Last week I finished reading a book yet to be published about the rural church in America. The author asked me to consider writing an endorsement for the book which I was pleased to do. It is the finest book on rural churches I've read. I will tell you more about it after it is released in early summer.
Reading this book reminded me of my childhood growing up on dairy farms. The author's life and mine growing up were quite similar. I was driving tractors and trucks in the fields when my legs would barely reach the pedals. I can remember driving the tractor during hay season when I didn't even know how to turn the tractor and wagon when we reached the end of the field. Dad would jump up on the tractor, turn it down the next row of hay bales, and then jump off to load the wagon while I tried to keep the tractor straight. I'm sure someone would call Child Protective Services today on a parent who did that which makes me glad I was a kid then and not now! Life wasn't always easy on the farm, but it was a good life.
It was in a church in a small, rural community where I was saved and baptized. It was there I heard the stories of the Bible. It was there I learned the great hymns of the faith. It was in rural churches I learned many of the values that continue to shape my life today.
For twenty years I served as the bivocational pastor of a rural church. In that church we saw people come to faith in God, we saw people's lives changed, we saw people come together when someone in the church or community needed help, and we shared life together. I have nothing against large churches or churches in the city, but I love the rural church. It provides a unique service to the people and community it serves.
Many of these churches are closing, and some say that more of them should close. I could not disagree more. While the rural church is facing challenges, they continue to provide needed ministry to their communities. While many people continue to leave rural America for the city, there is still a rich field of souls found in rural communities across this nation. We need to strengthen these churches to enable them to continue providing the ministries needed by those who live in these communities.
If you are serving in a rural church, God bless you. There is great value in what you do. Please remain faithful to where God has called you. Love those God has given you. Continue to impact your communities. One day you will hear those wonderful words, "Well done, good and faithful servant...."
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