I have a quote on my office wall that reads, "People don't resist change, they resist loss." (I don't know who said it first.) In the video below, Pastor Charles Littrell shares the story of how one of his rural churches has focused on what is to be gained and minimized loss in order to … Continue reading Technology in the Rural Church

Image by Esther Merbt from Pixabay https://youtu.be/l0XzW_Mst6M *Disclaimer: This post will focus on student ministries, but the leadership development model presented translates to other areas of ministries as well.* Pandemic or not, one of the ongoing struggles for many rural ministries is knowing what to do with and for the children and youth. We love … Continue reading Raise up leaders? Yes, You Can!

https://youtu.be/iVL4gR8dxrM Greetings, and welcome to Growing Rural Ministries. I am passionate about helping rural churches thrive for the glory of God! In this episode, we’re going to address the rural church’s role in politics and the Gospel. In polite company, there has long been an unspoken rule that you don’t talk about money, religion, or … Continue reading Politics and Rural Ministry

Image Credit: JuraJarema at Depositphotos https://youtu.be/3jBWmlf35FA Now that January is nearly over...Happy New Year to all you friends and colleagues in rural ministry! Sorry, I'm a little behind already. Are you feeling like you or your ministry has fallen behind too? If so, that's why I'm here: to support and encourage you toward growth so … Continue reading Determined to Grow in 2021

Photo by Sharleine Thorhaug Eger on Facebook Have you ever given much thought to the song "O Little Town of Bethlehem" or to why God chose Bethlehem as the birthplace of Christ? Currently the population is around 25,000, and it is a tourist attraction. But back then, it was a "little town" located between Jerusalem … Continue reading Christmas Hope for Rural Ministry

Photo by Tommy Lopez on Pexels.com I had the privilege and pleasure of being a guest on the Holy Conversations podcast! It aired October 22, 2020. I invite you to take a listen as we discuss the current realities and future of rural ministry. Click the image above or HERE to listen. Thank you to … Continue reading Holy Conversations…Let’s have some!

https://youtu.be/oDb8WiQ-R-0 This has been an absolute mess of a year in a lot of ways. We've all been struggling. I've been struggling. Thankfully, I found several webinars and classes that helped to shift my focus and find peace and confidence in the Lord to lead through these uncharted waters. The only problem is they were … Continue reading How do we embrace our current reality and bloom?

Photo credit: Anoushka Toronto on Depositphotos https://youtu.be/6moQ1Rws0Ow Since COVID-19 shut down business as usual, many people have shifted to working from home. This was already the case for some at least part of the week. In the days before COVID, however, their children were at school during those hours. With so many schools going virtual … Continue reading Is Your Rural Ministry Prepared for an Urban Exodus?

https://youtu.be/lBLy-jmFIDU I have been in so many video meetings since March. I had to make some modifications to make that possible. I taped a camera on top of my computer screen and set up a speaker and microphone. However, the way my desk was positioned in the room, I was back-lit by a big stained … Continue reading Making one small change might be the best thing for your ministry right now