The Rural Think Tank
…It's Different Out Here.
Rural church health and revitalization. Resources for churches seeking to assess their health, grow sustainably, and serve their communities effectively.
Understanding the rural brain drain The rural brain drain describes a pattern that has reshaped small communities across the country. Young people leave for college, for careers, for military service, or simply for a different life. Many do not come back. Over time, this outward migration reduces the number of working-age adults, professionals, and leaders …
The Heartland Is Not a Mission Field Somewhere Else When most people think about evangelism, they think about distant places. Foreign countries. Urban centers. Places where the gospel has never been heard. And those places matter. The Great Commission is global, and the church must be global in its vision. But there is a mission …
This message was given 2/21/2021 at Morey Chapel Church of Christ in Westville, IL.
This message was given 1/24/21 at Morey Chapel Church of Christ, near Westville, Illinois.
This episode is about the usefulness, pros, and cons associated with using an outside independent church consultant in cooperation with your search team. I share some of the things that I have experienced serving in this role for several churches. As always, if this is a blessing, share this podcast with others. If you feel …
This podcast episode addresses the question – Can how a church conducts business in the community help or hinder it’s witness and reputation? The answer may not be as clearcut as you think… If you have thoughts/input/questions, go to ruralthinktank.com and hit the contact button or go to anchor.fm/ruralthinktank and leave a voice message.
This is a message on Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 given 1/26/30 at Bloomingdale Friends Church in Bloomingdale, Illinois. If you have thoughts/input/questions, go to ruralthinktank.com and hit the contact button or go to anchor.fm/ruralthinktank and leave a voice message. Video available on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/scott.miller.9619/posts/10158132991073960?comment_id=10158133159328960&reply_comment_id=10158133562978960¬if_id=1580056196868779¬if_t=comment_mention
This podcast episode looks at the evolution of large youth events, and what that looks like over the last 5-10 years. Some events have remained, some have evolved. Some of the Things I mention in the episode: Dare2Share Live: https://dare2sharelive.org/ WinterJam : https://2020.jamtour.com/ Contacting RuralThinkTank :http://ruralthinktank.com/contact-the-rural-think-tank/ Supporting the Podcast: https://anchor.fm/ruralthinktank Sources https://dare2sharelive.org/ https://2020.jamtour.com/ https://anchor.fm/ruralthinktank
This episode explores some of the tough questions that need to be asked as a church goes through a pastor search process. It is by no means exhaustive, but designed to get you thinking about the discussions that need to happen during the search and interview process. If you have thoughts/input/questions, go to ruralthinktank.com and …
This episode talks about my experience at a Operation Christmas Child processing center in Chicago and the lessons learned there that can translate to local community ministry efforts. Things I mention in this episode: Operation Christmas Child – https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/ Blessing Boxes – https://www.facebook.com/Blessing-BOX-1723297441261962/