The Rural Think Tank
…It's Different Out Here.
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 at Morey Chapel Church of Christ on 3/14/21, based out of Ezekiel 37. It encourages you to consider your identity.
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 is a message given at Bainbridge Christian Church in Bainbridge, Indiana on 12/29/2019. Focal Passage: I John 1:1-10 The Word of Life 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of …
I often refer to myself and the ministry I provide in my area as being a “Community Missionary”. It’s not an idea that is new or novel. I am sure that there are a lot of people like me all over rural areas that are doing some of the same things in my community that …
Why do you do what you do in your church? It’s a hard question to answer sometimes. Other times, the answer is clear – “Because that’s the way we’ve ALWAYS done it”. This episode discusses streamlining both worship services and ministry programming. Links to things I mention in this episode: The Rural Think Tank – http://ruralthinktank.com …
The Training Gap in Rural Ministry Rural pastors face a unique challenge: they are expected to be experts in everything — preaching, counseling, administration, technology, youth ministry, senior care, and community outreach — but they often have access to training in none of these areas. Traditional seminary education is expensive, time-consuming, and often designed for …
This podcast episode looks at the “graying” of our rural and small congregations (Episodes 3 and 6 are also related here). I discuss changing the perspective of how you do ministry when you have a predominately senior adult congregation. We look at not what seniors can’t do, but what they can do. Links to things …