tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post5149162658219675620..comments2023-06-01T10:52:44.280-04:00Comments on The Gospel-Driven Church: Review: Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O'DellJaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07454966527986478217noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-4138411016697307822011-10-11T15:03:53.948-04:002011-10-11T15:03:53.948-04:00Moving from a big city to a small town rural area ...Moving from a big city to a small town rural area has many challenges. In running a Christ Centered recover ministry, it presents both positives and negatives. I look forward to reading this book , to help me begin to reach those in a small town for Christ, without being seen as a "city slicker".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-16990451900807424692010-05-17T12:14:45.475-04:002010-05-17T12:14:45.475-04:00Thanks for the tip on this book. I recently left ...Thanks for the tip on this book. I recently left the pastorate of a suburban church (a city of 75,000) to become the pastor of a small town, farming community church (a village of 2,000). Talk about culture shock! The good thing about the move though is it has helped me to clarify Biblical pastoral ministry. I'm very interested in this book. It sounds like a big help!noahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-71046838608250366222010-05-17T11:33:27.262-04:002010-05-17T11:33:27.262-04:00Thanks for this review. I pastor a church with an...Thanks for this review. I pastor a church with an avg. attendance of 30 in weekly worship. We are very rural, and quite small. Would be very interested to read this book.John Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13078213310142408658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-39280318633910835772010-05-17T06:28:50.683-04:002010-05-17T06:28:50.683-04:00I am glad to see a book that addresses the rural c...I am glad to see a book that addresses the rural church. As cited 61% of churchgoing Americans attend churches running 60 or less. Not all growth is good growth; we should see what we can do for the few instead of growing numbers. After all look at what the Lord did with only twelve men.Henry Crisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15100997286816737925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-8518199197458906672010-05-16T22:18:45.240-04:002010-05-16T22:18:45.240-04:00I come from small (very small) churches. I'm g...I come from small (very small) churches. I'm going to a 400-500 member church now. I know I have equated numbers with success. In a conversation with a Christian brother from a rural mountain area, he said that small churches are small for a reason. That kind of stuck with me and I adopted it for a while. Then I realized, that, like most statements men make, it had some truth sometimes. But God's kingdom is such a place of paradoxes that I could be very wrong to hang onto that opinion. I visited a small rural church today and found it refreshing and comfortable. <br /><br />It must be a challenge to pastor today in a small, rural congregation, especially with the "church marketing" programs creating possibly unrealistic expectations.<br /><br />Can't wait to read it.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15922404692517114503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-18141901443601337282010-05-16T11:18:01.691-04:002010-05-16T11:18:01.691-04:00Thanks for reviewing this, Jared. As the member of...Thanks for reviewing this, Jared. As the member of a rural church I'm very interested in learning O'Dell's perspective as the pastor of a rural church and comparing it to my context here in rural Washington state. I am especially appreciative of your concerns regarding the last 20% of the book and look forward to the chance to read this.<br /><br />Thanks for always being sensitive to aligning with God's mission in the church.Chrishttp://chrisheck.com/wordpressnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-91945623388518639862010-05-16T10:05:45.310-04:002010-05-16T10:05:45.310-04:00Sound interesting. Serving in those churches can ...Sound interesting. Serving in those churches can be a great reward or a great challenge. Your attitude towards it and how stupid you are in trying all sorts of changes can make the difference.<br /><br />I hope I get a copy.Luke Holmeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04856356591526587908noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-15115506204281332982010-05-16T07:26:00.846-04:002010-05-16T07:26:00.846-04:00What you said about the last 20% of the book intri...What you said about the last 20% of the book intrigued me...turning seniors into tech savvy texters. I will say that the seniors at my church forward emails a lot!!! If only there was a way to turn that into a ministry. ;-) All that to say, that I'd have to hear more about what he means. Some of my own seniors have surprised me with their use of the PC.<br /><br />I'm also trying to grapple with the phrase "God works in obscurity". Does he? What does that even mean? Does he have Scripture to back that up?<br /><br />At first that phrase appeals, and certainly seems to support the smaller rural church, but is it true? Of course he works in obscurity, he works everywhere, but the implication seems to be that God prefers to work in obscurity. Not so sure about that. Especially not when you look at the Exodus! ;-) (Or for a New Testament example, Pentecost.)Philiphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10602899106934518602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-90619500178707544172010-05-16T00:59:53.815-04:002010-05-16T00:59:53.815-04:00Pastoring a small church in a formerly rural area ...Pastoring a small church in a formerly rural area I can relate to the struggle to want to be like the more successful 'bigger brothers.'Elihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02145581871476789360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-45274822194061080302010-05-16T00:25:26.546-04:002010-05-16T00:25:26.546-04:00Very interesting review. . . sounds like a very ed...Very interesting review. . . sounds like a very education read for those involved in small church ministry.Lenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18029611299487293351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-50183524929561631722010-05-15T22:36:20.040-04:002010-05-15T22:36:20.040-04:00This book looks interesting and relevant to where ...This book looks interesting and relevant to where I am in ministry. I am a pastor of a small rural church in Central Texas. I am 25, in seminary and pastoring full time. I have been here a year and am loving it and really trying to reach out to the community. Thanks for the review. I look forward to reading this book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-3389832200012473532010-05-15T20:34:39.376-04:002010-05-15T20:34:39.376-04:00Pastoring a church in rural midcoast Maine with an...Pastoring a church in rural midcoast Maine with an average age of58 has certainly raised many questions about rural ministry that I hope this book could help answer. Community and neighborhoods on mission are 2 of those questions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-8507976368407413202010-05-15T19:30:25.086-04:002010-05-15T19:30:25.086-04:00Having been a part of both small churches and larg...Having been a part of both small churches and large, it is interesting to se the mind-frames as work in both sets. The statistic that over 50% attend churches under 60 is mind-blowing to me. Yet we see so many small churches everywhere, maybe it is so. Anyway, thanks for an insightful review.Sphericalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07678782081301897978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-80500810089695651272010-05-15T17:28:22.942-04:002010-05-15T17:28:22.942-04:00Nice review! Definitely piqued my interest. I wi...Nice review! Definitely piqued my interest. I will add it to my "reading list" soon.<br /><br />As a seminary student and future minister, this is something I have thought some about, since I will be itinerate and not picking my own churches.JAy.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12204467242441826412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-60821607689353229982010-05-15T16:23:24.507-04:002010-05-15T16:23:24.507-04:00Good review Jared, hope I can get my hands on a co...Good review Jared, hope I can get my hands on a copy it would be great to read.<br /><br />Thanks for your faithful gospel eye and mind as you read this for us.Josh Cousineauhttp://atmospherechurch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-538825134834187144.post-79197035765713634822010-05-15T16:21:34.484-04:002010-05-15T16:21:34.484-04:00Sounds like very interesting read. There aren'...Sounds like very interesting read. There aren't any megachurches here in rural WV and although I listen and watch a lot of online sermons, I don't think an online church should a someone's main church attendance. You can't have real fellowship online.Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10290273638076329625noreply@blogger.com