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Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors, this week it's our hope to explain why our team is here, and by here, I mean in this specific geographic location. If you spend a few minute on the Serve-International website, you'll soon discover our team is the only one located in the continental United States. That might seem a bit odd, but I assure you it's neither odd nor by accident. First, let me explain why Appalachia. This region is one of the poorest in all of the USA. If you watched the video in last week's post, you got to see a little bit of that first hand. Jobs are few, and many of the jobs that do exist here pay meager wages. In that sense, Appalachia is more similar in its economic structure to most third-world or developing countries than it is the rest of the US.
So what does the poverty rate have to do with leadership training? One thing it means is that Appalachia has one of the highest rates of bi-vocational pastors in the US, particularly in rural areas. If the church can't afford to pay the pastor's salary adequately, he works a full-time job to pay his bills and serves as pastor on top of that. This results in fewer pastors pursuing formal higher education like seminary to prepare for the ministry. Quite frankly, very few men pack up their families, spend the money to move to seminary to receive a masters degree and then return to Appalachia to serve in a small rural church that can't pay them a full-time salary. It just doesn't happen much. So, many of the rural churches have pastors with no or minimal formal training. Our desire is to help, in a sense, bring seminary to them and provide free, non-formal education to men who are already pastoring churches or who are considering the pastorate, helping them become more effective ministers of the gospel and changing this community for Christ. Because of the high rate of bi-vocational and uneducated pastors, Denton Bible chose Appalachia as one of its outreach locations.
Why are we in the Tri-Cities area of northeast Tennessee specifically? My team leader Charlie Cornett and his wife Earlene are originally from this region, though they moved away nearly half a century ago before returning just a few years ago. Today, Johnson City, TN serves as a regional economic hub for much of the south-central Appalachians. It lies on the doorstep of the most deeply impoverished regions in all the Appalachians; that being northeastern Tennessee/southeastern Kentucky. Folks from the mountains all around will drive into Johnson City for medical care and other necessities. Along with the Lord's leading, this area made sense as a logical place to set up "home base" so to speak for ministry in the Appalachians. So here we are!
Next week we'll explain why we chose to serve with Denton Bible Church instead of the other available agencies.
As a quick ministry update, I had a wonderful visit in Charlotte with a small group from Elevation Church last Tuesday. It was a joy to be able to share our ministry with them, and we appreciate your prayers as they prayerfully consider partnering with us. My time with the men from the Baptist Association was profitable. We continue to discuss and plan how we might be able to launch a ministry this Fall that provides time and resources for bi-vocational pastors in our association. Please continue to keep this process in your prayers.
This week, some dear friends of ours will be here Tuesday to Thursday to share life with us and minister alongside of us. We're excited they're coming! Charlie and I have a conference call on Thursday with the team leaders of a group coming here from Denton Bible in June, so please pray the Lord would bless our plans for the summer trip coming!
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| She's a good helper! |
Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors, this week it's our hope to explain why our team is here, and by here, I mean in this specific geographic location. If you spend a few minute on the Serve-International website, you'll soon discover our team is the only one located in the continental United States. That might seem a bit odd, but I assure you it's neither odd nor by accident. First, let me explain why Appalachia. This region is one of the poorest in all of the USA. If you watched the video in last week's post, you got to see a little bit of that first hand. Jobs are few, and many of the jobs that do exist here pay meager wages. In that sense, Appalachia is more similar in its economic structure to most third-world or developing countries than it is the rest of the US.
So what does the poverty rate have to do with leadership training? One thing it means is that Appalachia has one of the highest rates of bi-vocational pastors in the US, particularly in rural areas. If the church can't afford to pay the pastor's salary adequately, he works a full-time job to pay his bills and serves as pastor on top of that. This results in fewer pastors pursuing formal higher education like seminary to prepare for the ministry. Quite frankly, very few men pack up their families, spend the money to move to seminary to receive a masters degree and then return to Appalachia to serve in a small rural church that can't pay them a full-time salary. It just doesn't happen much. So, many of the rural churches have pastors with no or minimal formal training. Our desire is to help, in a sense, bring seminary to them and provide free, non-formal education to men who are already pastoring churches or who are considering the pastorate, helping them become more effective ministers of the gospel and changing this community for Christ. Because of the high rate of bi-vocational and uneducated pastors, Denton Bible chose Appalachia as one of its outreach locations.
Why are we in the Tri-Cities area of northeast Tennessee specifically? My team leader Charlie Cornett and his wife Earlene are originally from this region, though they moved away nearly half a century ago before returning just a few years ago. Today, Johnson City, TN serves as a regional economic hub for much of the south-central Appalachians. It lies on the doorstep of the most deeply impoverished regions in all the Appalachians; that being northeastern Tennessee/southeastern Kentucky. Folks from the mountains all around will drive into Johnson City for medical care and other necessities. Along with the Lord's leading, this area made sense as a logical place to set up "home base" so to speak for ministry in the Appalachians. So here we are!
Next week we'll explain why we chose to serve with Denton Bible Church instead of the other available agencies.
As a quick ministry update, I had a wonderful visit in Charlotte with a small group from Elevation Church last Tuesday. It was a joy to be able to share our ministry with them, and we appreciate your prayers as they prayerfully consider partnering with us. My time with the men from the Baptist Association was profitable. We continue to discuss and plan how we might be able to launch a ministry this Fall that provides time and resources for bi-vocational pastors in our association. Please continue to keep this process in your prayers.
This week, some dear friends of ours will be here Tuesday to Thursday to share life with us and minister alongside of us. We're excited they're coming! Charlie and I have a conference call on Thursday with the team leaders of a group coming here from Denton Bible in June, so please pray the Lord would bless our plans for the summer trip coming!
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| I walked into the kitchen the other day to find Lily had moved the stool and was "washing" the dishes! |
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| One can only hope she maintains this enthusiasm for years to come! |
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