Kent R. Hunter, The Lord’s Harvest and the Rural Church: A New Look at Ministry in the Agri-Culture. Beacon Hill Press, 1993.
Referenced in: Small Church Leadership
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This book is by Kent R Hunter, the famed “Church Doctor.” As such, it reflects the assumptions of the church growth movement and benefits from Hunter’s experience not only as a rural church minister, but also as a consultant to hundreds of churches, many of them rural. It is a good introductory exposure to rural ministry, and would probably need to be supplemented by other materials on the subject in the resource guide on Small Churches.
From the Publisher
This classic book is unique among the literature on rural ministry. Rather than identifying “rural” as a geographical location or demographic segment, this books identifies “rural” as a culture. The rural church consists of a group of people, a significant percentage of whom are part of the agri-culture. This diagnostic approach helps those in rural ministry understand there is a wonderful uniqueness and there are special challenges associated with rural ministry. It also recognizes that a rural church can be in the open country or in an urban setting. Rural describes the people and their culture. This is one of the most important resources for those involved in effective rural ministry.
Editorial Reviews
This is the book for understanding today’s rural church. Kent Hunter was the pastor of a rural church; today he is one of the top five church growth authorities in the English-speaking world. In this book, he brings to bear on the rural church both theory and his practical experience of consulting with hundreds of churches. — Bill M. Sullivan, Former Division Director, Church Growth, Church of the Nazarene
About the Author
Kent R. Hunter is president of Church Growth Center of Corruna, Indiana; editor of Global Church Growth magazine, author of several books, consultant to many churches of various denominations, and owner/operator of a certified tree farm.
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