Around 70 delegates attended the ‘In a Big Country’ conference about rural ministry held at Dingwall Free Church in Scotland.
The conference, which was organised by the Free Church of Scotland, was a great opportunity for delegates to study God’s word, to hear what He is doing in rural Scotland, and to encourage each other.
The event, facilitated by the Revd David Meredith, Mission Director for the denomination, included seminars and two main talks by the Revd Ivor MacDonald and the Revd Neil Lachie MacDonald.
Dr Hannah MacLeod led a seminar on the spiritual and compassionate response to social challenges and needs particularly in the light of the recent pandemic. The Revd Iain MacAskill discussed entrepreneurial approaches to rural ministry. Dr Ann MacRae spoke on the challenges and opportunities of village church life and the Revd David Meredith on verbal and non-verbal communication of the gospel to make maximum impact in rural settings.
Ivor MacDonald challenged the church to contextualise the gospel for a rural context as it has done for the urban context. Low-key and long-term evangelism can overcome barriers of social caution, resistance to change, or the memory of our past failures. Ivor was critical of giving priority to cities and urban areas in ministry if this was done without proper regard for the needs and claims of rural areas.
Lachie MacDonald spoke about the significant social and moral changes that have transformed rural communities over the past century. Following the pattern of Philippians 3:13-14 and Deuteronomy 8, the modern church should love the best of the past, live actively engaged in the present world while straining towards the future with a Biblical church culture.
