The Rural Think Tank
…It's Different Out Here.
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.Net There are some questions that those of us in church leadership should be asking ourselves. We live in a dangerous world. Yes, it’s unfortunate that as shepherds, we must help in protecting our flock from physical danger, in addition to guarding from spiritual wolves. However, …
Isaiah 60:1-7 The Future Glory of Israel 1 [b] Arise, shine, for your light has come,and [c] the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,and thick darkness the peoples;but the Lord will arise upon you,and his glory will be seen upon you.3 [d] And nations shall come to your light,and kings to the brightness of your rising.4 [e] Lift up your eyes all around, and see;they all gather together, they come …
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net I know, I used a buzzword. Whether you are in Church Growth, Business, Marketing, SEO, or Fantasy Sports, the word “Metrics” carrries a heavy connotation. Its one of measuring and evaluting everything for the sake of making things better. In a lot of rural churches, this would be a …
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net Ezekiel 37:13-14 3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, You know.” 4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.’ …
Hebrews 12:1-4 (ESV) Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before …
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.Net Numbers 13:31-33 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had …
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net In my workshop at the 2018 RHMA conference, one of the examples I gave for the need to network for ministry in your community is a windmill field. These things seem to be everywhere that it’s flat for more than 50 acres in the Midwest. If you …
2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Galatians 5:14 ESV 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Colossians 3:13 (ESV) 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each …
This post was originally published at my other blog, MinistryPlace.net So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. – 1 Corinthians …
Ephesians 4: 11-16 11 And [m] he gave the [n] apostles, the prophets, the [o] evangelists, the [p] shepherds and teachers, 12 [q] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for [r] building up [s] the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to [t] the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, [u] to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of [v] the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may …