Rural Church Institute
Grantee: Wheaton College Billy Graham Center
Location: Wheaton, IL
Website: https://wheatonbillygraham.com/rural-church-institute/
Project Contact: Jason McConnell
Email: jason.mcconnell@wheaton.edu
Who we serve
The Rural Church Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center aims to address declining attendance in rural churches by helping rural pastors and congregations reach new people who don’t currently attend any church and mobilize them for wider community impact beyond the walls of their church. More specifically, it aims to serve rural congregations in every geographical region of the United States. Our constituency includes congregations from a wide range of denominational backgrounds and socio-economic situations.
How we support rural congregations and ministry leaders
Our project is designed to serve rural congregations and ministry leaders through four key activities:
- Rural Ministry Research
- Rural Evangelism Cohorts
- Resources for Rural Bi-Vocational Pastors
- Rural Ministry Advocacy
The rural ministry research component is a collaborative effort of LifeWay Research and AmeriSpeak to identify cutting-edge trends in rural America and capitalize on new opportunities for holistic gospel ministry. The rural evangelism cohorts aim to foster “conversion communities,” which are churches that grow primarily by reaching people who don’t attend any church. We are also developing ministry training resources for bi-vocational pastors, especially those who have not had the opportunity to pursue theological education. Our project is also designed to advocate for rural and small-town ministry among the Wheaton College student body and other evangelical ministry organizations that often overlook the value of serving in smaller places.
Our partners
Our rural ministry research project is a collaborative partnership with the Rural Home Missionary Association and the Center for Rural Ministry at Grove City College. We are also partnering with Village Missions, Dirt Road Network, Brainerd Institute, North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, Baptist General Convention of Texas, Converge Great Lakes, and the Genesis Conference of the Free Methodist Church.
Faith tradition
The Wheaton College Billy Graham Center is an interdenominational ministry organization that values working with a variety of denominational and theological traditions. Our project is ecumenical.
Geographical focus
Our project has a universal geographical focus. We have rural ministry partners and constituencies all over America.
