Mark 6:31 "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." Pastors sometimes assume withdrawal is what faithful people do only after ministry ends. Jesus' life tells a different story. Jesus withdrew in the middle of ministry—not because the mission was unimportant, but because communion with the Father was essential to the … Continue reading Come Away and Rest A While: What Pastors Can Learn from Jesus’ Pattern of Withdrawal (Part 5)
Small Town Shepherds
Encouragement and Equipping for Those Serving in a Small Town Rural Ministry Context.
Jesus is Our Rest: Why the Deepest Renewal a Pastor Needs Cannot be Found Merely in a Day Off (Part 4)
In Matt. 11:28-29 Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." A pastor can take a day off and still remain restless. He can leave town and carry the church with him in his head. He can sleep longer and still wake up anxious. That … Continue reading Jesus is Our Rest: Why the Deepest Renewal a Pastor Needs Cannot be Found Merely in a Day Off (Part 4)
The Forgotten Shepherds of Small Places (Part 1)
Why small-town and rural pastors matter more than their visibility suggests! When conversations about church leadership focus on large congregations, growing cities, and highly visible ministries, it is easy to overlook the thousands of pastors serving in communities that rarely make headlines. Yet small-town and rural churches are not peripheral to God's mission. They are … Continue reading The Forgotten Shepherds of Small Places (Part 1)
The Significant Role of Small Town Rural Pastors (Part 2)
Small-town rural churches are significant because they contribute to Kingdom growth in many ways. First, they are giving to the CP. In 2023, SBC churches reported undesignated receipts of over $10 billion, up less than 1% from 2022, and mission expenditures through SBC avenues increased by 9% to nearly $800 million. Although they may contribute less than … Continue reading The Significant Role of Small Town Rural Pastors (Part 2)
The Significant Role of Small Town Rural Churches and Pastors (Part 1)
In this first series of blog posts, I would like to share some key statistics and trends about the effectiveness and impact of Small-Town Rural Churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. We should not assume they have a lesser role or impact because they comprise 1/3 of SBC churches. In 2023, 27% of SBC churches (approximately 12,663 of … Continue reading The Significant Role of Small Town Rural Churches and Pastors (Part 1)
Valley Shepherds 