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“Come on. Let’s go!” Every Sunday morning, including every Easter, since I was three years old all six of our family were rushing out the door to church. In the early years, dad was driving with us, later on he was already there because he was the pastor. From those toddler years until I was 20, I had been to-and-through everything related to church . . . Read Clint Decker’s April column, Easter and the Danger of Religion. [Click on the picture for the full newsletter]

Merry Christmas! As we come to the end of 2018, I have just walked through one of my most unique ministry experiences. Since God called me to preach in 1990, many times I have prayed for the sick. Marvin’s story is unlike any other though. The family has given me permission to share. I think you will be encouraged by it. Marvin Revell died on November 21 at age 83, but his story began on September 30. On that I day I received an urgent call to come to the hospital. Marvin’s son, Dean, told me “They found internal bleeding and can’t get it stopped. There’s nothing they can do. We don’t know how long he has . . . [Click on the picture for the full letter]

In the spring of 1997 I was pastoring the Osawatomie Wesleyan Church in Osawatomie, Kansas, just 30 minutes outside the suburbs of Kansas City. One day I received a call from Pastor Dave Redmond. He was a friend and prayerfully contacted me to ask if I would be interested in coming on his staff to be the Assistant and Youth Pastor at the church he led. We set a time when I would come and interview with the church leadership and see the town. When the day came, I climbed in my little red Toyota Corolla and headed west. As I drove along I-70 I saw exit 313 to Manhattan, so I turned off and drove north a few miles on Highway 177 until I reached the city. It was a beautiful town, but I was just passing through on my way to Clay Center. I continued north out of Manhattan driving on Highway 24. As the miles passed I started to become concerned. All I could see were sprawling fields of crop land and pastures for cattle that sat underneath wide-open skies. I also saw old farm houses and new homes that dotted the landscape. In nearly 30 minutes I passed through only one tiny town that did not even have a stop light. As I drove on I remember saying to myself, “Where is this place? It’s out in the middle of nowhere.” Soon, in the distance I saw something that looked like a water tower. I thought, “Ah, the sign of a town!”. . .(Click on the thumbnail picture to read the full newsletter as it shares the vision for rural ministry and upcoming ministry activities this fall and winter.)

Do you attend, or are you a pastor or church leader of a rural or small church? If so, do you feel at times like your church is forgotten or overlooked because of its size or location? You’re not alone. The majority of churches in America are just your size. Click on the picture to begin learning about a new outreach to rural and small churches.