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“I pastored for some years amongst the thick forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. One thing I learned in that rural and remote area is that good local church leaders did not grow on those trees. Not any of them.” - RHMA

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Discussion

Fri, 10/16/26

....that he calls Yooperland a "matriarchal" culture. Looking up sources on Finnland, it does look like things are described as "egalitarian" in nature, which is at least close. Agreed 100% that in developing leaders in any culture, you've got to concentrate on discipleship.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

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Mon, 10/19/26

My parents lived in remote Michigan U.P. for more than a decade. It was often a struggle to find a wide range of training and skills that we take for granted in more populated areas. The pattern tended to extend into church life as well.

There were a lot of people with multiple practical skills—building, fixing, etc. But they tended to have a “well, it’ll do” attitude and not really much concern about quality. But that’s pretty much rural anywhere in the U.S. (Edit: maybe urban, too!)

I don’t know about matriarchal and egalitarian. Didn’t really see any of that. But I only spent a week or so a year up there during those years.

But for church leadership, I think any remote/remote-ish rural setting is going to present some challenges. “1. Take the long view (Acts 16:1-5).” Is spot on. As is #4 “assignments.” But first you have to have some guys (or maybe a guy) willing to up their level of commitment to the assignment-taking level.

I was in rural ministry for 13 years, but was spoiled rotten for leadership. We had a great set of godly, sober-minded men who took a lot of initiative, and I didn’t have to do the uphill leadership struggle many small churches and pastors have to deal with. Still, looking back, I wish I’d been more aggressive about leadership training—if nothing else, to make the church stronger over the long haul and work on a new generation. The latter is also often a challenge in your small/rural church: your leaders are not getting any younger and the rapture may not happen before they all hit the ‘can’t do much anymore’ stage.

So one thing I might add to VanGoethem’s list in the article is “though it seems far off, think every day about the future—a decade, two decades down the road at least—and take steps toward long-term thriving.”

Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.

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