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The Rural Think Tank

…It's Different Out Here.

Small Town Graduation Time. Now What?

July 30, 2026 by Tracy Kiger

Graduation season should not end with applause and uncertainty. Rural communities can do more to help high school and college graduates launch into adulthood with clarity, support, and practical direction.

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A Christian Phone Company Is Launching. That Should Make Us Ask Better Questions.

July 30, 2026 by Tracy Kiger

Radiant Mobile may meet a real need for Christian families, but its launch raises bigger questions about filtering, discipleship, Christian branding, and church loyalty incentives.

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Small Towns, Big Wounds: Why Rural Churches Keep Meeting Hidden Social Crises

July 30, 2026 by Tracy Kiger

Rural churches often face homelessness, addiction, and family instability before anyone else sees the pattern. Small towns hide pain differently, not less deeply.

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Your Search Committee May Be Looking for a Unicorn and Calling It Discernment

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

Sometimes a church’s prayerful language hides unrealistic expectations. Discernment is not the same thing as endlessly waiting for a perfect candidate who does not exist.

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Why So Many Rural Pastors Are Getting Older at the Same Time

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

The aging rural pastorate is not a single-cause problem. It is the result of compensation pressure, delayed retirement, seminary debt, shrinking pipelines, and changing expectations about ministry life.

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How School Consolidation, Charter Schools, and Homeschooling Change Rural Ministry

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

School consolidation, charter options, and homeschooling are reshaping rural community life. Here is why churches serving children and teenagers need to pay attention.

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Shared Rural Ministry Calling: Why Churches in One Area Need Each Other

August 2, 2026 by Tracy Kiger

\n Many rural pastors and church leaders know they cannot meet every need in their community alone. Even so, churches often keep functioning as if each congregation must carry the whole burden by itself. That posture usually grows out of history, habit, or fatigue. But it can also keep churches from seeing one of God’s …

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An infographic titled The King We Did Not Expect: Understanding Jesus’ Triumphal Entry. The graphic is divided into sections comparing human expectations with spiritual reality. On the left, titled The Crowd’s Desire: A Political Conqueror, a warrior is shown on a white horse with a crown and sword. Bullet points include Worldly Power, Military Victory, and Personal Agendas. On the right, titled Jesus’ Reality: A Humble Servant, Jesus is shown riding a donkey while people lay down cloaks. Bullet points include Spiritual Restoration, Sacrifice and Peace, and Servanthood. A center arrow notes that praise turns to silence and encourages moving beyond surface level enthusiasm. The bottom displays three numbered steps: 1. Lay down personal agendas. 2. Embrace the gospel’s peace. 3. Witness both hosannas and the cross. An icon of palm branches transitions into three crosses representing the resurrection.

The King We Did Not Expect

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

A Palm Sunday Bible study from Matthew 21:1-11 on the difference between the king people wanted and the King Jesus actually is.

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The Rural Brain Drain: Nurturing Small Communities in the Face of Migration

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

This article provides a clear and direct answer to the question: The Rural Brain Drain: Nurturing Small Communities in the Face of Migration. This article provides a clear and direct answer to the question: The Rural Brain Drain: Nurturing Small Communities in the Face of Migration. Understanding the rural brain drain The rural brain drain …

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Embracing Technology: Reaching Rural Communities with the Gospel

July 30, 2026 by Brent Lacy

This article provides a clear and direct answer to the question: Embracing Technology: Reaching Rural Communities with the Gospel. This article provides a clear and direct answer to the question: Embracing Technology: Reaching Rural Communities with the Gospel. Why technology matters for rural ministry Rural communities face real barriers to connection. Distance, limited broadband, and …

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