Small church buildings dotting the countryside are home to ministries that often struggle with limited attendance, no money, and little expectation that change can revitalize their future. In Transforming Church in Rural America, Pastor Shannon O'Dell shares a powerful vision of relevance, possibility, and excellence for these small churches, or for any ministry that is stuck in a rural state of mind. The book reveals: how to generate growth through transformed lives; ways to create active evangelism in your community; no-cost solutions for staffing challenges, enhancing the worship experience, and inspiring volunteers. Focusing on vision, attitude, leadership, and innovation, you can learn the practical strategies and biblical guidance that helped to grow a church of 31 into a multi-campus church of several thousand, with a national and global outreach. Discover effective structure and ways to cast God-given vision so others can follow and make an impact. Experience the blueprint for transforming into effective, dynamic, and thriving churches - no matter where the location or how small it may be. What Church Leaders are saying . . . I'm captivated by Shannon's story, challenged by his witness, and moved by his resolve. As I read, I found myself turning the pages quickly and anticipating what was coming next. Shannon sounds a clear call for leaders of the church in rural America - but the principles translate to any leader trying to move a congregation toward life change in communities of all sizes. This is a rare book . . . one that I'll be buying several copies of to hand out to encourage pastors every chance I get. Tim Stevens, Executive Pastor at Granger Community Church Shannon O'Dell's passions for the rural church in America is contagious. The vision to see the small church reach multitudes through partnerships with other churches is a move of God, and Transforming Church in Rural America, is right on the wave of God's plan. Craig Groeschel, Senior Pastor of LifeChurch.tv The lies about churches in the boonies echo loudly throughout the landscape of our culture. And too often, leaders believe them thinking success is reserved for places with big populations and bigger budgets. But in Transforming Church in Rural America, Shannon O'Dell confronts some of the most powerful and prominent of these lies head on . . . No matter what size church you are a part of, this book will challenge your traditional thinking, force you to look beyond the status quo and enable you to grasp a bigger vision of what God has in store for you ministry and your leadership. Ed Young, Pastor, Fellowship Church
Transforming Church in Rural America
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O'Dell, a pastor, explains how he led a small rural Arkansas church from a handful of members to a multi-site church of thousands. A unique feature of the book is inclusion of photos and perky illustrations and rich graphics to move readers through important points. O'Dell's is a fresh, no-holds-barred voice in Christian nonfiction, and he makes the case for a strong connection between marriage and ministry: "Now this book is primarily about growing the rural church, and I feel that having a red-hot marriage and a functional family is an extremely important element of that." He advocates V.A.L.U.E.: vision, attitude, leadership, understanding, enduring excellence. For all the crisp selling and innovation in the book itself, it doesn't break all the rules. Instead, it uses some of the tired phrases found in many books on church growth; and, for all the good pictures and talk of transformation of lives, the majority of the photos are of buildings and illustrations for the pastor's sermons.
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(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Shannon O'Dell passionately seeks to inspire his growing multicampus church to give God only the very best. Innovative, inspiring, and committed to reaching out to struggling churches in rural areas around the country and the world, he has served as senior pastor for Brand New Church in the small community of Bergman, AR for over six years. He is a former youth pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, OK. He is married to wife Cindy, and the couple have four children.
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More About the Author
I love Jesus Christ, my HOT wife, 4 beautiful kids, sharing God's Word with passion and hunting. I believe every church submitted to God's Power can and will grow! Find out more about me at breakingalltherurals.com or brandnewchurch.com.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I just finished "Transforming Church in Rural America" and I feel like I've had a shot in the arm. This book was just what the Dr ordered for my life and ministry at this time.
I serve in a church under a pastor that is all about breaking all the stereotypes and "rules" that man has put on the rural church, so the breaking away from the "rurals," as Shannon calls it, has already been done here. In my situation, this re-affirms to me how to support his leadership and keep the rest of our volunteer lay-ministry staff on track.
Shannon doesn't merely teach you in this book how grow a big church in a small community. He doesn't give you step by step, "here's how you do exactly what we are doing." Those kind of books are on my bookshelf - unread. I've grown tired of those. Instead, Shannon shares how to hear from God, how to stick to His vision, how to pursue the vision, and how to maintain it.
This book will show you, not only through experience, but from scriptural examples as well, how to tranform a church in a rural community to leave the stale "we've done it this way before" model and move forward with a model of vision that sees that God has a plan for every community, every church, and ever person.
This book is not for the pastor who is too afraid to hear from God and move forward. This book is not for the lay ministers who are building their resumes serving under pastors like that. It is for visionaries and those who support a visionary.
I serve in a church under a pastor that is all about breaking all the stereotypes and "rules" that man has put on the rural church, so the breaking away from the "rurals," as Shannon calls it, has already been done here. In my situation, this re-affirms to me how to support his leadership and keep the rest of our volunteer lay-ministry staff on track.
Shannon doesn't merely teach you in this book how grow a big church in a small community. He doesn't give you step by step, "here's how you do exactly what we are doing." Those kind of books are on my bookshelf - unread. I've grown tired of those. Instead, Shannon shares how to hear from God, how to stick to His vision, how to pursue the vision, and how to maintain it.
This book will show you, not only through experience, but from scriptural examples as well, how to tranform a church in a rural community to leave the stale "we've done it this way before" model and move forward with a model of vision that sees that God has a plan for every community, every church, and ever person.
This book is not for the pastor who is too afraid to hear from God and move forward. This book is not for the lay ministers who are building their resumes serving under pastors like that. It is for visionaries and those who support a visionary.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Shannon O'Dell reluctantly left a large multi-pastor church to lead a small rural church in a town with a population of less than 100. He now has a passion for rural ministry, which led him to write this book. He raises some good points, like that a pastor who leaves as a missionary to Africa gets prayer and financial support and a commissioning service as he leaves while a pastor who leaves a big church to go minister in the sticks gets questioned about the financial wisdom of it and gets laughed at. Throughout the book, he provides personal anecdotes, Bible verses, and best practices as he offers guidance to rural pastors (though he gets a bit list- and acronym-happy in places).
As for me, I love rural churches. As much as I love my decidedly not rural church now, it's a comfortable fit whenever I return to the little Baptist church where our wedding was held and where I was baptized. That's why I was interested in reading this. I found myself nodding in affirmation at points and furrowing my brow in others.
I think this could be worth reading for nothing but his family-focused advice to those in ministry. He stresses the importance of marriage and of a family vision. The best line of the book was "...a red-hot marriage and a functional family is the most powerful evangelistic tool in rural America" (or anywhere, I would add). Other spots were solid too, and I plan to send this book to the pastor who married us as an encouragement to him.
I found three bothersome spots, though:
1. One section frustrated me so much that I had to put down the book and walk away for a bit. It was only page 24, and it may have affected my view of him through the rest of the book. He says on the bottom of that page,
"In the spring of 2001, I sensed God's call to lead a church. The voice of God's Spirit was clear, and, to be honest, it made sense. I was starting to age out of youth ministry and (like multitudes of youth pastors before me) the next professional step was to seek an associate or senior pastor position."
Grrr. For an author who is seeking to guide others in breaking broken ministry rules, right here he ascribes to the one that is high on my list of stupid, unbiblical rules. Youth ministers don't have to be young and hip. They just have to love Jesus and be willing to partner with parents to disciple the next generation. In Psalm 78 and other passages throughout Scripture, it is clear that teaching the next generation is never something that we "age out of." Are we willing to accept that our youngest (children and youth) be taught by the least experienced who are just there to gain street cred before moving to something bigger and better? That's not a rule I think we ought to embrace as a church.
2. I know that "relevant" is a hot word in ministry right now, and that isn't always a bad thing. However when he says, "Whatever we do, it needs to be relevant; it needs to be transforming; it needs to make a difference in the community," it puts the impetus on us. The Gospel - God! - is relevant in our lives, is the author of transformation, and never fails to make a difference. I don't think, based on other things O'Dell says, that he preaches a Gospel+______ sort of message (i.e. that he thinks the Gospel is insufficient without extra adornment), but his choice of words doesn't always communicate that.
3. At one point, he talks about engaging the would-be leaders in rural congregations so that leadership can develop from within. I was on board with that. Then he contradicts himself with these condescending words:
"Please understand: it is really not about the ten families that have been there forever. It is about the families that will never experience a relevant gospel and never meet the living God unless someone with vision shows up and starts preaching the gospel with their words and the life. Yeah, most rural churches say they want to grow, and they think they want to grow, but they really don't. They don't want a real pastor - a true and dedicated shepherd to lead them into new fields of harvest - they want somebody to pacify them, tell them what they already know, and keep things the way they are."
I was a Ministry Associate for Youth and Music Ministry at my rural church, and the folks I did ministry with wanted somebody to be humble and show them respect before anything else, much like Christ's attitude as described in Philippians 2. I didn't see that as a primary focus of O'Dell's guidance or attitude.
(According to FTC guidelines, here's my disclosure: this book was provided for my review from New Leaf Press. They didn't require or request a positive review or anything other than an honest and thorough review.)
As for me, I love rural churches. As much as I love my decidedly not rural church now, it's a comfortable fit whenever I return to the little Baptist church where our wedding was held and where I was baptized. That's why I was interested in reading this. I found myself nodding in affirmation at points and furrowing my brow in others.
I think this could be worth reading for nothing but his family-focused advice to those in ministry. He stresses the importance of marriage and of a family vision. The best line of the book was "...a red-hot marriage and a functional family is the most powerful evangelistic tool in rural America" (or anywhere, I would add). Other spots were solid too, and I plan to send this book to the pastor who married us as an encouragement to him.
I found three bothersome spots, though:
1. One section frustrated me so much that I had to put down the book and walk away for a bit. It was only page 24, and it may have affected my view of him through the rest of the book. He says on the bottom of that page,
"In the spring of 2001, I sensed God's call to lead a church. The voice of God's Spirit was clear, and, to be honest, it made sense. I was starting to age out of youth ministry and (like multitudes of youth pastors before me) the next professional step was to seek an associate or senior pastor position."
Grrr. For an author who is seeking to guide others in breaking broken ministry rules, right here he ascribes to the one that is high on my list of stupid, unbiblical rules. Youth ministers don't have to be young and hip. They just have to love Jesus and be willing to partner with parents to disciple the next generation. In Psalm 78 and other passages throughout Scripture, it is clear that teaching the next generation is never something that we "age out of." Are we willing to accept that our youngest (children and youth) be taught by the least experienced who are just there to gain street cred before moving to something bigger and better? That's not a rule I think we ought to embrace as a church.
2. I know that "relevant" is a hot word in ministry right now, and that isn't always a bad thing. However when he says, "Whatever we do, it needs to be relevant; it needs to be transforming; it needs to make a difference in the community," it puts the impetus on us. The Gospel - God! - is relevant in our lives, is the author of transformation, and never fails to make a difference. I don't think, based on other things O'Dell says, that he preaches a Gospel+______ sort of message (i.e. that he thinks the Gospel is insufficient without extra adornment), but his choice of words doesn't always communicate that.
3. At one point, he talks about engaging the would-be leaders in rural congregations so that leadership can develop from within. I was on board with that. Then he contradicts himself with these condescending words:
"Please understand: it is really not about the ten families that have been there forever. It is about the families that will never experience a relevant gospel and never meet the living God unless someone with vision shows up and starts preaching the gospel with their words and the life. Yeah, most rural churches say they want to grow, and they think they want to grow, but they really don't. They don't want a real pastor - a true and dedicated shepherd to lead them into new fields of harvest - they want somebody to pacify them, tell them what they already know, and keep things the way they are."
I was a Ministry Associate for Youth and Music Ministry at my rural church, and the folks I did ministry with wanted somebody to be humble and show them respect before anything else, much like Christ's attitude as described in Philippians 2. I didn't see that as a primary focus of O'Dell's guidance or attitude.
(According to FTC guidelines, here's my disclosure: this book was provided for my review from New Leaf Press. They didn't require or request a positive review or anything other than an honest and thorough review.)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Perhaps I am just an old fuddy-duddy (though only 29). Maybe I'm just too narrow minded, or maybe just a wimp. It seemed to me that this guy took a small church, cast his vision, and "made it happen". This page was dripping with passion and boldness but not with gentleness and respect. I know that ministry can be brutal but at times it seemed like O'Dell was just airing dirty laundry or licking old wounds.
I read this at the same time that I read Church Planting is for Wimps, and the difference in the vision and attitude is telling. Mike McKinley talks about patience but he seems like a gentle shepherd. Shannon O'Dell talks about patience but doesn't seem like a gentle shepherd.
There is much to commend in this book. For those points you can check out the 5 star reviews. Even though there is much to commend the general tenor of this book was enough to make me give it a 2 out of 5 stars. The style of leadership promoted in this book (both overtly and in the general tone) does not seem to be that of a patient and gentle shepherd that faithfully teaches and relies on the Spirit of God using His Word to transform people. Try Mike McKinley's Church Planting is for Wimps instead.
I read this at the same time that I read Church Planting is for Wimps, and the difference in the vision and attitude is telling. Mike McKinley talks about patience but he seems like a gentle shepherd. Shannon O'Dell talks about patience but doesn't seem like a gentle shepherd.
There is much to commend in this book. For those points you can check out the 5 star reviews. Even though there is much to commend the general tenor of this book was enough to make me give it a 2 out of 5 stars. The style of leadership promoted in this book (both overtly and in the general tone) does not seem to be that of a patient and gentle shepherd that faithfully teaches and relies on the Spirit of God using His Word to transform people. Try Mike McKinley's Church Planting is for Wimps instead.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
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Dry, not so much me.
Oh no, Pauline is doing another church/religious-type thing. Well, yes, I am . As you know I am known to read things that are beyond my scope of likes . Read more
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Published 13 months ago by Laura L. Johnson
Great book!!
This book was given to me free by booksneeze and this book was great. I would recommend this book to any pastor who may feel discouraged of the place they are in. Read more
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Transforming Church in Rural America
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Transforming the name and the game
I recently read a book by Shannon O'dell called Transforming Church in Rural America. When I started the book I realized this man kind of reminds me of me. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Amanda
More for a pastor to read....
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