However, a cultural shift happened over the next ten years, one in which the focus moved from the frontier to the cities. Funding and support for rural ministry was cut, and the latest trend became church planting in urban and suburban locations. The North American Mission Board subscribed to the notion that bigger is better; believing that cities contained more people, thus more opportunity for numerical growth and ultimately more return on investment, as these new churches were expected to produce more tithers who would contribute to the Cooperative Program.
Today, whenever I pick up a copy of On Mission magazine, the entire publication is devoted to church planting in populated areas. When rural pastors view this magazine, many will begin feeling insignificant; thus leading to dissatisfaction and a desire to leave one’s established ministry to start a new church. In the pursuit of having a greater impact, individuals and denominations are quickly losing sight of the fact that true significance is found anywhere that God is present; for where two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is in the midst of them (Mt 18:20).
I wish to share an insight gleaned from an article entitled, “Significance vs. Size,” found in Ministry Today magazine. This article focuses on Jim Graff, the founder of the Significant Church Network; and Graff shares the following research: “The Barna Group notes that, in 2005, forty-five percent of American adults attended church on a typical weekend, but only two percent attend a Protestant megachurch. Bottom line: The vast majority of America’s Christians are being discipled and cared for in smaller churches.”
Consider what we learn from the New Testament. We read that John the Baptist “came preaching in the wilderness of Judea” (Mt 3:1). John began his ministry in the wilderness, and we read that people “went out to him” (3:5) where he was. They journeyed to his remote preaching point, because they were hungry and he had spiritual meat that would satisfy. If we offer something to meet people’s spiritual hunger, then it doesn’t matter how remote our church may be, people are going to come.
When Jesus began His ministry, we read that “Jesus went about all Galilee” (Mt 4:23). Galilee was divided into upper and lower Galilee during Jesus’ time, and “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Is 9:1; Mt 4:15) was the upper portion (Smith’s Bible Dictionary). Professor Allan D. Callahan of Harvard Divinity School tells us, “The upper Galilee has no cities in it. It’s rural, it’s remote. It’s located in the highest hills of the land of Israel . . . [and] very isolated by reason of topography and the nature of the land itself.”
We read how “all Syria” (Mt 4:24) had heard about Jesus and His message. Syria contained “an area of about 30,000 square miles” (Smith’s Bible Dictionary), and Jesus had followings from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan (4:25). Word about Jesus and His message spread a long way, even though He was preaching in a remote area. This was the result of faithfully preaching the Word of God; and people will show up in our remote area too if we will remain faithful where the Lord has intentionally positioned us.
Jim Graff continues to say, “I would like to believe that the next ten years will be known as the beginning of the Third Great Awakening in our nation. If you are unaware of what happened in the first two Great Awakenings, it makes for fascinating reading. Cities were changed as people began attending churches and steeples from newly-constructed churches filled the skylines. The Great Awakening, according to historians, was not one continuous revival but a series of revivals in several locations. And almost without exception, these sparks of renewal started in smaller communities before spreading into larger cities and towns.”
Canton Baptist Church is located in the very region where the Second Great Awaking began in the year 1800 at the Gasper River Meeting House in Logan County near Russellville, Kentucky. Never underestimate “what” God can do, and “where” He can move in great power among His people. No ministry assignment or location is insignificant to the Lord; and if you will believe that He can do a mighty work again in this part of the nation, then “all things are possible to him who believes” (Mk 9:23). Don’t allow the hype surrounding church planting and the emphasis placed on big cities discourage you, for God wants to show forth His glory right where you are.