What is the Rural Think Tank?
In the latest episode of the Rural Think Tank Podcast, I discuss the history and purpose of the Rural Think Tank.
The Rural Think Tank
…It's Different Out Here.
Category: Rural Issues
We Must Re-Think Education in Rural America
Rural America is approaching, (or has already approached) a tipping point in education. The education dollars are largely no longer there. We have to come up with innovative solutions to have competitive students that complete school, have reasons to stay, and start business. We are shipping out our “best and brightest”, leading to a “Brain …
First Trip to DC…
I had the opportunity to visit DC with my sons as part of a school trip last week. It was the first time any of us had been to DC. We were able to visit many of the monuments, memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, Gettysburg, Mount Vernon and more. One of the places was the Vietnam …
I know a guy…
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net Last weekend brought a snowstorm like I have never seen before. I grew up in the midwest, and have seen and done some really crazy things in snow and ice, but this was beyond anything else. We had temps, not wind chills of -12 and …
Five Ways to Welcome New Church Staff to Your Community… A How-to guide.
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 …
The Church Cat
This post was originally published at my other blog, MinistryPlace.net I had a first in ministry today. A cat as a visitor to the congregation. The church I am serving is across the street from a home with several kids and a few cats. Often when I come on Sunday morning, there is a black and …
A Fish Story…
This post was originally published on my other blog, MinistryPlace.net It all starts with a young coal miner named John Kuhnert. He had a young family at home, and not a lot of resources to put food on the table to feed the young growing family. John and his brothers discovered that they could get …
How do your local students see the opportunities locally?
I read an interesting article that makes a ton of sense, yet many of our small town employers have not implemented the idea – reaching students in High School early in their experience to help them see local opportunities. In this WSJ article by Dante Chinni, He quotes a local HR manager in a small …
What Happens When A Generation Leaves?
What happens when a generation leaves the rural area to seek education and employment in other parts of the country? The Southern Illinoisian Newspaper did a series looking at the students that leave small communities in that region. The article does a great job of pointing out that we are training our best and brightest …
Farmers and Suicide Rates
If you work in a rural community, there is something you need to be aware of. For the most part, farmers are hurting. I am not talking about poor harvests, lack of technology. Farmers have a significantly large suicide rate. At the present time, we do not know how large, as the CDC has retracted …