No Little Places
AGROS Ministries is now updated and improved. Please visit us at www.smallChurch.com!
No Little Places
AGROS Ministries is now updated and improved. Please visit us at www.smallChurch.com!
Klassen, Ron & John Koessler. No Little Places. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House. 1996.
Special Note: I had the opportunity to take a class with Ron Klassen in January of 1996. Ron is general director of Rural Home Missionary Association and has a burden for small church ministries. He knows the needs of the small town ministries and he has a pastors heart. This book is must reading for all people involved in small town ministry. In reviewing this book, it is my concern that many would not purchase the book, but simply allow this review to suffice. May I suggest purchasing the book for 2 reasons, (1) this review is comparable to a snack, it may suffice for a short time, but you miss the meal. (2) By purchasing the book you encourage the authors and the publishing company to produce more books relating to this important need within ministry.
The authors deal with the five myths of ministry success (1) Numbers Myth - congregation size, (2) Big Place Myth - location, (3) Recognition Myth - how well known, (4) Career Myth - advancement, (5) Inferiority Myth - professional success will cure this. The real truths as revealed in scriptures are much different: (1) Quality Principle - God looks at quality, not size - <1 Corinthians 3:13, (2) No Little Places Principle - wherever God has called me to minister is important, (3) Glory of God Principle - God calls me to glorify Him, (4) Vocation Principle - Ministry is a calling, not a career, (5) Unconditional Love Principle - God loves me because He is love, not for what I do.
Principle = Have we adopted the world's view of success among our fellow soldiers in ministry? Am I applying these Satan's standards or God's standards to my calling and comrades?
The authors deal with the concept of always searching for that better church. They mentioned several lessons God taught them; (1) it takes time to lay a proper foundation for effective ministry in small church {they mentioned 5 years, much of my research shows 5-7 years}, (2) pressure to succeed came from self, not God, (3) a good support group is essential.
Principle = The authors asked a key question - compare your church to a marriage. If your eyes roved in your marriage as they do when considering another church, how long would your marriage last?
This is a great chapter for ideas in rural ministry. Ron explains his adjustment from the city to the country. A great source of encouragement for those of you who can relate!
The authors deal with the adjustments that small town ministries will have to make in the future. This new Rurban frontier is the future of many small town ministries. They deal with the implications of several new trends, (1) number of people in ag related fields is declining, (2) Non farm, small town population is increasing, (3) massive demographic changes in small towns, (4) new residents of small towns exhibit a marked decline in spiritual and moral values. they give a number of helpful suggestions for dealing with these trends. This chapter alone makes the book worth owning!
Principle = Are you willing to be a pioneer in this new frontier. the land is full of opportunity for ministry. I personally believe this is the new cutting edge ministry for the 21st century.
The authors deal with working within a cultural context in this new frontier. They define the stages of rural ministry as: (1) How quaint phase, (2) This isn't just like home phase, (3) Starting to make sense phase, (4) I like it phase. This chapter was particularly helpful to me since I have experienced all of these phases. Having grown up in Chicago and Detroit, I have approached rural ministry as a compare rural ministry as a mission field experience. The suggestions for adapting to the rural culture at the end of this chapter would have saved me much heartache.
Principle = The chapter was titled adjust or bust. My question is which will you do, adjust to your culture and surroundings or bust?
The authors reminded us that pictures of rural churches are on Christmas cards for a reason. Those reasons are intimacy and involvement. These are the strengths of the small church. As with anything magnify your strengths, minimize your weaknesses.
Principle = Is not the reason we face discouragement because we emphasize weaknesses and forget our strengths. The question I ask myself is when people hear me talk of our ministry, do they sense excitement at what God is doing or discouragement at what He has not done?
The authors emphasized the aspect of determining your niche or strengths of ministry. They suggested: (1) starting with gifts, (2) Identifying needs, (3) Be willing to experiment. An interesting suggestion came from Sam Walton's book and his comments on how small businesses could survive against Walmart: (1) Don't come at us head on, (2) Do your own thing, better than we do ours, (3) Offer specialized things Walmart can't, (4) Survivors adapt to change, (5) think small, (6) involve people, (7) be enthusiastic, (8) monitor what you do.
Principle = I understand the ministry is not a business, however wisdom is wisdom. Sam Walton demonstrated wisdom and saw opportunity when others saw nothing. I believe the same is true in small town ministry today. We must see the potential, not the obstacles.
The authors deal with a key concept in the small church. They suggest a family model of leadership rather than a corporate model. They suggest management by relationship. The section from Lyle Schaller's division of 3 organizational types was very helpful.
The authors also deal with the importance of a vision statement and the changes that must occur between the pastor and the congregation.
Principle = The issue of leadership model for the small church is a crucial one. How well am I adapting to the growing needs of the congregation?
The authors list little churches that did. This is a encouraging chapter to know that other people are succeeding in rural area's. It is a mission field full of untapped potential.
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