I am kind of unclear as to why anyone would think ministry in a small town is challenging. I mean, maybe, if you find it difficult to run children’s ministry with seven volunteers. Difficulties may arise when you need – oh, just about anything – and the nearest Walmart is an hour and a half away (flip a coin to decide which direction you prefer that day). Would you like to go out for a burger and fries? Be sure to go before 8 PM (unless you want to go the bar…) Tuesday through Saturday only. Having music in your church may pose a problem when you have zero musicians or singers. I’ve been dealing with that for most of 22 years. What challenge? We bi-vocational pastors obviously have plenty of time and energy to do the things we aren’t called or gifted to do.
Operating under an annual budget that is smaller than the salary of the head janitor of your local megachurch may require some creativity. Small town equals small business equals smaller incomes. Since the population of many small towns consists mostly of older people, you have to factor in the people on fixed incomes and their inability to give much. Why is the population aging, you ask? Because young people leave and never return after college. Not enough good jobs. And frankly, there just isn’t much going on here. Three of my four kids are gone – and they are not coming back.
Are you sick? Hope it isn’t serious. We do have doctors and an actual hospital, but there are limits to what they can or are allowed to do. They do provide helicopter rides if it is very serious (hope your insurance is good). Would you like to pray with your people before they go into surgery? Be sure and leave early enough for the drive to the hospital in the city (3 hours one way is my record).
Do you enjoy privacy or being able to do things without everyone in town knowing about it? You’ll get over that eventually.
Would you like people to show up for church events? Here’s how to be successful: never schedule something at the same time as a school or community event.
Cost of living is something to be considered when moving to a small town. You can definitely get a lot more house for your dollar than in a big city, but you’ll need to hang on to that savings to buy the groceries that cost 100% more. Send your teenage sons to boarding school – it will be cheaper than feeding them at home.
Despite what it may sound like, there are many advantages to small town ministry.
For example, how many churches in a city have a VBS attendance equal to 400% – 500% of their Sunday attendance? We do. Our VBS got started big a number of years ago due to some circumstances brought about only by the providence of God and has grown and stayed that size for over a decade. We have become the go-to VBS for the community.
The librarian has consulted with my wife about which Christian fiction series to buy for the city library. The city employees who take care of the park always make sure it is mowed and clean and the restrooms unlocked for our VBS picnic. The newspaper prints anything we send them. I am welcome in the hospital anytime, even into the patient area of the ER. If you desperately need something from the hardware store, you can call the manager after hours and he’ll let you in to get what you need. You get the idea.
We are currently constructing a new building. It was easy to get a building permit and the city superintendent helped me fill out the application. Many people in town – many of whom I am sure don’t actually attend any church – are excited to see a new church building going up. It is pretty exciting when anything new goes up or show up.
Small towns need the Gospel just as desperately as large cities. Click To TweetSmall towns need the Gospel just as desperately as large cities. Ministry challenges are everywhere. None of these difficulties are insurmountable. Don’t be afraid to go to a small place. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost – even if it is lost somewhere in rural Kansas.