Many of our rural congregations are experiencing a strain on resources and members, as the populations of rural communities are decreasing, and expenses continue to rise. Northwestern Minnesota Synod’s Rural Revival movement lives deeply into a vision of leaning on one another; sharing gifts, ministry, and resources as community, as evangelists, and as neighbors.  
As part of our synod’s strategic plan, we “Strive to enhance the general health and resiliency of congregations with special attention on small-member rural congregations.” 

WHO: Spiritually committed rural congregations with a willingness to:
  • Create a shared vision of ministry in rural, small-member congregations.
  • Gather and leverage shared passions and resources.
  • Work hand-in-hand on:
    • community engagement
    • tactical implementation
    • adaptive leadership and post-pandemic pivot

WHY:  To move forward faithfully into God’s future for us by:

  • Engaging deeply with rural ministry leaders and congregations by bringing energy, ears to listen, and opportunities to grow.
  • Encouraging congregations to become more deeply engaged with their changing mission fields.
  • Encouraging congregations to enhance their willingness to set aside old ways (not identities), and create a shared vision with other rural congregations.
  • Equipping leaders with tools to nurture life-changing relationships within their faith lives, their personal lives, with one another, and within their rural communities.
  • Creating a plan to reproduce what we have learned. This will include resource materials to be used as tools for use in other rural ministry settings.
HOW:

Rural Revival will guide and nurture rural congregations by placing an adaptive pastoral leader, trained in Rural Ministry Innovation by Luther Seminary, into a healthy, vital, small-member congregation to be a bridge between vital, healthy, rural congregations and rural congregations striving for vitality to foster innovation and vitality in rural churches through an on-the-ground and in-the-community methodology to enhance vitality and create a new journey.