11 Questions for (Not Just) Rural Church Leaders

Every place has a history. What is the story of your church’s community? Use these 11 questions to help you understand the culture of your community and how your church can be good news to the people in it.

1. How did the community come to be? What was the founding dream?


2. What is the town’s focal symbol? A courthouse square, a main street, a grain elevator?


3. What is/are the community’s chief economic function(s)? Farming, trade, industrial, government service, recreation/retirement, college, transportation, bedroom community?


4. Who are the town’s honored, the despised, the loveable characters, and the marginal people?


5. What cultural/racial/ethnic groups are present in the community?


7. What are the barriers that separate people groups? Race, religion, education, social status? Are they visible or invisible?


8. What are the sins or hurts of the community? The loss of an industry, a murder, a disastrous flood?


9  How do residents perceive their town? How do others perceive it?


10. What seems to be the future of the comunity? Who is responsible for implementing its dreams and vision?


11. In summary, what is the “story” of the community? To minister effectively in this place, you need to know and appreciate its story. Only then can you and your church become a part of it.

 

Outreach Magazine
Outreach Magazinehttp://outreachmagazine.com

Outreach magazine publishes ideas, innovations, resources and stories to help church leaders reach their communities and change the world. Founded in January 2003 by church communications company Outreach Inc., Outreach is an award-winning, bimonthly periodical for church leadership and is available by subscription and on Amazon.com. Find out more at outreachmagazine.com

Fit for the Kingdom

The Lord prompted Reardon to think about combining Christian fellowship with fitness in order to create a new small group for men.

4 Reminders for Discouraged Parents

Parenting can be hard, so let these truths encourage you.

Lessons From the Early Church

The early church can show us that through patience and careful cultural discernment, we can navigate the torrents of modern culture.