Finding Joy in the Journey
The joy in rural ministry comes from embracing Paul’s encouragement on the placement of our focus
Discipleship, Gideon, and a Rural Kansas Church
Replace the torches with weekly meetings, accountability partners, and biblical devotions.
Chi Alpha Students Launching Ministry in Rural West Texas Communities
What if students started finding jobs in small, unlikely places?
The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations Book Critique
Passion about where and what is led gives great value to the organization.
The Churching of America 1776-2005 Book Critique
Book by Roger Finke and Rodney Stark Review by Jim Von Wald Overview The Churching of America 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our...
Cultural Intelligence: Improving Your CQ to Engage Our Multicultural World Book Review
This book validates the church’s need for cultural sensitivity and will benefit those in mini…
Protected: Rural 311 Meeting September 2021
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post....
Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around and Yours Can Too
Revitalization requires a team willing to take the steps to move into healthy patterns following th…
Rural Leadership Development: A Critique of Pastoral Leadership Resources
Ministry leadership development has neglected the rural ministry model for the younger generation.
Ministerial Succession And Transition In Rural Churches: Challenges and Opportunities
Rural churches would benefit from well-developed transition plans and discussions among their leade…
Population Decline in Rural America: A Case for Continued Church Planting and Ministry Investment
Read the Academic Article Written by Dwight D. Dozier This study researched the feasibility of church planting and ministry investment in...
A Humble Pastor, an Incredible God, and Principles of Multiplication
“My house will be a place where people gather to know about God.”
A High Calling: Interview with Bryan Jarrett
By Joe Epley Unassuming. Overlooked. Unimportant. Disinteresting. At times, rural communities have...
Preaching That Endures
Cecil described how he worked hard to come up with sermons Sunday after Sunday, only to find himsel…
Developing a Thankful Heart
While the world is discouraged and downhearted, believers look for reasons to rejoice.
The Missional Voice Of The Spirit
Some often ask, “What is the Spirit saying to you?” and that question should remain a primary conce…
A Multisite Church Model in the Rural Context
Varying church models exist throughout the Christian church context. A multisite church model is on…
Navigating the Unknown: From the Directors
How do Christ followers navigate the dark paths of the unknown? What should guide our response to t…
Rural Multisite in South Dakota: A Celebration of Change
Some rural pastors could not feasibly do multisite church, however, every rural pastor can learn to…
Overcoming Burnout: “No Matter What You do, or How Hard You Try, You Cannot Make a Difference.”
Covid-19 has pushed leaders to the breaking point. Many leaders feel as if the burden rests on thei…
The Forgotten Cotton of North America
Deep in rural America lies towns labeled “forgotten,” and “overlooked”…
Setting the Atmosphere for the Day of Worship
“Finding a way to reach your audience and knowing your audience is imperative to growing a he…
God is Still Moving in Minnesota’s Ring of Fire
“Ring of Fire”: where God’s Spirit is doing amazing things.
Principles for Rural Youth Ministry Part 3: Crab Claws and Candy Ships
I was brand new to the role and naturally apprehensive about such a low showing. The next week ther…
God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church By Brad Roth
By Rev. Joseph Epley Brad Roth’s 2017 work, God’s Country: Faith, Hope, and the Future of the...
Principles for Rural Youth Ministry Part 2: See a Need, Meet a Need
By Pastor Joe Epley Small towns are a lot like cars. When maintained properly, they can last for years. The trick with cars is to give...
Principles for Rural Youth Ministry Part 1: Making Blind Eyes See
I was challenged by a question from the Holy Spirit: Isn’t it worth it? The answer seems clear. It …
From Planted Seeds to Flourishing Fruit
Preparing the ground for fruitful ministry.
What if Your Blessings Come Through Forks?
“What are we going to do with hundreds of thousands of plastic forks?”
Threads of Hope
How one creative rural church impacted their entire community.
Pastoring in The Midst of Illness
Three keys for leading in the midst of crisis from a rural pastor that fought kidney disease and ca…
When God’s Plan Is Not Your Own…
Jon Sanders thought he had mapped out his life and assumed he had settled into a life-long career; …
Dennis Parillo: A Cruise Ship Musician’s Testimony…
A firsthand story of how God used one man’s skills as an “instrument” for His glory Edited by Hope Mayes I have always been...
From Headlining Musicians to Rural Tennessee Pastors
Who would have guessed the same couple that stood on major cruise ship stages every evening as head…
Dwight Dozier Began Thinking About a Partnership For a Church Plant…
Having served in ministry for over 40 years, most Americans view this season of life as the conclus…
