Articles for tag: Barney Wells

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

THE BIG CHALLENGE FACING SMALL CHURCHES (7): Build a Legacy

By Barney Wells “In this part of the country, there’s a Christian church every five miles, and three in between,” quipped the minister, who had served small-town congregations in the Midwest for decades. Though an overstatement, it does point to a challenge for the rural church. Many rural churches were planted in the days before automobiles and good roads, when the population density of the rural countryside was much greater and you could travel only a few miles in 30 minutes. Back then, more schools, stores, and churches were needed. Over the years, schools have consolidated and stores have closed,

August 22, 2019

Christian Standard

THE BIG CHALLENGE FACING SMALL CHURCHES (2): Rural Churches

By Clark Bates We received a friendly welcome when we entered the Christian church in Beaver City, a small town in rural Nebraska. The service that morning was upbeat, the prayers sincere, and the preaching biblical . . . but where were the people? The sanctuary was large enough to accommodate 150, but that morning only 25 people huddled into one section of pews. After the service, my wife and I spoke with Treg and Beth about the challenges facing the congregation. They shared about the decreasing population of the area, explaining that young people move away for college and

October 6, 2017

Christian Standard

Overcoming the Challenges of Rural Ministry

By Justin Horey Imagine you live a half hour from the nearest pizza place, and no one delivers. That”s not the premise for a new reality television show. It”s how Dr. Barney Wells, graduate academic dean and associate professor of Bible and ministry at Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University, playfully defines “rural communities” for his undergraduate students. Although millions of Americans live in rural communities, small-town people are often overlooked and misunderstood by sociologists and economists more focused on serving larger population centers. Likewise, few have studied or analyzed what it takes to succeed and thrive as a ministry in a

January 16, 2015

Christian Standard

A Healthy Church Nourishes Fellowship

By Barney Wells From the tiniest white-frame rural chapel to the largest of megachurch campuses, church buildings seem to have two rooms in common. One is called the auditorium, sanctuary, or worship center””it is where the gospel message is proclaimed weekly through sermon, song, the Lord”s Supper, and prayer. The other room is the fellowship hall. Whether found in a dank basement room with a low ceiling or a cavernous gymnasium-like structure, the ubiquitous presence of the fellowship hall testifies to the importance of a place for fellowship. Fellowship in the Bible refers to a common task and common concern

May 24, 2013

Christian Standard

“˜Do Unto Others”

By Barney Wells After four decades of church leadership as a minister, elder, and lately as a church consultant, I have come to see the importance of a simple rule that is too often overlooked. But if it were followed, it would make life for elders, church staff, and congregations more harmonious. And very likely it would lead the watching world to take a higher view of the church. That rule is twice mentioned in Scripture (Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31), children memorize it in Sunday school, and it is stamped on pencils and cross-stitched on samplers. We call it

September 30, 2007

Barney Wells

church conflict management

You Can Manage Conflict

Change can feel like progress to some and disruption to others. Learn how one rural congregation navigated rapid transitions, differing mind-sets, and unintended consequences while working to prevent and resolve conflict.

September 30, 2007

Barney Wells

Matthew 1817

How to Resolve Conflict

Most church conflicts resolve with timely intervention, but some require firm, united leadership and church discipline. New Testament examples show both the pain and the hope of hard decisions.

April 22, 2007

Barney Wells

newcomers in rural churches

Land of Opportunity

Newcomers are moving into rural communities, and churches can feel the strain when long-term residents and newcomers collide. This introduction explores agrarian and cosmopolitan contrasts and why understanding them can ease conflict.

April 18, 2007

Mark A. Taylor

Leading Through Change

Change Is

Tom Ellsworth urges patient, listening-first leadership when guiding change in smaller churches. Mark A. Taylor introduces a book excerpt on helping town and country congregations respond faithfully to demographic shifts and unchosen change.

Help Keep Christian Standard Free & Accessible with a Tax Deductible Donation

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Does Your Church Want to Support Christian Standard?

Would your church consider including support for Christian Standard in its annual missions budget? Your support would help us not only continue the 160-year legacy of this unifying ministry, but also expand the free resources, cooperative opportunities, and practical guidance we provide to strengthen churches in the U.S. and around the world.

We can do more together!

Every gift makes a difference!

No, thank you.
100% secure transactions - receipts provided.
Secret Link