The Rural Project

A purposeful partnership for rural areas of GB. EVANGELISM | REVITALISATION | PLANTING

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

New to The Rural Project?

Here are the most-read posts on our blog about pastoring and evangelising in villages and small towns, plus our most-watched videos.

Start here: https://t.co/iMNUVZ1eKn

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

6 questions to ask when identifying leaders in a rural church:

1. Are they reliable?
2. Do they love the village?
3. Do they love the church?
4. Are they teachable?
5. Will they get their hands dirty?
6. Do they see the church as a stepping stone?

(from Pastoring Small Towns)

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

@nieuwendorp_n Yeah I'm not sure I've ever referred to our guys as a "band", but it's better for word count than musicians 😁

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

This Sunday, don't complain about your church's:

• Mediocre band
• Average preacher
• Tiny congregation
• Small Sunday School

Instead, thank God the gospel reached your community.

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

When post-mortems are conducted on failed pastors the same themes repeat:

Too much time away from family
No devotions
No days off

Pastors, rest is not for the weak.

Spend time with the Lord, your wife and your kids today.

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

Does your village church feel pressure to look polished?

What if professionalism isn't the best tactic for reaching a rural community?

https://t.co/tGMkKuJkYG

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

A good word from Spurgeon about the dangers of too much busyness in service crowding out walk with the Lord

HT: @SpurgeonMBTS

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

@WelshRev Yes I think the whole "strategic" thing has so many problems.

Pretty good record of "farm boys" running things in Israel too!

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

Why bother evangelising rural Britain?

Surely our limited resources are better spent reaching cities where the people and cultural influences are?

Here are 5 reasons we must not neglect Britain's villages:

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

5 Reasons to Not Neglect Britain's Villages

1. Rural is bigger than you think
2. The gospel won't just trickle down
3. God is already at work
4. God delights to use the weak
5. Jesus himself was a rural preacher

What would you add?

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

5. Jesus himself was a rural preacher

He was born in a village of 300-1,000
He ministered in towns and villages across Galilee
He told his disciples to go to towns and villages.

Jesus didn't favour urban or rural. He took the message everywhere. We should too

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

I'm sure I've missed a load of important things, but I hope these thoughts get you thinking.

Have you had to deal with secondary differences in your churches?

What has helped? What has not?

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

19 thoughts on handling secondary differences in churches.

1. Check your heart:

Are you passionate because of a love for truth or a love for being right?

Those are very different motivations.

[The Rural Project @TheRuralProject]

19. Stand strong on the clear lines

Some things you must stay strong on. You may be gentle and respectful. But you cannot give in on gender and marriage. Or the cross of Christ.

Strong can be gentle. But it must be strong.