Rural Ministry

“Since most rural communities are not growing, it’s harder for churches there to increase attendance. Yet 3 in 4 pastors still aim for attendance growth….Even more rural pastors aim for success in the spiritual growth of their congregations evidenced by their focus on salvations, care, forgiveness and serving.” - Baptist Press

“Most church training events and conferences don’t include the average church. The average church is 65-75 people and has one pastor. Most training events are geared for churches of 200-500 that have multiple pastors and several ministry leaders.” - SBC Voices

“Sure we want to stretch toward a greater potential, but not with the result of an inept and fake experience.” - Phil Cooke

“We couldn’t compete, so we didn’t try. We were just ourselves—faithful nobodies who wanted God to use them.” - Chuck Lawless

“Barber is the first SBC president in nearly two decades not to emerge from an urban or suburban megachurch.” - RNS

“After a few years of pastoral ministry, I realized I didn’t fit the mold of a typical church planter, much less an urban one. Rural ministry, on the other hand, suits me just fine. What do I love so much about ministry in a small place?” - TGC

“To say rural pastors and rural congregations are forgotten is probably less true than to say rural churches and pastors (and really, small churches and their pastors everywhere) are often underrepresented and underutilized in denominational leadership and overlooked by Christian publishers and conference organizers.

“Being the only staff focuses conflict on just the pastor. Bivocational pastors have to deal with time and conflict management in ways that large church pastors often do not. Holding two or even three jobs has its own challenges.” - BPNews

“What is taking place to give us such optimism and hope? Allow me to share five reasons. I must admit I was surprised at some of the research I found on this topic.” - Thom Rainer

“When figure heads of evangelicalism call young leaders to give their lives in strategic areas like cities, and when large denominations have church planting initiatives that focus their resources and efforts on cities, it’s no wonder why there has been a vacuum of leadership, resources, and ministry-aid for rural areas.” - Christianity Today