Skip to content
  • Home
  • Rural Churches
    • Rural Church Health
    • Rural Church Planting
    • Rural Church Revitalization
    • Rural Youth Ministry
    • Rural Church Resources
      • Sermons and Bible Studies
  • “Near Miss” Online Safety Training
  • RuralThinkTank Podcast
  • Contact Us

The Rural Think Tank

…It's Different Out Here.

Category: Rural Church Health

Rural Think Tank Episode 5: Is your ministry more like HP or IBM?

September 4, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

In this episode we are looking at how we can learn from the last 20 years or so of the histories of IBM and HP. They have made some strategy decisions over the years that helped them either grow larger or leaner. Which is the right choice for your ministry and community ? Links to …

Continue Reading

Rural Think Tank : Episode 4 – A “game changing” shift in rural ministry practice

August 30, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

In this episode we are going to look at how a “game changing” idea from Dare2Share (see link below) can shift how we equip our congregation to reach the community around us with the Gospel. The question is: Are you the Quarterback or the Coach? The answer changed the way I approached ministry beginning several …

Continue Reading

You might be “doing it wrong”…

April 26, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

I will be the first to tell you that I am not an expert in ministry. I do things, and try to figure out what can work (mostly by finding out what doesn’t from trying it) The words I am about to write, I write in encouragement and love to strengthen those working alongside me …

Continue Reading

It’s Friday

April 20, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

It’s Friday by SM Lockridge – It’s Friday….Jesus is praying Peter’s a sleeping Judas is betraying But Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday….Jesus is praying Peter’s a sleeping Judas is betraying But Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday ….Pilate’s struggling The council is conspiring The crowd is vilifying They don’t even know That Sunday’s comin’ It’s Friday….The disciples are …

Continue Reading

Just stop it, already…

April 2, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net “Why do we do this ministry every year?” “Well…kinda because we’ve always been the ones to do It?….” We have all had that conversation in our churches. There seems to be that one ministry in every church that is a sacred cow that happens every year only because it …

Continue Reading

Red Wing Shoes and Ministry Consulting…

April 1, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net Sometimes you learn life lessons in the strangest places. I learned a lesson the other day about Church Consulting at a Red Wing Shoe Store. There are some high standards for selling shoes that have the Red Wing logo. Here are some things we can learn …

Continue Reading

Five Ways to Welcome New Church Staff to Your Community… A How-to guide.

March 31, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.Net If you live in a community of any size, there is a decent probability that one of the churches will have hired new or replacement staff members. Uprooting and moving a family two miles or two thousand miles is a big deal. How can the believers …

Continue Reading

This is not DiY – #6 Making the King proud!

March 31, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

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 …

Continue Reading

You’re Tracking the Wrong Metrics in Rural Ministry…

March 31, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

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 …

Continue Reading

Dry Bones in Rural America…

March 31, 2019 by brentlacydotcom

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.’ …

Continue Reading

Posts navigation

  • Previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • Next

Recent Posts

  • The Rural Brain Drain: Nurturing Small Communities in the Face of Migration
  • Embracing Technology: Reaching Rural Communities with the Gospel
  • Reaching Hearts in the Heartland: Spreading the Gospel in Rural Communities
  • Rural Thinktank Podcast Episode 50: Which entry are you paying attention to?
  • Rural Thinktank Episode 49: What’s Your Story?

Categories

  • Life
  • Podcast
  • Rural Brain Drian
  • Rural Church Health
  • Rural Church Planting
  • Rural Church Resources
  • Rural Church Revitalization
  • Rural Churches
  • Rural Demographics
  • Rural Drug Epidemic
  • Rural Issues
  • Rural Life
  • Rural Politics
  • Rural Youth Ministry
  • Sermons and Bible Studies
  • This Is Not DiY
  • Uncategorized
© 2025 The Rural Think Tank | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes