Five Prayers for Rural Churches
Five Prayers for Rural Churches
This Sunday across the country, some churches will gather by the hundreds where their average attendance is greater than the entire population of some small towns scattered across our land. Much like the apostles of Acts 6, they pray and they plan on how to address the many internal strains that come with great growth. For this, we all rejoice. However, at the same time, many of our rural churches labor under a vastly different internal strain – a town with too few businesses, a church with too few families, and a baptismal font with too little use. How do we help? Where do we start? First, we start with prayer.
Pray that God would dwell mightily with our rural churches. When our families move from the backwoods to the big city, when our government spending moves from the backwoods to the big city, we wonder if God has moved on too. However, Revelation 2:1 presents Christ as the one “who walks among the seven golden lampstands.” His attention is not torn between them; rather, He knows both large and small intimately and affectionately because He dwells among them. Let us pray for them to know His mighty presence, that it may be felt when our Great High Priest trims their wick, replenishes their oil, and causes them to shine with radiant holiness.
Pray that our rural churches keep focusing on the Christ who loves them. In an age that measures importance by investment, growth, and visibility, we forget that Christ chose not Rome nor Jerusalem as the place of His birth. In Micah 5:2, we read: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” He who dwells in the highest heaven still sets His affections on the lowly church, reviving and sustaining her. When many of the members of these rural churches go home to Christ’s heaven above, pray that those remaining will still see Christ’s love fixed on the small church below (John 17:24).
Pray that our rural churches would remain humble, but never discouraged. They may lack big budgets, big programs, and big buildings, but these are no reason to be discouraged. In fact, our God often allows these issues to linger for our sanctification. If the problems disappeared quickly, our pride would not. Instead, these lingering problems drive us to Christ far more than a speedy resolution. Is this not for the best? As William Bridge notes: “I have read in the scripture, that people have been too many, and the means too strong for God to work by; but I never read that it was too small, or weak for God to work by.”[1] Does our God not promise the same? “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66:2). Let us pray for humility that one look from our God would erase any discouragement.
Pray God would strengthen our rural churches to labor with confidence. When all around is in decay, the temptation is to begin looking inward, to “circle the wagons.” However, Christ’s assurance to Paul still reminds us where our confidence lies: “I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people” (Acts 18:10). Our continuation is because of Christ’s accomplished salvation. That small town of only 500 may appear to be a fruitless field bearing only thorns and thistles, but Christ sees “a lily among the thorns” (Song 2:2). The embassy stands and the ambassador serves because Christ will not desert His purchased possession (2 Cor. 5:20).
Pray that God would bring revival to our rural churches. In the history of the church, the most memorable days of revival began not in the great centers of influence, but in small places like Cambuslang and Northampton. Does this not fit God’s standard practice? “God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Cor. 1:28-29) He who was considered of having “no form or majesty” in the eyes of the world continues to do His greatest works on those looked upon in the same terms today (Isa. 53:2). Let us pray that He would begin that great work of revival, displaying the vastness of His glory in the smallest of places, in our rural churches.
