Breaking all the rurals… That’s the subtitle of Shannon O’Dell’s book, Transforming Church In Rural America.

I was initially impressed with the book. O’Dell identifies five essentials for successful ministry in rural America: vision, attitude, leadership, understanding, and enduring excellence. Taking the first letter of each of these, you spell V.A.L.U.E. Creative.

While reading through each of these chapters, I found a lot of principles that translate well to ministry in the small town where I live. There was a lot of great information about the philosophy of rural ministry and some great information about how to approach such a ministry.

However, I wasn’t too impressed with the practical side of this book. O’Dell offers some great insights for what not to do. A lot of the suggestions he recommends seem to have generated some hard feelings within his community, by his own admission.

I realize that you can’t please everyone. And I’m not criticizing his methods. I’m simply suggesting that maybe his “practical application” isn’t for every church, especially if you want your church’s influence to remain very strong within a small community, and have no interest in going “global.”

That said, I’m glad I read Transforming Church In Rural America. There is a lot of valuable insight for someone willing to read deep enough to pull it out.

If you serve in a church in a small town, whether rural or suburban, I recommend that you read this book. Keep in mind as you read, though, that not everything will pertain to your situation. But you can glean much from Shannon O’Dell’s V.A.L.U.E.s.

If you are interested in reading Transforming Church In Rural America, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from New Leaf Press/Master Books as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”