out of order or embarrassing. So, help them know acceptable practices.

Love the Whole Community

The church can use many ways to demonstrate Christ’s love to the community. Special needs ministries often remain one of the least developed and yet most remarkable ministry opportunities churches that desire to make a difference in their community. Many within traveling distance of your church face the unique challenges of special needs, and few churches offer any ministry, welcome, or lend a hand for their needs. It may take training and a high level of commitment, but recognize what you can and should provide care for this beautiful segment of society who cannot attend church, do not attend church, or do not feel welcomed in church. Adjust the width of the church hallways, doorways, bathrooms, and sidewalks for handicap accessibility, which makes a difference and says, “We care.”

Jesus came to earth for three reasons. One reason, Jesus demonstrated the nature of the Father and debunked misconceptions of God. A second reason, Jesus taught how to love people. A third reason, Jesus became our substitute for sin, so that all who come to Him can receive His gift of salvation. His ministry showed truth and grace and met people in their circumstances. He challenged them to change from the inside out, to draw closer to Him, while learning how to love people! Is your church atmosphere sending that message? Remember, the local church lives to glorify God and to touch the community. So, every church must evaluate their vision, mission, cultural intelligence, demographic, and community love language. Your church can begin to set the tone on Sundays, which leads the church to correct the atmosphere for the desired message you send to guests.

“Too many churches and leaders depend on talent and forget the power of prayer.”

– Girdler, Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship

Nothing can work up, sing up, and shout up, or raise up the presence of God. Scripture teaches He is powerful, sovereign, and, genuinely interested in the eternal and the everyday aspects of every individual on earth. The Bible says He inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). This essential matter, His presence, becomes evident to all who worship, seek, or even casually observe as first-time guests. The importance of the Church is not derived from what we do as leaders, our projects, or our strategies. We discover the importance of the Church in God doing His work in our lives and in the lives and hearts of all who attend for worship. Understanding that primary principle should cause leaders to offer our best for the Lord. The goal of excellence should glorify the Lord and His magnificent presence tangibly sensed and received by all open to His work.

I encourage every pastor to set the atmosphere for day of worship. You, the church family, and all the guests will be glad you did.

Purchase Joseph Girdler’s full book here, “Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship” on Amazon.

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By Paul D. Maunu

What factors led rural pastors from a season of plateau or decline to turnaround; producing church growth? Answering the question, what factors led rural pastors from a season of plateau or decline to turnaround; producing church growth, compelled this research.  Spiritual fervency, productive relationships, and community outreach represented the key to turnaround.  This thesis sections include; research methodology, literature review, findings and analysis, theological reflections, and application.  The research methodology concerning rural church turnaround; focused on the context of the study, research methodology, and obtaining results from the rural context.  The literature review included biblical expression, rural ministry challenges, and valuing rural ministry.  The empirical research portion addressed findings and analysis from ten interviews of pastors leading turnaround, detailing expected findings, key components, and contributing factors.  Expected findings considered programs, leadership factors, pulpit ministry, and other challenges.

The key components identified include spiritual fervency, productive relationships, and community outreach.  Spiritual fervency examined prayer, spiritual encounters, and personal refreshment.  Productive relationships included intentional investment, peer friendship, and relationships among church leaders.  Community outreach investigated mentality shift, servanthood, and catalytic ideas.  These factors provided the commonalities and framework for turnaround in the ten churches studied.  Theological reflections on Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis, and Orthopathos in the rural setting assisted in the reflection and consideration.  Applications from the research addressed the following: establishing the call to rural, pursuing spiritual growth, initiating outreach, and establishing relationships.  The methodology, literature review, findings and analysis, theological reflections, and application form the major sections of the thesis.

The challenges of life and pastoral leadership can lead ministers to feeling or getting stuck.  Moving beyond the challenges of ministry when in plateau or decline seemed an important issue to consider.  When a church encounters a season of no growth, discouragement can impact the pastor, leadership, and church members.  A church that loses people can move towards despair; leading other members to consider leaving, placing pressure on pastoral leadership to ‘righting the ship.’  Neil Anderson and Charles Mylander in Setting Your Church Free said, “Your leaders may ache over good people who have chosen to go to other churches and left the burdens of ministry to an overworked few.”[1]  Seasons of plateau and decline tend to impact many within the church, yet the minister tends to carry the weight of the burden during these seasons.  Ministers may experience defeat resulting in leaving the church and at times the ministry.  Pursuing the accounts of ministers that overcame the factors that hinder progress in the rural setting formed the framework for this research.  The narrative of pastors that battled through the discouraging times provided a paradigm for others to consider; extending hope to the pastor struggling to establish turnaround.  This research set out to discover pathways of optimism for the health of pastors and strength for churches in rural America.

Small church health proved more complicated to assess than the first appearance would indicate.  Glenn Daman, pastor, author and rural ministry specialist, referenced material that indicated that the small church often rates as the healthiest church.[1]  This concept seemed hard to understand or believe, because the factors that seemed the strongest indicators of success often connect growth in numbers and the health of church finances.  When churches fail to grow this presents a significant burden to overcome.  Whether voiced or not, the question, ‘what is the matter with us’ tends to add pressure. The burden often lies heaviest on the pastoral leadership.

Pastoral breakthrough provided a key component for the research.  Author Peter Scazzero in Emotionally Healthy Spirituality discussed “the dark night of the soul” or what he termed ‘the Wall’ when he said, “For many, going back in order to go forward thrusts us up against the Wall.  Others are brought to it by circumstances and crises beyond our control.”[1]  Finding and documenting cases of moving beyond significant challenges to places of victory marked the research.  These pastoral interviews developed out of contact with various leaders who connected me with pastors that fit the criteria of this research.  Often it took numerous attempts to uncover pastors willing to participate with experiences that matched the desired framework.  The interviews occurred through phone calls to document the key components of their church turnaround.

The research criteria necessitated experiences uncovered that included turnaround from a state of plateau or decline.  This element can provide hope and encouragement to the pastor engaging in the battle to overcome the season of challenge.  This research may stir the belief that growth can happen through the difficult seasons of ministry.  The rural context often tends to get overlooked when celebrating the stories of success.  Uncovering accounts that demonstrated the plausibility for ministry turnaround offered value.  The situations discovered in this research varied in many ways; the challenges inherent in the church and local community dynamics presented unique obstacles to turnaround.  This material does not provide a one size fits all approach.  Principles came forth offering ideas to consider and apply to multiple rural ministry situations.  After the interview process concluded, the categorization and analysis of the data took place.  These commonalities offered breakthroughs and insights suggesting hope for struggling rural churches.

Separating the rural pastor from the rural church appeared difficult due to the close connection that often exists in the small communities.  The rural pastor does not represent the church in all ways yet in many aspects there seems little distinction.  This research will refer to the minister at times and the church at times.  Many rural settings where the pastor represents the only paid staff made conclusive distinctions challenging.  The church and pastor remain associated in significant ways and tend to provide a single narrative for the pastors and churches referenced.  The plateau or decline and turnaround, though differing in elements from pastor to church, will retain a link in the research.  Church dynamics and pastoral ministry provides factors to consider as a whole and dividing them would represent more investigation than this research provides.

The ability to implement change might serve as the most vital component of moving from plateau and decline to turnaround.  Dr. Henry Cloud in Necessary Endings reflected upon identifying the source of the energy for change; “If you have energy without intelligence, it will be wasted and not go toward a direction or a path.  But likewise, intelligence or a plan without energy is not going anywhere at all.  Even the best-laid plans will stagnate without a force driving them.”[2]  The discovery of what motivated change proved foundational.  The change factors may vary according to circumstance within the church, community, and minister’s personal life.  The pastors surveyed found pathways to lead their churches from plateau or decline to growth.  Some components that produced turnaround proved similar while other aspects tended to fit individual situations.

This thesis details methods used to study rural church turnaround, focusing on the context of the study, research methodology, and obtaining results from the rural context.  The literature review includes biblical expression, rural ministry challenges, and valuing rural ministry.  The main portion of this thesis addresses findings and analysis from the ten interviews of pastors leading turnaround, detailing; expected findings, key components, and contributing factors.  The key components include spiritual fervency, productive relationships, and community outreach which form the quintessential elements from the research.  These factors provide the framework for turnaround.  Theological reflections on Orthodoxy, Orthopraxis, and Orthopathos in the rural setting garnered exploration.  Applications from the research address; establishing the call to the rural context, pursuing spiritual growth, initiating outreach, and establishing relationships.  The methodology, literature review, findings and analysis, theological reflections, and application provide the framework for this thesis structure.

[1] Peter Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to be Spiritually Mature While Remaining Emotionally Immature (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 117.

[2] Henry Cloud, Necessary Endings: The Employees, Business, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2010), 112.

[1] Glenn Daman interview with Paul Maunu, January 22, 2020.

[1] Neil T. Anderson and Charles Mylander, Setting Your Church Free: A Biblical Plan for Corporate Conflict Resolution (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 2005), 154-155.

The post Church Turnaround in Rural America appeared first on Rural Advancement.

Hot Rod Sunday could not have gone better. Seven hundred people crowded the church building for the morning service. Speakers set up in the parking lot relayed a timely Gospel message to a standing-room-only crowd of community members. The day continued with burnout competitions and drag races, complete with trophies and prizes. For the people of Princeton, Minnesota, Hot Rod Sunday would be remembered as a family friendly good time that everyone in town enjoyed. For Pastor Chuck Pruett and his congregation at New Life Church, this was becoming business as usual for the growing body of believers.

Momentum. This word began to define Pastor Chuck’s church not long after his arrival in 1997. Chuck had spent the last 10 years of his ministry journey as a children’s pastor at a large Assembly of God church in Minnesota. While he found great success, he felt the Lord’s call towards being a lead pastor, and approached his district superintendent for some guidance. His superintendent opened his eyes to see what he called the “Ring of Fire”, representing dozens of small communities in a “ring” around the Twin Cities where God’s Spirit was doing amazing things. When he considered Princeton, a town of 4,200 with a dying church of just 26 members, Chuck jokingly commented “I had to pray about even praying about it.” However, the gentle tug and steady hand of the Lord led Chuck and his family to follow God’s call and begin pastoring the church.

Near death experiences have a way of putting things in perspective, and the Princeton Assembly of God church was no exception. Facing dramatically shrinking membership, the church was willing beyond all else to reach people, even if drastic change was necessary. This recognition of the need for change allowed Chuck to quickly establish a new mindset in the church. The strategy was simple: reach kids, then their families, and by doing so reach the community. This was the vision. This was the building block and foundation of why they would exist as a church and people began to respond almost immediately.

An afterschool program for elementary age kids quickly grew to 130 kids weekly. Sunday services followed suit. Each new event maintained the heartbeat. Harvest Festivals on an annual basis eventually drew crowds of over 1,600. Sunday attendance climbed steadily eventually reaching 900 consistent attendees. Hot Rod Sunday, an event reaching 700 members, both was and was not monumental. It represented, on one hand, an incredible bridge built with the community and a wonderful Gospel presentation. However, what has not been surprising has been the prevalence of God’s blessing on the church as events like this take place in the community.

Growth such as this does not happen without a lesson attached. As we talked, Chuck spoke as much about the church itself as he did the leadership lessons the Lord taught him along the way. He began with this heartbeat:

“It is easier to raise a generation than it is to reach a generation.”

This model remains the DNA of New Life Church. The budget, staffing, event calendar and services are all geared towards effectively loving, winning, and discipling children. Chuck saw it happen more times than he could count. The kids would “drag their parents to church” and then grandparents visiting the church on Easter would stay too. This led to a multigenerational church with strong family ministries.

Sunday services became an extension of this drive. If the church itself existed to reach kids, Sunday services were going to be relentlessly centered around reaching today’s adults ages 28-42; the most likely demographic to have elementary age kids. The money showed the priorities, with every surplus amount flowing into kid’s and family ministry. Kids began to be utilized at every stage of development within the church. They began to serve as ushers, worship team members, leaders in various ministries, and event staff. This integrated approach helped kids remain grounded and connected in the local body and created a strong culture of leadership development within the church. Chuck mentioned with excitement that many of the pastors on staff were raised from within the church body instead of brought in from outside. The big picture of this church is one of incredible kingdom impact in their community.

In light of what God has done through the church, I asked Chuck something many pastors wonder: What’s the secret sauce? How does one reproduce this kind of spiritual and kingdom impact as a leader? What are the takeaways for other pastors? He shared a few common principles that may help with growth:

1) Hold vision close, hold everything else loosely.

The vision of reaching kids and families is the heartbeat of New Life Church. Beyond that, a culture of steady change is fostered. The goal of this is simple. Growing churches with good visions frequently stop growing because they become more focused on how something is being done versus the goal in mind. Instead of reaching families, a congregation settles for arguing about musical styles, refuses to abandon dead programs or events, or begins to let personal projects drain time, effort, and resources. Chuck said a key to the vision was a constant reevaluation of methods in order to reach the goal.

2) Create strong administrative structures.

This is the most BORING and incredibly useful detail in the whole interview. No one I know gets very excited about administrative structure. However, each new growth bracket, from 26 congregants to 900, necessitated the creation of strong administrative structures. New positions had to be prayed about and created based on where growth was going to be, not where it was at the moment.

Pastor Chuck guided the board through the process of becoming a vision driven church instead of a deacon driven church. This created a case where resources could be spent and used without having to jump through red tape and layers of committee approval, allowing the work to go forward quickly. Positions were added only when deemed absolutely useful or necessary, balancing the need for more workers with the availability of resources. The celebration of 1,600 harvest festival attendees resounded loudly from atop a foundation of administrative backbone.

3) Develop leaders. Seriously, just do it.

This seems like a no brainer. However, as Pastor Chuck spoke to me, it became clear that true leadership development is a highly intentional process that takes immense pastoral discipline to carry out. This does not mean it cannot be done anywhere; quite the opposite. It simply means many are not willing to undertake the task. Pastor Chuck delegated pastoral authority and then let those people have the freedom to run events or ministries without micromanagement. Strong leaders will usually be attracted to a church that allows for that kind of trust. He also began entrusting leadership roles to people being raised in the church, giving students as young as elementary age a stake in the church in some way that kept them around through adulthood. The culture of developing leaders is key to church growth in any context.

Growing churches sometimes appear to be like the Great and Terrible Oz in the Wizard of Oz. The impact they have for God’s kingdom can be so immense that it seems intimidating and impossible to approach. However, behind the curtain exist regular people, faithfully serving the Lord. Behind the curtain we often find people like Chuck Pruett, who have worked within God’s call and put into practice common principles that other churches can, and should do, in order to see growth.

Questions for Reflection:

• What is the vision of your church? Is it easy to define? Do your resources go towards your vision?
• What formats or “ways of doing things” need to change to accomplish God’s vision for your church?
• What administrative structures need to be written down, updated, fleshed out, or strengthened to make the vision possible?
• How are you engaging young people and families in church leadership?
• How are you as a pastor personally developing leaders in your church? Or, as a lay person, how can you take steps toward being developed as a leader?

The post God is Still Moving in Minnesota’s Ring of Fire appeared first on Rural Advancement.

This paper presents the need to review the theology of God’s call connected to missions and the rural church. The need for the church to observe the rural churches’ connection to the call can strengthen missions work to all ethne. In light of the decline of young rural ministers, this paper explores the biblical call for ministry engaging God’s mission (missio Dei) and observing calling in Acts 26:16-20; God continues to call Spirit-empowered believers to join His mission of reaching the lost from every ethne. Paul’s call demonstrates that God’s calling includes the purpose and the empowerment that summons believers to respond.

The exploration of Luke’s appeal to the church, considering the example of Paul’s call, strengthens the praxis of the Christ-centered call that launches Spirit-empowered workers into the harvest in and from rural communities. Incorporating Luke’s Spirit-empowered missio Dei call and response theme with rural churches, accomplishing the mission of Christ for every people group, becomes a rural impetus.[i] Tyra promoted the pneumatic missio Dei imperative, “…it must be acknowledged that Luke’s message overall seems to be that all Spirit-filled believers possess the capacity, like Ananias [and Paul], to hear God’s voice, receive ministry assignments, speak and act on Christ’s behalf, make new disciples, and build up the church, offering a powerful refutation of religious relativism in the process.”[ii] To mitigate the rural church crisis, God continues to call ministers to accomplish His mission in the rural communities, to turn them from darkness to the glorious light.

Jesus continues His universal call to invade the darkness with the gospel light in the rural and urban communities. Gene Edward encouraged believers that God’s call leads to places large and small, “Christians have the confidence that ‘all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose’ (Rom. 8:28). Notice that this promise is tied to vocation (being ‘called’) and to God’s purpose, not our own.”[iii] The Holy Spirit works through believers to remedy a lack of missionary zeal, calling for radical transformation of people in rural and urban communities, healing blind eyes, setting free the bound, bringing the good news of sins forgiven and sanctification through faith in Christ. A biblical theology of the call, in view of Paul’s call and the rural church current condition, necessitates increased prayer, preaching, and teaching about responding to the Spirit-empowered missional call; encouraging people young and old, men and women, to respond to the Lord Jesus who called Saul on the road to Damascus and leaders for ministry today.

[i] Moltmann Jurgen Moltmann. The Church in Power of the Spirit. (New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, Inc. 1977), 10.

[ii] Tyra. 68.

[iii] Gene Veith, Edward, Jr. God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Book.2002), 59. “Vocation is, in part, a function of the particular gifts God has given us; but we cannot know our vocation purely by looking inside ourselves. Our choices are constrained by givens that are outside our control. Neither are circumstances completely under our control. God, though, is in control of them all. While non-believers are trapped in their random, meaningless world, Christians have the confidence that ‘all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose’ (Rom. 8:28).” This promise follows Paul’s admonition that Spirit helps us pray according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27).

Read the Academic Article 

The post Theology of the Call: Acts 26:16-20 appeared first on Rural Advancement.

Brad Roth’s 2017 work, God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church, offers a truly unique perspective on rural ministry. Stocking the shelves of Christian bookstores, one can find dozens of titles that offer practical “how-to” tips on how to do church. Brad chooses in God’s Country to focus on what it means to be a rural leader, instead of just doing rural ministry.

The first thing that stands out about this work is the heart of the author. Brad describes his affinity for the rural church by saying “I stumbled into my love affair with rural communities and congregations, and they’ve continued to grow on me” (Roth, 2017, 15). He goes on to describe this love in terms of theology, academics, history, and in light of his years of experience ministering in rural settings. This thorough approach creates an engaging work that seeks to identify what rural truly is; which is as the author defines, a “way of seeing the world” (Roth, 2017,31).

Within his definition of rural he acknowledges common stereotypes of rural churches versus urban churches, acknowledging that “sipping a mocha in Harvard Square somehow feels more consequential than having coffee at a small-town gas station. But it’s not” (Roth. 2017, 44). The subsequent dignity and value he places on rural ministry lays the groundwork for his approach to how rural ministers ought to engage rural churches and communities. He immediately confronts the reader with different ways of being, speaking first of the ministry of presence. Roth even goes so far as to say ministers must be “made from the dust” of the small-town they minister in (Roth, 2017, 66).

Brad Roth then walks the reader through different postures. He speaks of abiding in a rural community and “watching” a rural community, referencing a specific attitude that looks for God at work in small places (Roth, 2017, 79). He speaks of postures of gratitude and prayer; again highlighting what a minister must essentially be to succeed in loving God’s rural church. He creates new metrics besides the normal numbers rubric that most churches use to define success, and seeks to reframe rural success in more realistic terms (Roth, 2017, 120).

In these postures one finds a good amount of information to unpack in regards to how a minister can successfully work in a small place, but the book does not stop there. It also goes to the birds-eye view, and allows the reader to see how relatively small one pastor is in the history of a rural church. Ministers with this perspective are able to better assess how and what they need to focus on for their part in a greater story (Roth, 2017, 139). Finally, he speaks of subjects that are downright uncomfortable; giving an extensive report on how to walk churches through every phase of their life, from birth to even death (Roth, 2017, 166).

      God’s Country is for ministers and leaders who believe in the rural church, or want to believe in the rural church. This book can be used to find practical guidance on how to minister, or it can be used to challenge one’s deepest held perspectives on what it means to work in the unseen corners of God’s world. Both academic and casual readers will find wisdom readily accessible in its pages, and this book does a fantastic job of being a valuable resource for a rural leader in any capacity.

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Small towns are a lot like cars. When maintained properly, they can last for years. The trick with cars is to give proper attention to each moving part at the right time. It is to see the needs of the vehicle and be proactive in meeting those needs. It is also important to make sure too much attention is not given to one area over another. To give you a mental picture, imagine pouring engine oil into the car until it overflows into a puddle on the floor, ignoring a flat tire while oil cascades down the driveway, wasted.

Like cars, small towns are made up of dozens of moving parts. Local businesses, non-profits, community recreational entities, and school systems all operate and overlap simultaneously. In the midst of this complex web of community elements, we find rural churches and rural youth ministries, which can often feel overwhelmed or unsure of how to best impact students. In this part of our rural youth ministry series, I want to address how to properly care for our small towns, how to look at the whole picture of our various rural communities and find which spot needs attention. In doing so, I hope our youth ministries can succeed in reaching students by meeting real needs in their communities.

If you fit the profile of most rural volunteers or paid youth staff I have met, you frequently juggle several obligations, family needs, jobs, titles, roles, and functions within your small town. You may find yourself having limited nights to spend doing youth ministry while you are busy working with the PTA, or sitting on local boards, or doing half a dozen other tasks that are integral to small town life. Upon moving to my small community of 1,700 people, I distinctly remember wondering how I was going to handle having so much extra time on my hands. Not long after that, I unintentionally found myself with more to do than I could have imagined and had little time to spare.

In the midst of this rural hustle and bustle, one question then becomes paramount: How do we best reach the students of our community? There are often not enough resources to spare to allow the task to be done inefficiently, and not enough energy to justify trying every new strategy or doing endless events in an attempt to reach people. In addition to this strain on resources, it can be incredibly overwhelming to contemplate doing more, leading to a bit of resignation as we wrestle with our limitations or abilities to minister to students. Another common temptation is to settle for “good enough”, and while we may be accomplishing something, we can often miss out on greater impact.

In the interest of keeping things practical, I want to focus on a few principles of car maintenance that will also keep our ministries running well, and will help us be a working and contributing part of our greater community.

1) Do some scheduled maintenance.

We know that cars require scheduled maintenance (regular oil checks, tire checks, and certain parts that need replaced every 50,000 miles or so), and sudden maintenance, which arises when something breaks. While both are important, for the sake of planning, it is easier to focus on scheduled maintenance than it is to predict problems.

That said, I think many of us need to analyze our small town. Let’s look at the whole picture, and figure out which part needs more attention. Often, small towns are doing many things exceptionally well, and as “part of the team”, we have the opportunity to find areas people are not already taking care of. You may find that sports programs and local scout troops are handling after school activities pretty well. You may discover that your town’s businesses have partnered to handle homecoming week at the high school. You may notice that the schools and a few non-profits are working quietly in the background to produce scholarships for students.

In the course of your analysis, you may also find that no one is partnering with the school on an after-prom party for students, or that no one is helping teens and families with basic needs. You might discover that many students need tutoring and there is no one around to provide a consistent service. You may learn that there is a shortage of substitute teachers that are able to personally step in and help address this need. Getting the whole picture of our town helps us see gaps. These gaps become tangible ways we can meet needs in our communities, which then become opportunities to reach students with the gospel.

2) Figure out what needs the most attention.

We hope this is never the case, but sometimes cars have multiple needs, with multiple lights flashing on the dash highlighting areas of need. Sometimes, it is best to figure out what needs the most attention and do that first. In the same way, after we have identified needs in our community, we begin the process of figuring out which one is the most important for us and our youth ministry to tackle. Jesus had a knack for this. He lived His life with an awareness of the big picture of humanity’s greatest needs, but frequently moved from town to town and person to person by listening to the Father’s specific leading. Mark 1:35-39 describes one such moment where Jesus withdrew, prayed, and followed God’s leading in how to best meet the needs around Him and fulfill God’s will for His life. In the same way, we must become intimately acquainted with prayer in order to clearly see how to proceed.

3) Get the job done!

Once we have a clear understanding of an issue, and a specific direction on what area to tackle first, our next job is to get it done! When working on cars, there are definite moments where a “one-hour job” turns into a whole afternoon of frustrated trips to an auto parts store or many false starts that create a sense of frustration. However, getting the car running and keeping it running is a big enough motivator to navigate the frustration. The main questions are: What do we need to do to get the job done? What resources do we need to gather? Whose wisdom do we need to lean on? How willing are we to keep trying even with a couple setbacks? Is the need big enough to demand your time and effort? The answers to these questions are key in determining how we will do youth ministry successfully in our communities.

Small towns are a lot like cars. They have a lot of moving parts that demand attention. Instead of covering an area that is already being maintained or spending our energy on areas where needs are being met, we can better utilize our limited time and resources by finding an unmet need and filling it. Meeting one community need effectively opens the door for new relationships with students. These relationships then provide open doors for the gospel. It is my hope that by taking care of one overlooked area in our communities, we can have a greater impact on students in the long run.

To read part one of Joe Epley’s series, “Principles for Rural Youth Ministry” click here: “Principles for Rural Youth Ministry: Making Blind Eyes See.” For part three, “Principles for Rural Youth Ministry: Crab Claws and Candy Ships.”

The post Principles for Rural Youth Ministry Part 2: See a Need, Meet a Need appeared first on Rural Advancement.

by Hope Mayes

A woman nine months pregnant, kicked out of her house by her husband, had almost no belongings, and baby arriving soon. Feeling hopeless and alone, she surprised New Life Assembly of God by stumbling into the building of what would soon become the Woodstock Hope Center. Upon seeing her situation and the opportunity to show the woman she was welcome and loved, the lead Pastor Chad Payne and church volunteers packed her car with a baby crib, play place, car seat, diapers, baby clothing and food. As she drove away, they thought this act of compassion would not change her life forever, but it would give her threads of hope.

Threads of Hope in the Form of Community

Right at the top of the second poorest county in Alabama lies a unique church, equipped with creative vision and eyes that see through the lens of hope. New Life Assembly of God, led by pastor Chad Payne in Woodstock, lives out their motto “healing for your past, hope for your future” with every person that stumbles into their church. However, in the twenty years Pastor Chad has pastored at New Life, he learned the importance of knowing he pastors every person that walks into his church, and every member of the community as well.

 “It’s an essential and key component to see yourself as pastoring the community and not just the church” – Pastor Chad Payne

Pastor Chad has intentionally spent significant amounts of time “being present in the community,” representing the church in the restaurants and marketplace, and becoming acquainted with the people, culture and changing needs of Woodstock and the surrounding area. Payne finds it amazing what opportunities open up when “spending a lot of time being seen in the community.” Because of this, New Life has stayed attentive and addressed the essential needs with doses of hope prescribed specifically for the community’s symptoms.

Threads of Hope in Unique Forms

By adopting this mindset, New Life has begun to imagine new ideas for their small town! They have started to ask questions such as, “How can our church make a difference in the community?” and “What about our church would make the community sad if it went away?”

As a response to these queries, New Life has developed the Woodstock Hope Center, which provides hope to many foster families and individuals in hardship situations. In partnership with the Department of Human Resources, the Hope Center has already made available essential provisions, groceries, and clothing to foster families. Even before the grand opening in April 2020, the Woodstock Hope Center lived up to its tagline, where hope comes alive, by helping over two dozen foster families.

In order to address more needs unique in their community, God provided a 15 ½ acre property directly behind the church to be creatively used for ministry purposes! On one end, Pastor Chad plans to construct a fully functioning park with a softball field, walking track, picnic tables and much more. On the opposite end, Pastor Chad hopes to fill with tiny homes for senior citizens. The goal provides smaller homes for senior citizens to stay near the church and receive needed help rather than moving to an assisted living facility.

These solutions fulfill needs and place their church as a central hub within the community. Pastor Chad and his church have seen this building plan as an opportunity to build relationships with people who join from all around their area of Alabama and become a witness with their words and love for community.

 “Everywhere I go in the community I treat every person like they are the most important person in my life at the moment… If I can communicate to each person that they are valuable, if I don’t treat them like a counselor or something like that, but if I treat them as a friend and if I try to encourage them, it’s so much more effective in bringing out the best in people” – Pastor Chad Payne

If the Church takes the attitude of communicating to every person they encounter that they are wanted, valuable, and that someone believes in them, hope catches like a wildfire.

Threads of Hope That Endures

Pastoring the whole community, imagining what can be, and treating every person with importance remains the culture New Life exhibits in Woodstock, Alabama. New Life has made the most impact by involving themselves in their community and finding essential elements for their unique area and people. This proved more effective than trying to emulate a big city church in a small community.

 “When you take that approach, then the possibilities in your community are endless. There’s so much we can invest in. Whether the church grows numerically or not, we can still make a big difference in the community” – Pastor Chad Payne

Pastor Chad and New Life Assembly of God represent true testimonies that God’s people must take the attitude of relational service in all they do. Then ministry matches the needs of the community around them and quickly finds areas in which to invest resources, time, and love. Discover ways to communicate and deliver hope to the people around you, the options are endless.

Reflective Engagement:

1. How can you and your church get creatively administer of hope to the people and community?
2. What unique needs occur in your community?
3. How does ‘pastoring the whole community’ look in your ministry?
4. What does ‘treating every person as important’ change?
5. What new creative idea can you imagine?

Click here to read Senior Pastor Chad Payne’s recount of his battle with cancer while in a pastoral role.

The post Threads of Hope appeared first on Rural Advancement.

By Ronald L. Masten

Partnership on purpose, spiritual fervency, and intentional outreach into the community will characterize the church in the future, and the future begins now. Developing leaders for ministry rural churches necessities relevant ministry that includes, spiritual fervency, authenticity, community outreach, and partnership.

The current state of ministry in rural Sandhills of Nebraska struggles with the following questions: “How will relevant ministry survive as the church moves into the future? What will the ministry look like? Who will lead outreach? How will missions be supported moving forward?” Rural communities face many struggles in these times; they experienced a decline and loss of families over the past several decades, which resulted in smaller churches. World Population Review reports Thomas County Population in 1980 at 973 people and 2018 numbers at 720.1 Many trends ignored or thought small rural ministry as less than larger metro churches. Karl Vaters stated in, The Grasshopper Myth, “Half of all Christians in America and far more than half of Christians worldwide attend a Small Church.”2 This study researched the challenges and issues of current ministry, and the opportunity for churches to partner and cooperate together ensuring productive ministry and evangelism for the future. 

The research included interviews of pastors, lay leaders, members and adherents, and small-town residents using a questionnaire designed to provide answers to focused questions with persons involved in the rural ministry context and community. What percentage of pastors serve in bi-vocational roles? What level of education and experience do they have? What role do laypeople play in leadership? What level of cooperation between area churches ensures successful ministry in the future? This research gathered responses from diverse groups in the churches and ministries engaged multiple viewpoints ensuring good research data from interviews from current ministries and those engaged in evangelism whether clergy or lay leadership. 

The church must recognize that collaboration and partnership will not just evolve on its own. This new paradigm engages the church in a sense of urgency rooted in seeking God to give direction and guidance moving forward. God will lead the changes, partnerships, spiritual renewal, and missional evangelism through contextualization and intentional evangelism.

This research project survey demonstrated that the rural churches in the Sandhills of Nebraska and around America still have life; however, there is a sense of urgency in the church to find ministry answers to go forward. In a rural ministry context, authenticity became a key to influence and leading change in people’s lives and the converse remained true.

People in the rural context desire authenticity, in ministry, and in outreach.  In small communities, genuine ministry becomes immediately apparent, so the lack of genuine concern and compassion compels the rural community to appraise the messenger as irrelevant. Sandhills people ignore the inauthentic rather than accepting them as a true missionary. Rural people immediately recognized inauthentic life and any opportunity to lead them in change will become lost.

Relevant ministries will not only survive in the future, but it will also thrive. Small-town rural pastors and laypeople exhibit optimism and hope. We can rejoice in the knowledge that we are in the midst of mission, guided by the Holy Spirit, that will lead this revival and breathe new life into the backroads of our state, country, and world.

1 WorldPopulationReview.com; Nebraska, February 17, 2020. (accessed 2020-5-28).

2 Karl Vaters, The Grasshopper Myth (New Small Church, New Song Media, 2012), 41.

Read the Academic Article

The post Trends and Strategies for Churches and Ministry in the Sandhills of Rural Nebraska appeared first on Rural Advancement.

By Hope Mayes

“Is this where I belong now?” Sitting in an Alabama waiting room chair with other cancer patients in various stages of brokenness, Pastor Chad Payne wondered these thoughts to himself; “Do I belong with this group now? Is this my future?” After being diagnosed with kidney cancer in November 2017, the way this rural minister pastored and led his church was about to change. Payne found three key effective elements in pastoring during illness: support from others, prayer and honesty.

The First Key: Support

The afternoon sitting in that Alabama hospital, he heard the comments of the patients around him, “The doctors think the cancer is coming back…” “The numbers are not looking good…” In this moment, Payne experienced the darkest moment of his whole life; he had never felt more alone. This pastor soon found in these dark situations God’s love came rushing in stronger than previously experienced.

This love came from individuals, families and organizations near and far. Not only did his church, New Life Assembly of God in Woodstock, Alabama show support by taking a large love offering to help Payne and his wife cover medical bills, but multiple other churches and organizations in the area did too. Missionaries from all around the world prayed for his healing, and various friends and family members even offered to donate their own kidneys to his cause. These very humbling acts of kindness reminded this rural pastor and his wife that God continually worked good for them and wrapped them in His love.

The Second Key: Prayer

During this time, God met Payne in ways he did not expect. As an assignment for one of his PhD classes, he spent twenty-four hours alone with God at their district’s campgrounds.

“I got alone and the first day I was there, I couldn’t even pray. I would get silent and it was like there was a tape playing on fast forward in my brain; all the anxiety, fear and questions. I could not get my brain quiet.” – Pastor Chad Payne

With so many thoughts seeding through his mind, he resorted to reading about prayer. He read Mark Batterson’s book, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God, then journaled. This exercise effectively quieted his thoughts.

At the conclusion of the twenty-four-hour period, Payne began to feel connected and in sync with God. He found that the private time allowed him to focus and re-center on his Heavenly Father and helped hear His direction about how to pastor through this unexpected time of illness.

The Third Key: Honesty

Although unprepared and caught off guard by the kidney cancer. Payne attempted to keep his circumstances from reflecting on his congregation and community in a negative way. He prioritized complete transparency about the state of his situation. While walking in faith, he did not conceal the anxiety or fear involved; rather, he used his situation as sermon illustrations about the dark moments. Off the platform, he took time to care for himself. Self-care during kidney cancer involved clearing his schedule as much as possible, taking time away, and additional rest. This gave others in the church the opportunity to expand their involvement through volunteer and leadership roles. He learned to humbly received the support for he and his wife needed.

A Conclusion

Since November of 2017, Payne has learned many skills to pass on to others regarding pastoring though illness. The straining and anxious time made him a stronger leader, a stronger prayer warrior, and a stronger witness to share the goodness of God. Payne’s biggest life message declares of God’s goodness; after months of battling state three kidney cancer and being on the edge of stage five kidney disease, he recently received the report that his kidney function has radically improved over the last two years. Though his kidney disease currently remains at stage three, Payne can officially mark February 2020 as two years of being cancer free!

“I once heard someone say, you will attract people because of your strengths but you will connect with people over your weaknesses.” – Pastor Chad Payne

Payne has found this attraction connecting with the other generations. If young people come to believe the reality of Christ, Payne believes his illness removes the superhuman model some would see on the platform. Instead, he worked to convey a real image of Christ by presenting himself as a normal person on and off the stage; laughing at himself, talking about his struggles, and attempting not to take himself too seriously.

Being honest with himself and others, praying through the process, and accepting support from those that care, Payne displayed how to continue pastoring in the midst of illness and found peace in the fact that no matter the circumstance, God’s children always find shelter and peace in the arms of their Father. That is where they belong.

Reflective Engagement:

1. How can you accept support and care from others in timers of challenge?
2. Who do you have that provides support for you? How do you show them your appreciation?
3. Who in your sphere of life needs your support and authentic sacrificial love?
4. When have you prayed through the difficult processes you faced? How now can you arrange essential time for prayer?
5. How can you model authentic responses to current circumstances?

The post Pastoring in The Midst of Illness appeared first on Rural Advancement.

by Hope Mayes

God’s plans are always better than our plans…

Jon Sanders thought he had mapped out his life and assumed he had settled into a life-long career; however, the young soon-to-be pastor realized that responding to God’s will remains far better than attempting to direct his own life.

At age 21, when his aspirations to become a professional football player fell from his grasp, young Sanders selected his second-best career option: fighting fires in big-city Illinois. While pursuing his dream job, Sanders wrestled with the thought that God’s plan for him involved more than firefighting. He loved God and the church, yet continued to run for several years from the underlying and growing sense that the Lord had created him to work as a minister. God’s plan conflicted with his personal ambitions.

“Before being obedient, I couldn’t see all that God had in store for my life

and the adventure He was inviting me to take”

Finally, Sanders realized he no longer wanted to spend his life running from the calling God placed in his heart for many years. “Lord,” he said, “If You want me in ministry, I have a really long list of reasons why You are making a mistake and choosing the wrong guy. But at the end of the day, it’s Your will and if You want me to serve You in ministry in a pastoral role, I will.”

After resisting it for so long, the moment Sanders surrendered to God’s plan, he felt peace in God’s will. At this point of surrender, God revealed to the young pastor the next few steps in His perfect plan. His only regret was not obeying God sooner.

God’s plan will be something we love

Immediately upon entering ministry, Sanders knew that God directed and superintended his life in ways far above his own control. His ability to work as a bi-vocational pastor and continue to serve as a fire-fighter made the transition extra ordinary. Sanders testified to many advantages of bi-vocational ministry, such as less financial struggle for the church.

“When pastors find ‘something’ they love and brings them life,

they and the church receive financial benefit”

Today, Sanders loves to help current and aspiring rural pastors discover ways to make money and serve the world using the unique giftings that God has placed inside of them. In addition to shepherding their flock, pastors get to take part in ministry outside the four walls of the church, which can become an affectual component in impacting a community.

God’s plan on our lives will affect others

Pastors often have the opportunity to rub shoulders with the same community they are called to reach while acting in the dual role of a businessperson, farmer, carpenter, or fire fighter, and taking financial pressure from themselves and their church.

Jon has seen marketplace ministry affect the way pastors view their communities. Bi-vocational ministers often have more opportunity to reach out to their communities and represent Christ beyond the walls of the church. It can put into perspective the roles of both the pastor and the congregation in how they should represent Christ to their community. This also pushes the congregation to function in their role within the body of Christ, as they recognize the pastor cannot “do everything.”

Sanders has experienced the many strengths of this ministry firsthand; however, he does not prescribe a bi-vocational lifestyle for every pastor. Sanders believes there are many potential benefits for pastors working in bi-vocational roles in their spare time, in unique areas of numerous giftings. Of course, these benefits only become evident as long as the pastor’s second source of income includes something they love to do; not a draining obligation.

After pastoring in a rural setting for 16 years, Sanders recently entered a ministry of a different form. As the new Director of Content and Conferencing at Rural Matters Institute (RMI) Jon exercises his God-given gifts in a new way. Part of his job with RMI includes executing eight different one-day summits for rural pastors around the country and administrating Rural Matters Institute’s annual National Conference. In 2020, the National Conference will take place in Dallas, Texas starting September 21^st and going through the 23^rd. These events are meant specifically to build up and encourage rural pastors and churches.

This new ministry has provided a fresh opportunity for Sanders to continue his personal podcast, Small Town Big Church, on a larger platform for a wider audience to benefit. The name, Small Town Big Church, conveys that God loves to do big things in small places, rather than the misconception of a numerical reference. Sanders aims to help pastors believe that serving a small church does not mean only making a small impact.

Sanders often reminds ministers that the Lord loves rural. God is not disappointed when He reads the relatively small number on the population sign that sits on the edge of your community. Not at all. Jesus knows, loves and gave his life for every individual in your rural setting.

“Jesus doesn’t read that sign, drop his head in disappointment and say,

‘man, I wish there were more people on that sign.’

He has you pastoring in that place on purpose,

for the purpose of serving them and reaching them for His eternal kingdom.”

When rural pastors believe the mindset that they play in the minor leagues, it effects and projects onto their people. Jesus looks for leaders willing to believe for the impossible to occur in rural communities because it is in these obscure, tucked away places where He receives all the glory.

“If we can get a generation of pastors believing this truth and responding to it by going to the small

places, it is going to be very impactful for the kingdom.”

In his time in ministry, Sanders has seen numerous salvations, baptisms, marriages saved, addictions overcome, and testimonies of God working in the lives of people. “When I look back, I can think of so many cool stories to tell. The coolest part is when all those things come together to transform a life.”

Whether ministering as a bi-vocational pastor, making a podcast, or coaching and encouraging rural pastors through RMI, Sanders life testifies that God’s plans never fails to be the best option, bring the most fulfillment, and produce the most fruit in a believer’s life.

Reflective Engagement:

1. How has God challenged you to surrender your plans to His?
2. What is God calling you to do that you might be holding you back?
3. What gifts do you have that may assist in financial strength for you?
4. Spent several moments asking, “God how do your view this community?
5. How should your view change to line up with His view?

For more information on the Rural Matters Institute, visit, https://www.bgcruralmatters.com/.

Or to listen to the latest Small Town Big Church Podcast, visit https://www.smalltownbigchurch.com/podcast.

The post When God’s Plan Is Not Your Own… appeared first on Rural Advancement.

By Hope Mayes

Who would have guessed the same couple that stood on major cruise ship stages every evening as headlining musicians would not only act as pastors to guests and crew on Sunday mornings, but after twenty years would land in Tennessee as pastors of a rural church?

Dennis and Bobbie Parillo have been used by God in a variety of settings all their lives. But no matter where God has placed them, He has always included their passion and talent for music. Few rural ministers can say they have retired from working as cruise ship pastors as well as music entertainment headliners.

“The opportunities every week to be in front of large crowds not only doing music but speaking was part of our training to bring us to this point. It prepped us for what we do now.”

In 2016, the Parillos sensed God asking them to retire from the music industry. When He moved them to Soddy Daisy, Tennessee to become the pastors of Refuge Assembly of God, they had no idea their background in performing music on cruise ships stages would transfer over as well as it did. The music industry prepared them for speaking to large audiences, and, unexpectedly, gave them a powerful testimony to share of how God’s sovereign hand protected them and helped them arise unscathed after coming shoulder to shoulder with the temptations that come along with the music industry. Even as they witnessed almost everyone around them fall into heavy drinking and drugs, Dennis and Bobbie are physical evidence that it is possible to refrain from and escape the pull of the worldly current. To this day, God has used them and their testimony to encourage people in their church and community who have dealt with similar issues.

“Being in the music industry for years, the Lord always kept us safe and out of that stuff even though people all around us were drinking heavily and using drugs. I saw from a very early age what it could do to people and it was not good.”

God has used Dennis and Bobbie and the power of this testimony to witness to members of their church and community in a variety of formats. One of those formats is a ministry called The Transformation Project.

The Transformation Project, originally based out of Chatenooga, TN, is a curriculum-based program. Some refer to it as a “little brother to Teen Challenge” because it helps people with life-controlling issues such as drug and alcohol addiction, but is a non-residential program. Several times a week, these students come together and go through the curriculum called “Living Free.” These meetings also give the students an opportunity to receive support, advice, and guidance from volunteers like the Parillos.

Dennis and Bobbie take these opportunities to speak into student’s lives, pray with them and share their story of how the Lord kept them from falling into the sins and temptations of the music industry. They share with them the good news that God is their protector. If they have fallen into these sins, He can most definitely pick them back up.

One husband and wife, after becoming associated with The Transformation Project, recognized the value of the curriculum and saw the potential benefits it could have on people’s lives. The couple made a significant impact when they decided to take this ministry to their family, friends and even to the local jails. To this day, this husband and wife remain involved by teaching one of the weekly Transformation groups.

“The biggest thing with this Transformation Project is being able to speak into these people’s lives. We get a chance to pray with them.”

The testimonies of this couple and of so many others who have come out of The Transformation Project has been a witness of the life changing power of God to so many people who have connected with Refuge Assembly. While the stories of some students are not yet complete and it can be difficult to see some continue to struggle through their life-controlling addictions, the Parillos and the rest of the volunteers are relentless in their prayers and discipleship.

 “The Lord will lead them. It might take a little bit more time for some of them, but He will lead them to get out of their addictions.”

This is their greatest pleasure in ministry; seeing the successes and having the ability to leave a legacy in each life. These rural Tennessee pastors have used their testimony to pass on knowledge and experience gained from their time in the music industry. They have both walked in the same shoes, faced the same choices and have both had the will to turn away from the life of drinking and drugs. It is their greatest pleasure to plant seeds in people’s lives, knowing that it is an eternal seed that will last and a fire that will not go out. And it is pure joy to witness the students cling to God, get involved in ministry and watch them run the path God has laid out for each one.

“Sometimes we learn it the hard way, but it leads to testimonies in the long run. Sometimes you have to get through the test before you see the testimony.”

Throughout their lives, Pastors Dennis and Bobbie Parillo, have performed on cruise ships to audiences of thousands as well as in small church congregations of less than fifty. They have found blessing, influence, and success in both settings. The success they have found in their music ministry, rural pastoral ministry and through The Transformation Project demonstrates that success is not measured by numbers, or how big or small the audience. God measures success by our willingness to say “Yes” to whatever He asks of us and our obedience in doing it well.

To connect with the Refuge Assembly of God in Soddy Daisy, TN or Pastors Dennis and Bobbie Parillo, visit their website at https://refugeagtn.com/. 

The post From Headlining Musicians to Rural Tennessee Pastors appeared first on Rural Advancement.

By Gordon Anderson Ph.D.

I once pastored a church that was twice the size of the town it was in. Impressive! 20 people in town, 40 people in church. You might think that such a seemingly small assignment would not hold much promise for significant leadership lessons. Not so. Later in ministry I served in a school where the board was larger than the congregation of that small church, and yet, time after time, I have gone back to come of the most important lessons I have ever learned; lessons learned in that small country church. Here are my three favorites.

1. Leadership is rooted in personal relationships. It is not a program. Early on I learned that people get to know you in a small church. Leadership in this environment is more personal than programmatic. Organizing a large program, event, or organization can look impressive, and can pass for competent leadership. You know, big numbers – big leader. The fact is, drawing a crowd with a creative program is not hard; especially if it has popular appeal, is well-organized, and is well-funded. But in a small church, people care more for the size of the person than they do for the size of the program. While congregants would otherwise not care for just one more program, they will follow, support, and help an honorable leader.
During the early months, that small church undertook the project of adding on to the parsonage. It was a sizeable task for a small congregation. In a board meeting, I (the leader), asked how we were going to raise the money. A seasoned board member softly said, “Don’t you worry about that”. I, (the leader), had the good sense to say nothing more, and nothing more was said. The next week we took a building fund offering, and the entire cost of the project was donated at once. The church gave an amount equal to about one half their annual giving. I was shocked! No program, but all that money. I asked the seasoned board member how it happened. He smiled and said, “Oh, we made a few calls this week”. If I, (the leader), had tried to launch a fund-raising program similar to what you see in other settings, we would have had a program, but not the same kind of personal support. There would have been no personal phone calls, and no big offering. I have found that this simple principle works out the same regardless the size of the ministry assignment. I will take the personal, relational approach any time.

2. People talk, and they are believed. We know people talk, but I had no idea the kind of influence that talk could have. In the long run, what people say about you will become your reputation, whether you like it or not. In that small church I found that my reputation throughout the whole community was determined by a very small group of people. Were they gossips? No! These people had many of friends and relatives, and friends and relatives talk about matters that friends and relatives talk about. As the pastor of that small church, I was the talk of the town. My wife, Dianne, and I had good relationships with that small church. We did our best to live honorably, and the people became fond of us. They told everyone they knew that we were OK. The word spread, and I did not have to launch a PR campaign to develop a good reputation. The people did it for us. (See number one above). Reputation is the sum total of many small conversations, small business dealings, small lists of appointments kept, and small compliments about other people when a criticism could have been offered. There is no such thing as a small thing, and taking care of these small things armed those that would talk with positive matters to talk about. Was it always good and accurate? Not always, but most of the time it was. And for that, we established and maintained a good reputation in that small place. Later, we learned that it is no different in a larger environment as well.

3. Pennies count. After each service in that small church the board counted the offering and gave it to me in a bag, along with a note of the amount. It was my job to deposit the money the next day at our local bank, about 26 miles away. Seldom was the note exactly accurate, but the deposit slip had to be. One Sunday night after church I was conducting the deposit. When I had finished, I stood up and a penny fell to the floor. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. And then I had an enormous feeling of guilt. It was as though God had caught me stealing a thousand dollars. It was late and I was tired. Without thinking I said, “Its only a penny,” but that lame remark didn’t dissolve the guilt at all. Then I said, “I’ll put it in next week’s offering,” but that did not help either. So, I sat down, redid the deposit slip, put it in the bag, and tore up the inaccurate one; the one that was off by just one penny. It did not take long, but the guilt lifted, and I learned one of the most important lessons of my life. There is no such thing as “just a penny.” It was not a penny that fell to the floor. It was a principle. The amount did not matter. As a trusted leader I was handling principles, not pennies. That night I learned something I have carried with me for the entirety of my ministry; those who are faithful with just a little will also be faithful with much, and those who are unfaithful with just a little will be also be unfaithful with much. I thank God for that night in the basement of a small parsonage, in a small church, in a small town.

I hope these three stories might have an impact on you in some way similar to what they have had on me. I have learned many lessons in some 53 years of ministry, but none have had greater impact than the really big lessons I learned in a very small place.

The post Leadership Lessons Learned at A Small Country Church appeared first on Rural Advancement.

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