In this episode I have a conversation with Greg Gray about his recent attempt to bring retail development and economic progress to a rural community and the ensuing opposition he faced from those who did not share his vision for growth in their small town. I wanted to share Greg’s story because I believe there are some direct takeaways that are applicable to leading the church in a rural town as well.
Lessons to apply to rural church leaders:
- A rural mentality often stands in opposition to growth and progress.
- A loud minority is often enough to derail vision.
- People’s objections to change are often NOT based on logic.
- The fear of change often seems worse than the current pain.
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Jon Sanders
Jon Sanders seeks to encourage pastors with the message that God delights in doing BIG things in small places. For many years, Jon served as the Lead Pastor of The RESCUE Church, a South Dakota based multi-site church with a huge vision to reach rural communities with the gospel. As a leading voice in the rural church arena, Jon spends his days coaching leaders and hosting both the Small Town Big Church Podcast and Courageous Living Podcast. In addition to his passion for the rural church, Jon also works full-time as a professional firefighter/EMT. He is married to his wife Jessica, and they have three children: Justin, Jenni, and James.