Small Towns Initiative
Two years ago, a small group of men and their wives from various parts of the country were brought together for a few days of fellowship and encouragement. Led by Eric Turbedsky, the group included both pastors who were relatively new to pastoral ministry, as well as those who had been pastors for decades. Some attendees were from the eastern U.S. while others were from the midwest and the west. What specifically brought these couples together and what they had in common was their love for Sovereign Grace Churches and their heart for small town, rural ministry. Stories were shared, relational connections were made, and friendships were formed and strengthened. All left grateful for the opportunity to meet with others who, like them, were also investing their lives to spread the gospel and to build churches “off the beaten path” of rural America.
Sovereign Grace Churches is committed to planting, adopting and supporting local, gospel-centered churches. That means Sovereign Grace is not only an urban movement, it is rural as well! Whether churches are located in city centers, such as the church Eric leads in Orange County, California or are located in rural areas of the U.S. and abroad, Sovereign Grace wants to see churches and their pastors thrive.
To that end, the Small-Towns Initiative was formed specifically with small town churches in view.
The purposes of the Small-Towns Initiative are three-fold:
1) To provide care and support for Sovereign Grace small town pastors.
2) To provide help and support for Sovereign Grace small
town church plants.
3) To reach out beyond Sovereign Grace to build relationally with other rural pastors
for encouragement, networking, and even potential adoption into Sovereign Grace Churches.
Over the past year, several rural Sovereign Grace pastors around the country have begun meeting regularly via zoom. At this year’s Pastors Conference there will be a Small-Towns Initiative Pastor’s Gathering on Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 – 3:00 pm. This gathering is for all pastors in small towns as well as those interested in rural/small town ministry. If you minister in a small town, we’d love to see you there.
What a joy to serve the Lord who is building His church throughout the world and what a privilege we have to plant and build gospel-centered churches not only in cities, but in towns and villages all over the world!
Steve Teter serves as the Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church in Franklin, WV, and has been in full-time ministry since 1989. Steve Teter, along with David York in Roseburg OR, provides leadership for the Small Towns Initiative.
