Missional Living In Rural Communities
Previous Post – On A Lighter Note
After the great discussion that we’ve been having over at my post on missionality & location, someone asked a great question. Having explored ideas about missionality in suburban and urban contexts, what about being missional in rural contexts? Having grown up in a small town, this is something I have given a great deal of thought to. In fact, if it were not for my clear calling to the urban context, I would live in a rural setting in a heart beat (oh yeah, that and my wife would die of boredom).
Many people ask us how we live in an inner city context with all the problems and challenges. While there are serious issues and many sacrafices, it isn’t actually that difficult to be missional there. Of course it is demanding, but because the church has largely abandon these communities, you can pretty much do whatever you want, daring to explore the missional possibilities with a freedom otherwise unknown. Small towns are, in many ways, far more difficult to be missional in.
Whenever I visit my folks in my old home town of Rainy River, ON, we get to talking about what it means to truly engage the community as a congregation. It doesn’t take long to find how deeply rooted traditions and models are, making the idea of change and innovation very difficult. Of course, these problems occur in every context, but rural contexts are generally more parochial both in the church culture and the wider community itself. Further, as failures become fairly widely known in a very short time, it can be a very unforgiving context to experiment.
At the same time, rural contexts offer wonderful advantages. The very thing that often makes these communities overly insular also contributes to genuine community. Further, the spheres of influence in the community (i.e. education, commerce, politics, etc.) are so closely connected, that there is amazing potential for a faith community to have a significant impact on the very fabric of the area. While not driven by size or “success”, a small community can present some achievable goals that can be hard to see in large, urban and suburban contexts.
What do you think? What does it mean to be missional in a rural context? What doesn’t work? Have you seen models of missional community in rural areas?
P.S. I have always had a dream of working with a group of people who are passionate about missionality to partner with a church in a small town on experimenting with missionality. I know I am biased, but I think Rainy River would be an ideal location. Dare to dream, eh?
Jamie,
Speaking from experience being missional in a rural context is a hard and lonely task. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up in the small “city” I’m currently living in but almost everyone gives me this weird crazy look whenever I use words like “emergent” or “missional”. Every time I talk in those terms I think I’m written off as the guy from the “big city” with all the big city ideas.
That being said, I have found that even if people disagree with my take on faith most people can agree that feeding the hungry is important as so long as I use the language and terminology they want to hear.
Blessings
Kyle,
You make an important point. Most rural communities are behind on many aspects of culture, such as language. I do not say this condescendingly, but to acknowledge that, as we seek to bring new ideas into these traditional contexts, we need to finding bridging language and models. Thanks Kyle!
Peace,
Jamie
My husband and I lived in his hometown of 400 for almost a year. We were in a different place in our “journey” and weren’t thinking of being missional at the time; in fact, we wanted out. Now we are looking at the possibility of moving back into that area sometime – and hoping that we can. In some ways it’s great that my husband grew up there because so many people know him, and he’s quite familiar with the dynamics of the town. In other ways, it’s not so great that he grew up there because they still see him as he was in high school. Living in a small town is like living in a fish bowl, too. Everyone knows what everyone is doing, and if people get a negative impression, it’s hard to change that. Yet, because it is a small town, it provides so many opportunities to see people often in so many different settings and to become a part of the community.
Well, those are my late-night ramblings. I’m glad that you dare to dream.
Jamie, thanks for writing this so soon!!
Here’s my list of pros and cons … with an intro. My husband and I both grew up in Vermont, which is extremely insular. IOW … if you didn’t come from here, you don’t really have a voice here As an example, my parents are still considered “outsiders” in my hometown (population approx. 1200) after living there for almost 40 years. Some parts of the state are less insular than others, of course.
My husband and I have lived in the suburbs of Washington, DC for over 20 years now. So we’ve become acclimated to metropolitan life with all of its pitfalls. We come back for a couple weeks every summer.
When we come back and are out and about it breaks my heart to see the village churches which were once the thriving heartbeat of each community, now standing empty, dark, and silent. Sometimes they have been sold to individuals to be used for a home or something. Or, like the church I got married in, they might be used for special services a few times a year.
My dream is to come back to Vermont. Move into one of these communities and revive one of those churches in some way. I am particularly drawn to the Celtic way of Christianity and I think that would find an open ear here in the mountains. I’m not particularly clear yet on what the dream is and how it might be formed. I’m waiting on God at the moment.
Nonetheless, I’ll be following this conversation with great interest.
Mary,
That sounds exciting. Have you considered what approaches you might take? I am curious as to your (everybody’s) ideas on the practice of missionality in rural contexts. Do tell!
Peace,
Jamie
Sonja,
Interesting that you mention Celtic Christianity, as this is an approach that many of my friends in Canada’s east communities (quite insular indeed) are attempting. A significant connection is the hugely Celtic heritage of Canadian Maritimers. Thanks for sharing!
Peace,
Jamie
Well … that’s very interesting indeed. Many years ago I read a book titled The Nine Nations of North America, by Joel Garreau. The author’s thesis was that the continent of North America would be better organized into 9 nations based on demographics, economics, agriculture and several other bits (which I’ve long forgotten). But I’m mentioning this because he parceled together northern New England (which would be our states of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont) with your Canadian maritime provinces. Having grown up in Vermont, spent time in Maine for childhood holidays and in the maritimes, I’d be willing to say that there are many similarities in character. More similarities between the maritimes and Vermont, than between Vermont and (say) the midwestern states. And I always find that sort of amazing in conversation.
Sonja,
Interesting. Keep us posted about this, as I am fascinated to see where it takes you. Do you have a blog? If you do, you can use the “other” option when writing comments and don’t need a Blog.com account. Just FYI.
Peace,
Jamie
Yep … I do. I blog at Calacirian, under the pseudonym aBhantiarna Solas (which means Lady of Light in Celtic
). And I’ll use “other” from now on here, thanks for the tip.
I’m in Vermont now and it’s been on this latest trip home that the dream is finally beginning to take on enough form that I can give it words. So, I will be writing about it now. Thanks, in part, to reading your writings.
Sonja,
I thought so (from your comments before the blog changes), so I am glad you can now have people click to your blog when you comment.
I am glad the blog served you in your processing. Keep us posted and feel free to email me to process if you want (jamiearpinricci AT gmail DOT com)
Peace,
Jamie
Yes, we have thought (and dreamed) about some of the approaches we might take. It seems best for us to be involved in the areas that are natural fits for us. For example, we would have children in both the pre-school and in the public school (which has all grades K-high school in one building). So, those seem like good places to be involved and get to know the teachers, the children, and their families. There is also a large group of elderly residents who don’t wish to move to a nursing home an hour away but who really need help with daily tasks (meals, cleaning, mowing, etc.) My husband has 3 grandparents who live there, so helping them and their friends also is a natural fit. Since it is a tight community, doing anything that even remotely smells of being agenda driven is highly suspect. I think people would be much more receptive and less guarded if we started by just getting involved in areas that were natural fits and then seeing how it goes from there.
We don’t know for sure if and when we would move there, but we keep thinking about it in the meantime. I look forward to more insights and ideas that people share here.
Mary,
Sounds like great places to connect. Having attended a small school (K-12 had about 100 students), where my father was actually a teacher, I can see so many was to get involved in that context.
While avoiding agenda, in time I think you will find that many people are willing and interested in getting involved in the same kind of agenda-less volunteerism. It could become a ministry just organizing people get involved.
Peace,
Jamie
Being that I live in a rural area myself I was waiting with great anticipation for someone to actually answer the question. “We’ve been working at being missional in a rural setting by …”
Sigh.
Anon,
Well, there were several ideas shared. Many missional principles apply throughout many contexts. Involving ourselves into the fabric of our communities without agenda (but with intention) is crucial. The church must learn that to be “successful” it may have to have fewer programs, encouraging the congregation to get involved in communities based activities such as chamber of commerce, school boards, community clean up, etc. NOT with some hidden agenda to Christianize people or programs, but to meet neighbours and serve others.
I’d also recommend checking out this interesting article from Leadership Journal:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2007/002/14.108.html
Then again, if you are in a rural area, you could share some ideas with us.
Peace,
Jamie
Does Steinbach count as rural? We call ourselves a “city”. In some ways we’re still rural: a number of our friends have lived all of their lives right where they are, so that after 10 years we really are newcomers to them. But some industries in town have brought a significant number of outsiders from a variety of ethnic groups, which does not fit the rural label.
My wife and I have been part of small congregation which was trying to be “missional” in a relatively rural setting. We just stopped meeting as a gathered congregation, but are continuing as a small group (house church — who knows?). Seeing the number of house churches and alternative congregations even in Steinbach suggests that small town Canada is also changing and that missional living is as important here as in the city.
So far as the special language of a small town or rural area foes — we need to learn the language of the streets when we’re in the city, or the language used in Brazil when we are there. Why should we be surprised (or somehow imply that the local speakers are not quite “with it”) when we have to learn their language in a small town?
Hey Daryl,
I think Steinbach is typical of many rural cultured small cities, making it something of a unique context unto itself.
Do you feel I (or any commenter) suggested the rural language reflects that they are not “with it”? I don’t see anyone saying that. I said that they are behind in common usage, meaning only that while they exist only miles from urban contexts (for example) they often are using language that was in more common usage in past. This is not a critcism, but a sociological fact. The internet and other mediums of communication are narrowing this gap, but it is still there.
So when I say “behind” I was not meaning “less advanced” as I meant “chronologically”. Common usage of certain words or concepts find themselves in rural communities long after having been established in larger culture. Many Christians in rural cultures are far more missional/incarnational than many urban or suburban churches, but they would be far less likely to recognize or use the accompanying terminology.
So my point was (and I apologize for the lack of clarity) that when you enter into a rural context from the outside, you must be aware that bringing more current language can be problematic, so learn the local lexicon. Is that clearer?
Remember, I may live in the inner city, but I am a rural kid who passionately loves that context, so I am not intending to speak down to it.
Peace,
Jamie
I was responding more to the impression that many have (at least, that I think many people have) that rural folk are not as smart as city folk. You were clear in in your original post that you don’t hold that misleading stereotype.
I like to look at things through the lens of culture: thus, rural folk their own culture, which we respect as much as we do everyone else’s.
Sorry that I left the impression of thinking you had dissed small towns. I didn’t read you that way, and your response makes it clear that you aren’t putting us/them down.
Daryl,
Thanks for clearing that up. I am still gun shy about being misunderstood these days, so my bad. I agree with your assessment.
Peace,
Jamie
Daryl,
Steinbach is a rural community in my book. One of the facets of a rural community is the fact that their “catch-basin” or “trading area” encompasses many folk who are genuinely rural… in your case, the RM of Hanover and beyond. So even though Steinbach (~10,000 people? – clarification for those who don’t know!) is a small city, it is made up of and heavily influenced by its rural surroundings. (A feed mill on Main Street is also a clue!) Many people live in Steinbach because it’s not Winnipeg, and have therefore made a choice of rural over urban. It’s always maintained its small-town feel, if you ask me.
I wasn’t aware that there were as many house churches or “distributed communities” or whatever in Steinbach as you implied… an assumption perhaps based on the number of institutional churches. Can you comment further?
I know of four besides the one we were/are in. By definition we are not as visible as the larger churches (one of which my wife and I have moved back into).
I agree that we are rural, but a feed mill on Main Street is not the only clue. A congregation can be sociologically rural while in Winnipeg (I have one on St. Anne’s in mind), and sociologically urban while in St. Malo (although that would be more of a stretch). Sociologically, rural communities value multiple connections to the same person in ways that urban communities don’t. That orientation follows one, wherever you’re located. In that respect Steinbach is changing, with Indians working at Biovail, South African doctors, British truck drivers, European farmers, and a growing Filipino community. The ethnic diversity of Provencher sets it off from the typical rural community of the past.
Note that these comments are off the top of my head, not carefully researched or thought through. Impressions, which can be checked and refined.
Daryl,
I think you make a good distinction. We need to recognize that there are many types of rural communities. There are farms, country dwellers (non-farm homes outside of formal commuities), etc. Even agrarian regions differ than small towns that develop around industry or proximity to larger communities.
Peace,
Jamie
The feed mill is just the “yeah, I thought so” moment — but I like the observation of “sociologically rural” (or urban) as opposed to just geographically so. Important distinction, one worth kicking around a bit, even if just to unpack the idea that “rural communities value multiple connections to the same person in ways that urban communities don’t,” which intrigues me. I think you’re onto something, but I can’t quite put my finger on what you’re getting at.
I teach an introduction to culture course at Providence Seminary. One of the concepts we deal with is the idea of “role and status”. I was trying to express the difference between simplex roles (typical in the city: we relate to other people through basically one role only) and multiplex roles (typical in rural communities: we relate to other people through several different roles). This is one of the reasons that Steinbachers (and people in other smaller communities) often take time to work out how they know each other before getting on with the business of the actual transaction in hand.
I guess I need to pick this up in another thread, or in a post on my own blog.
Daryl,
That is really helpful. No need to move on, as we can continue the discussion here as long as it goes. However, if you blog on it yourself, let me know.
Peace
Jamie
P.S. If you leave your comment using the “other” option, you can also leave you own blog address as well. It will help people explore your ideas at your blog.
Also, typically in a rural setting people have to travel farther in order to congregate
at whatever level, whether it is house church or something else. When we were first married we lived in a hamlet of about 200 people for a couple of years. The closest “organized church” was 20 min away, and the one we actually attended was 45 minutes away from our house. Intentionality is apparent and necessary in these cases; you don’t usually walk out the door and down the street a couple of blocks to where you’re meeting.
Dana
Dana,
I grew up having to drive 10 miles to the nearest town and our church. I also attended a school that was more than 40 miles from my home. Intentionality became very much a part of our lives.
Peace,
Jamie
Models of missional community in rural settings? I can’t help but think that’s exactly what the original Jesus movement was like. Galilee was pretty rural, especially the villages Jesus was around. He seemed to have stayed away from the cosmopolitan city of Sepphoris.
We can also see rural missional communities in the various monastic settings such as Iona or the deserts of Egypt, places where folks would hear about devotion and want to go see it. Maybe that’s the distinction. A city missional community has a tendency towards doing good works, being involved in social causes, and such. A rural missional community has less opportunity to excel in this way (though there’s always good work to be done) but they can take advantage of the stillness and peace to emphasis the other side of Christian devotion. They could contribute to the resurgence of a thorough spirituality and depth in our era, much as those in the deserts of Egypt or communities in Ireland and France and elsewhere contributed to the spirituality of the first 1000 years.
Would it be truly missional? I think it would be. People are desperate for depth and it might draw in folks who would otherwise pass over the oft frenzy of urban faith.
Patrick,
While the rural context of Jesus day and today are probably quite different, I think you are right that there remains some core similarities. Growing up around farmers and fishermen, I saw things in the Gospels I might otherwise have missed at first.
As for rural monasticism, I have often wondered if some expressions are truly missional. While I still wrestle with it, I think I lean to the same conclusions you suggest. The Body has many members, thus the whole Church is missional. Thanks!
Peace,
Jamie
Great conversation! Nothing to add myself at the moment, but I am very interested in following along to glean some ideas.
Jamie,
Not sure if the conversation here will continue, but I hope to repost on the topic in the coming month, so stay tuned!
Peace,
Jamie
jamie,
i live in a small community on the northern neck (several peninsulas stretching into the upper chesapeake bay). our community is made up of fisherman, wealthy retired government, and those who service the wealthy. we are divided by race and economy. small small small small, did i mention that part. i have never lived in such a rural community (boston, and before that kansas city).
i have many thoughts that i can’t quite get on paper in regards to missional living in the rural community. i look forward to another post on the topic and further conversation.
thanks
brad
Brad,
I would love to hear your thoughts so far. Let us know.
Peace,
Jamie
Jamie, I think there are definite issues and problems involved in something like that. However, this seems to be how some of the early church was spread, especially in Western Europe. I’m thinking of John Cassian who left the deserts of Egypt to establish a monastery in Marseilles. I can’t prove it but it’s my argument that St. Patrick was influenced by Cassian as Patrick’s mission to Ireland certainly reflected more of the monastic rather than parish structure.
In our era we’re so worried about being over inward looking that we’ve lost sight of the need for depth and content. The lingering effects of the 1950s era evangelism explosion in which all meat was tossed aside for the most basic four point message of salvation. Only what happened is that now when people seek a spirituality, a search which may be prompted by the Holy Spirit, they often don’t think to go to the Christian church for answers. The perception is of a marketing oriented and shallow religion. They look to the Eastern religions.
Yet Christianity is so much more rich, so much more deep, so much more holistic, that in not having places where evangelism comes out of depth rather than just out of extroverted breadth, we increasingly lose the artists, and the thinkers, and the mystics.
To be sure there would be problems, but I think a community with missional intent that has a quiet emphasis on depth would be extraordinary. It might not be out on the streets handing out tracts, but it would be extremely hospitable and welcoming, resonating a peace and holiness that would draw in parched and weary souls.
I think there’s room in the church for a variety of models. I’d personally be very curious to see how it would work out.
Patrick,
Finding a way to navigate the dynamic tension is crucial. We have to find a way to explore this without it being “outward vs. inward”, but rather both essentially connected the other. Different people, contexts, etc. will express this differently, but they must always see these two directions, not as contradictory, but mutually complimentary.
Peace,
Jamie