Flyover Church: How Jesus' Ministry in Rural Places is Good News Everywhere
By Brad Roth
Herald Press
ISBN 978-1-5138-1372-1
Reviewed by Clint Walker
Since 2016, there has been both a public and ecclesial interest in small towns and rural life. Whether it is the flood of sociological interest seeking to investigate why rural people have such great affection for Donald Trump, or the renewed interest in small churches and rural ministry in ministry circles, understanding rural America, especially in flyover country, is getting some deserved attention.
Into this time, comes a wonderful book by Brad Roth entitled Flyover Church. Brad is a seasoned pastor and leader in out of the way places, and takes his readers on a journey to discover the importance of small town ministry, and some helpful attitudes and practices in that context.
The book, which I read good portions of in the Flyover Brewery in Scottsbluff NE while listening to Chris Stapleton, is a guidebook for ministry in rural places, especially those in small towns in the Midwestern and Western United States. Brad takes us on a journey in Flyover Church, in which chapter titles are patterned after movement of Jesus as God's incarnational presence in the world, with a call to his readers to follow Jesus' pattern as well. As Roth says in this text, "ministry is about making ourselves available to his people and his world. Ministry is not a task based job, but a presence based one..." (p. 27). As Roth serves as a tour guide to rural ministry, he points to things to notice, attitudes that work, and practices that are necessary to be faithful in rural and small town ministry. There are no step by step instructions on "how to", but there is lots of practical insight on how to live rural ministry as a way of life.
I would recommend this book to anyone exploring or practicing ministry in out of the way places. Flyover ministry is not always easy, but Brad Roth shows how it can be a true and beautiful way of serving the call of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment