The 2024 Center for Rural Ministry’s (CRM) annual conference brought 112 pastors, church staff members, lay leaders and Grove City College students together as one community to contemplate and consider what it means to “thrive in ministry” in their small-town communities.
The conference created a space for fellowship between leaders of local churches where they could support and learn from one another as they expanded their knowledge of how to cultivate their church communities. Keynote speakers Rev. TJ Freeman (pastor of Christ Church Wellsboro and founder of the Brainerd Institute for Rural Ministry) and Rev. Dean Weaver (Former pastor of Memorial Park Church and Stated Clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church) encouraged those gathered, while Grove City College faculty and invited ministry leaders also provided opportunities for church leaders to attend workshops relating to various ministry topics.
Kicking Things Off with TJ Freeman
The conference began Friday Sept. 6 with remarks from Freeman reminding the conference attendees of their importance as a part of God’s plan to minister to rural communities. He referenced God’s commission to His people in Genesis 1 to “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). He traced this call throughout the Old and New Testaments and called listeners to recognize their responsibility as God’s image bearers and as the church to steward the whole earth, including small places. Freeman emphasized that “the church displays the glory of God in a way that transcends its location.” He encouraged leaders of rural churches telling them “God does not see my town as nonstrategic. God cares about small places.”
Freeman brought attention to the spiritual darkness that haunts small-town America by providing a visual of the light across the state of Pennsylvania visible from above. There are two bright beacons of light where Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are located, but the rest of the state is strikingly dark. Freeman described how the presence of light across the state mirrors the places where people are sharing the light of Christ. He called his listeners to bring the Lord’s light into the darker, rural places, and in doing so, respond to the Creation Mandate.
On the second day of the conference, Freeman led a devotional talk about the importance of friendship and community within the church. He referenced Paul’s letter to the Colossians while he was in prison. Paul sent his friends to the Colossians to support them in a time when they were fearful. He shared his own experience of turning to a friend in a time of trouble. Freeman was hospitalized for a severe and dangerous case of COVID and described it as “an act of providence” that his friend worked in the hospital and comforted him during one of the hardest times of his life. He shared, “bad days are a little bit brighter when you have friends who understand what you’re going through,” and described the best type of friend as “someone who would risk it all to help you grow in the Lord.” Freeman recognized that pastors often experience betrayal and that this can make it difficult for them to lean on others. He asked his listeners to remember that “sometimes God brings people into our lives to refine us” and not to allow “fear to stop them from investing in friendships.”
Thinking About the Long Haul with Dean Weaver
Rev. Weaver began the first of a series of talks about five things pastors need to thrive in a long-term commitment to ministry on the first night of the conference. Weaver based his talk on a survey he conducted with pastors who had been serving their churches for at least 20 years. According to these individuals, it is essential to have had a clear and compelling sense of call from God to enter the ministry. Weaver reflected on his own calling, remembering how several people in his life told him that the Holy Spirit had revealed God’s plan for him to enter the ministry to them. He also recalled a phone call from his wife. She relayed to him that the Holy Spirit had told her he was to take a job as the President of the EPC. Weaver invited the church leaders to reflect, “Do you remember your calling… remember your story... remember where God met you.” He gave them the assignment to write out the story of their calling and to tell it to someone. You can listen to Weaver's first talk here.
Weaver then continued his discussion of the five things pastors need to thrive in ministry the second day of the conference. He introduced the second “thing” as “a spouse who gets it.” He stressed the importance of choosing a partner who does not resent their call to ministry and to instead find a person who shares their view of ministry and family and someone who they can make decisions with as a team. He encouraged those who are single to not allow themselves to be isolated and to surround themselves with a supportive community.
The third thing pastors need to thrive in their call to ministry is to take time to rest. Weaver explained that we are to mirror the “rhythm of creation,” working seven days and resting on the Sabbath. He explained that rest comes through Jesus. He suggested that pastors take a day off, use their vacation time and even consider taking a sabbatical.
At the end of the conference, Weaver spoke of the fourth thing pastors need to thrive in ministry: a place to get away. He recommended finding a place where they could take time to plan and reflect on their sermons, pray for their congregation and ask God how to serve them. He pointed to Jesus and how He took the time to pray to God in “desolate places” several times throughout the New Testament.
He echoed Freeman’s earlier message about friendship with the fifth thing pastors need: a friend closer than a brother. He then shared a sixth thing he learned from his own experience that pastors need to thrive. This is a deep, abiding, close, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. He emphasized taking time to spend with God that was not related to their job as a pastor. He described the necessity of taking personal time to worship the Lord.
Workshops Full of Learning and Connection
Outside of the key note addresses, conference attendees picked from three tracks of workshops related to preaching, counseling and children’s ministry. Dr. Chris Ansberry led a workshop about preaching through the book of Proverbs. Some church leaders chose to sit in on a workshop about special needs ministry led by Dr. Jennifer Hollenberger. Melissa Affolter guided a two-part workshop about personhood, peace and wholeness.
Church leaders and students then enjoyed a time of fellowship over lunch and some chose to spend that time at a small town church pastor and planter panel with small-town church planter and CRM executive director Charlie Cotherman and TJ Freeman.
Assoc. Professor of Social Work at Grove City College
Following lunch, a second set of workshops were offered. Affolter continued with the second part of her personhood, peace and wholeness series. Dr. Josiah Hall spoke about tips for preaching the Gospel narratives, and Kim Greenleaf led an interactive workshop about evaluating and choosing a children’s ministry curriculum.
Asst. Professor of Biblical Studies at Grove City College
Attendees of the Thriving in Ministry Conference left equipped with the knowledge of what they need to personally pursue their call from God and with a greater understanding of how they can serve their congregations. Most importantly, they left knowing they are not alone in their call to small places. Their God given vocation is important, and there is a community of small-town pastors that God has blessed them with who can support them on their ministry journey.
Looking Ahead to Next Year
The CRM is already looking ahead to next year’s conference. Be sure to mark your calendars now for September 5-6, 2025, when church leaders will again be invited to gather in fellowship at Grove City College. You won't want to miss this time of learning and connection. Until then, you can find out more about last year's conference and stay tuned for info about next year's conference by checking out the conference tab on our website.
Emily Fox is a junior at Grove City and a writing intern for CRM. She grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and is studying English with minors in Writing and Digital Marketing at the college. Post-grad, she hopes to pursue a career in Public Relations.
