Village churches, like those in both cities and towns, are as diverse as their geographical situations.
Some villages are dormitories of cities and large towns and have a population who are very used to commuting for most of their needs, whereas some are very isolated with villagers who are more dependent on the facilities that are provided within the village itself. Whatever the type of village the churches tend to fall into three basic categories.
Types of churches
First, the ‘thriving church’ whose congregation comes from miles around, with many of them passing like-minded or similar churches to get there. (Whatever happened to the concept of the local church? On the other hand, however, one wonders, short of a real blessing of God upon the village, how such a church could actually thrive without such people.) Such a church is likely to have a mix of established Christians, some of whom may have been in the church for a number of years, new Christians and non-Christians. It is a church that is likely to have a reasonable turnover of people over the years.
Second, the ‘established church’ whose congregation is made up of largely local people who are predominantly established Christians who have again been in the church for a number of years, with perhaps the addition of a few new Christians and non-Christians. The turnover of people in this type of church is likely to be very small.
Third, the ‘dying church’ whose congregation comprises a few ‘faithful souls’ keeping the doors open. It has to be said that one of the most indicting things that can be said about any church is: ‘We strive to keep the doors open and maintain the ministry’. Behind this sentence there are probably years of struggle and disappointment and the vision for the work of God has been lost. The turnover of people here is likely to be negligible.
Whatever the type of church it should be remembered that village churches, unlike their town and city counterparts, were largely built and formed at a time when there was an outpouring of blessing on the country and many people went to church. In these days of diminishing returns in the church, the village church has a very small, if important, parish.
Careful consideration
The ‘thriving church’ and the ‘established church’, by the grace of God, may have years of life left in them, but the ‘dying church’ needs to carefully and prayerfully consider whether the resources that are being spent on finance, manpower, buildings, etc., are being used in a way that glorifies God. We can all cite churches that looked dead, but have been wonderfully revived, but perhaps these ‘dying churches’ should consider a new approach or even complete closure, with another work being started in a more strategic village.
As well as reading in Matthew 9.35, ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom’, we also find in Matthew 10 that, in sending out his 12 apostles, he said in verse 14, ‘If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town’. Is there a modern day equivalent of this?
Basic principles
Our main reason for distinguishing between these churches is to show that the type of pastor and preaching required is likely to be different in each case. Whatever the type of church, however, there seem, to us, to be certain basic principles that need to be adhered to.
The pastor should live in the village.
No matter how often the pastor visits in the village or is seen to be around the village, there is no substitute for living among the people whom we are seeking to reach for Christ. The pastor’s children need to be at the village school so that he (and his wife) are there to hear what is going on at the school gate. In walking to the shop to buy the newspaper he will hear who is in hospital or suffered a bereavement, who has passed their exam, who is visiting in the village, who is getting married, etc.
It is our experience that the shopkeeper will let you know exactly who you need to visit and why!! The family in the manse need to be able to sympathise with all those around who were kept awake by the Cricket Club Annual Disco! To be able to help immediately in an emergency has a tremendous impact for the gospel that those in the village remember.
The pastor should find links with other churches in the village.
This is not always easy and we have to be sensitive to churches of other traditions.
There is usually something that can be a point of contact. To be working with other ‘real’ believers is a joy, but to work with those who do not have a personal faith and are of the ‘truth, beauty and the higher life’ brigade is a different story!! However, within a village there are opportunities to co-operate even if only at a very limited level and the believers within the different churches will enjoy and benefit from fellowshipping together in however small a way.
The pastor should find links with the people and organisations of the village.
If the pastor and his family are living in the village it is easy to find things that link them in to what is going on in the village. It is important to go where the people are.
There are always coffee mornings and jumble sales of one sort or another — see and be seen! Buy a cake from the cake stall even if you send it for the next Chapel Fellowship Tea!! People are the same the world over and they always want to talk to whoever is prepared to listen. They are quick to spot genuine interest and concern and will return time and time again for more ‘in-depth’ conversations.
The pastor should find ways of opening up the church to the village.
There are usually occasions when the building can be open for people to come in.
Churches are strange places and people seem to be reluctant to come in. If there is a village school it is good to offer to show the children the building and the artefacts inside it that we value as Christians. It is amazing how many questions children will ask and how easy it is to present the gospel in answering their queries. The more isolated villages often have a slower pace of life and are able to hold drop-in coffee mornings each week. There is usually a great deal of coming and going during the morning, but most folk are amenable to quietly chatting with Christians or reading good, appropriate tracts which they can take away.
The pastor should not normally set himself up in opposition to the other organisations in the village.
Take note of what is already functioning well within the village — it is not wise to repeat it within the church, e.g. if there is a thriving toddler group being run in the village, don’t start one in the church unless you have good reason to.
The pastor should normally remain neutral in the politics of the village.
Sometimes there will be clear and vital issues that the pastor will want to comment on, but at others, particularly where the village is divided, it can be disastrous, with the pastor finding that he has half the village against him.
Where God wants us
Villages need churches, but not every village can have one and perhaps we should be a bit more strategic about where we place them. This is not to take away anything from the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit. In the final analysis, each of us, pastors and church members, needs to be where God wants us to be, doing what God wants us to do, in a way that is honouring to him.
