"Oh, that's pie in the sky." While the origin of this expression is over 100 years old, it is used today when discussing ideas that are theoretical but unlikely to come to fruition. One of the three purposes of The Harvester Foundation is to cultivate strategic partnerships to bring about community betterment. As we embark upon the vision of planting eight more rural church locations by 2030, we must ask ourselves: How do we plan to make these communities better? Rather than discuss "pie in the sky" initiatives to make a positive impact, it is critical to recognize how the church will make communities better. How have churches made their communities better in the past and in the present?
Rural churches provide a direct economic impact to their community.
As a church draws attendees from within and outside of their immediate locale, people purchase gas, food, and other services, providing a direct financial boost to the local economy. Churches create jobs by hiring local people (although not exclusively) who receive a paycheck and subsequently spend dollars within the local economy. Churches purchase goods and services, much of which are local. Some churches offer early childhood education programs that enable parents to participate in the workforce - thus contributing to another key piece of their community's economic engine. A recent study of a mainline denomination's church locations in rural North Carolina communities revealed that of the 87 churches surveyed, the congregations brought an annual average of $735,000 of economic impact. One way to better communities is to contribute to the vitality of their economy.
Rural churches provide social benefits lacking in their communities.
The example immediately coming to my mind is that of food and/or clothing. When a person approaches a church with a lack of basic necessities, the church rises to the occasion, oftentimes going above and beyond to meet the need. Or when tragedy strikes a town, people turn to the church for support and a sense of community. Rural churches play a bigger role beyond that of merely a religious meeting place. They help provide stability and support for the communities in which they exist.
Transformed lives result in transformed communities.
This truth gets at the heart of the mission of The Harvester Foundation. We want to see churches planted in rural communities so that more people can be transformed by the power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16). Transformed lives tend to lead to further transformation! People who have been changed by Jesus Christ and are part of a vibrant local church tend to experience higher levels of happiness, well being, family responsibility, and a sense of belonging. As people in a community experience spiritual conversion, their life inevitably looks different. Instead of pursuing his hobbies with greater passion, a husband/father passionately invests more time into the lives of his family and others God has placed in his path. Rather than binge social media for hours, a teenager desires God and pursues Him in prayer, Bible study, and community. A young woman, instead of taking her own life over depression from painful experiences, decides to pursue help and move forward with a renewed focus on God-centered living. When God's people live out the transformation He's made in them, their communities are altered for the better.