by linda » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:40 pm
Small and rural where I have lived when we followed the oil field would be from 4 to 8 families, maybe. Some families with one or two folks, some larger, but tithers. Of course, ten people in one family with one income is still just 10% of one income. Attendance from maybe 15-30.
When it comes to distances, closest next Baptist church during those years was 17 miles from one village we lived in. Farther in others.
If those little churches close, sometimes the round trip on Sunday to the next nearest could be as much as 75-100 miles.
Time was those churches wouldn't even think of trying to "hire a pastor." What we did was either acknowledge that God had called Bro. So and So to preach, assuming that had happened, or pay someone called to preach to come "by the service."
In the village I grew up during the 1950's the Methodist preacher served 5 churches most years, sometimes just 3. Circuit riding is nothing new there at all.
Now, at least in some states, the push is away from those men who were called to preach but it was not a career, and there has been some pretty strong movement towards minimum contribution or you are out of the state convention. I'll pm anyone wanting me to name one, but here as I consider some in that state's leadership my friends, and am not in that state anymore anyway. There is also a strong push toward ONLY seminary trained pastors.
Now, I certainly support seminary training and do NOT want to put it down. But realistically when you have only a few families, none of them making much above minimum wage and prospective pastors have large student loans to repay if they have been to seminary, there are some places that are just not going to be able to afford them.
What has all that to do with the name change topic? Just this: we used to be a people out to change the world. Now we take surveys to see how the world wants us to change next.
I firmly believe that is because we in the pew abdicated the convention and started expecting the "hired help" to do our job.
That has so hamstrung the average Baptist preacher he cannot begin to preach what God lays on his heart half the time.
And in that case, we might as well take down the Baptist sign, as it is meaningless .
Linda