When I started in ministry 18 years ago in Fort Worth, Texas I had no desire for small town ministry. I enjoyed the larger cities and the convenience large cities offered. If I am being honest I equated big city with big ministry and as a 19 year old that was very attractive.
Well as God does many times he changes our path and direction. So God took my family and I from Fort Worth to Long Island, New York. We went from a big city to a bigger city and I was convinced that big city ministry was for us! Then three years later God led my family to Taylorville, Illinois with a population of 13,000. What a culture shock!
During my five years in Taylorville God began to endear my heart to small town ministry. Looking back I see God used our time in Taylorville to prepare us for our next ministry in Arkansas City, Kansas with a population of 15,000. Over the last 18 years I can see how God took a 19 year old kid with no desire for small town life and changed me to a man who is deeply in love with small town ministry. Today I can say, there is nothing greater!
When you mention small town ministry, many thoughts come to light. Some may see backwards thinking, others may see limitations with personnel and finances. I think we would be dishonest if we said those things did not exist in a small town ministry. There are challenges but there are also compelling reasons to pursue those small towns. Here are a few that have stuck with me over the last seven years of being in a small town ministry.
1. Small town ministry gives a great opportunity for intentional relationships.
The more I study discipleship, and especially the way that Jesus worked with his disciples, I cannot help but see that discipleship happens in the context of relationships. Discipleship does not happen by accident. We need to be intentional with our relationships. The beauty of small town ministry is there is a great opportunity for intentional relationships because people are typically available and easily accessible.
Last week I went to see one of the men in our church at his business and as I got out of my vehicle and ran into two other church members. God showed me that my appointment with one man had turned into an opportunity with three. This is not an isolated event, this type of thing happens consistently. I joke that going to the store to buy milk and bread will easily take an hour not because of the line or traffic but because you will inevitably run into someone you know.
That is a wonderful thing about small towns, people are accessible but you still have to make sure you are being intentional with those appointments God gives you throughout the day. At the end of the day, whether a big city or a small town, people really do want community and relationships. The advantage of a small town is that these relationships, while they still take work, are easier to have and to keep.
2. Small town ministry gives a greater opportunity for community involvement.
No matter what size city you live and minister in we all want to be involved in the community. We all want opportunities inside the local schools and we all desire to leave an imprint of faith in our community. Having ministered in both a large city and a small town, I have seen that small towns are more open to having the local clergy involved.
In a small town being a minister still holds some weight and there is a general respect for the position. One has the opportunity to be a part of city councils and boards, open doors to the local public schools, and to even pray before a city council meeting. We simply cannot take these things for granted, and just like in relationships, one has to be intentional about the opportunities a small town provides you.
3. Big City Problems are no longer just big city problems.
I can remember being in Bible College and hearing about drugs, poverty, violence and broken homes in the large cities. Those problems and issues seemed at the time to be isolated to the big cities and in my perspective the small towns were easy to minister in. Now that I am knee deep in a small town, I have realized something: sin is everywhere!
Sin is destructive and it does not limit itself to just a large city. In Arkansas City poverty and substance abuse is prevalent and broken homes are unfortunately the norm today. The problem is not drugs, broken homes, poverty or violence, but rather sin. I think it is time we stop looking at these as big city problems and see them as people problems.
Even though these problems are still alive and well in a small town, it does not mean it’s hopeless. We can use some of the advantages of relationships and community involvement to truly make a difference in the lives of people.
If I could sum up why we should still go to small towns, it is actually quite simple; it’s about people. Click To TweetIf I could sum up why we should still go to small towns, it is actually quite simple; it’s about people. People who need to hear the gospel and people who need to hear about next steps in their journey with Jesus. It is easy for small towns to get lost and forgotten about but each small town is made up of people who need to hear about Jesus! Let us not neglect the people of small town America because people still need the Lord!
