Digital Resources for the Small Church or Rural Ministry Contexts

Useful websites, funding sources and tools related to ministry in small church or rural ministry contexts.

Websites and Tools 

Karl Vaters Website: Free content from author and coach Karl Vaters, who works to help small churches thrive.

Small Town Big Church: Resources and coaching that promote abundant ministry in rural church contexts.

Village Missions: Village Missions exists to glorify Jesus Christ by developing spiritually vital country churches in rural North America by placing pastors in small town and rural churches that might otherwise have to close, and in doing so, preserve the Gospel presence in over 220 communities across the United States and Canada.

Rural Matters Institute: The Rural Matters Institute (RMI) is a community for pastors and Christian leaders serving in non-urban contexts. With the convening power of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, RMI was created to provide support, learning, and community for denominations, networks, and churches ministering in non-urban contexts throughout North America and around the world.

Rural Church Network: The purpose of the Rural Church Network of the United States and Canada is to be a forum for sharing among denominational leaders and other town and rural strategic partners working for wholeness and health of rural churches and communities.

UM Rural Advocates: The United Methodist Rural Advocates is a United Methodist lay and clergy association that deals directly with issues that relate to small membership churches, rural communities, and local pastors.

Convoy of Hope Rural Compassion: Through its Rural Compassion Initiative, Convoy of Hope resources, empowers, and partners with rural churches through training, mentoring, and coaching.

Little Free Library: Improve access to books in your community by building a Little Free Library. The Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church offers grant money to ministry organizations who build a new library in their community via its Library Builder Grant.

Cyberbullying: Resources and information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on what cyberbullying is and how to prevent it.

Article: The Mutual Benefits of Church-School Partnerships: Jake McGlothin, author of The Mission-Minded Guide to Church and School Partnerships, says it’s only logical that the two most important social institutions in our society should work together. He outlines what churches can share with schools as well as how engagement with schools can positively impact a congregation. The Missouri Conference hosted a webinar with McGlothin, which you can view the recording of here.

National Center for Rural School Mental Health: In partnership with rural schools, the National Center for Rural School Mental Health plans to develop a comprehensive set of teacher and student surveys, tools, interventions, and professional development materials to help identify, prevent, and intervene in mental health concerns among students.