Despite others’ perceptions of their ministries, pastors in rural areas see current ministry wins and are optimistic about the future. “The focus of rural pastors is definitely on the spiritual growth of the individuals in their congregations. Pastors celebrate when they see their congregations showing the impact of Jesus Christ, and they lament when there is less spiritual movement and engagement.” [Scott McConnell, Lifeway Research]

Life in rural America has its charms and challenges. Those who pastor in small towns across the United States recognize the trials inherent to those areas but believe God is working in their congregations and communities.

A Lifeway Research study of pastors in small towns and rural areas identified unique features of ministry in those places. The Center for Rural Ministry at Grove City College, The Rural Home Missionary Association and the Rural Church Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center sponsored the study.

“While national surveys of Protestant churches include rural churches, there has previously been very few national studies that focus on rural churches,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “These interviews with a probability sample of Protestant pastors provide an overview of ministry realities while also capturing what pastors find rewarding and difficult.”

Most rural church pastors are where they are, not specifically because it is a small town, but because their church happens to be there. Almost 2 in 3 (63%) say they feel called to ministry to their specific church that happens to be in a small town or rural area. Around a quarter (24%) do feel called to rural places. Fewer say they don’t sense a specific calling to ministry in that context (9%) or aren’t sure if they’re called in that way (5%).

Small Town Successes

Despite others’ perceptions of their ministries, pastors in rural areas see current ministry wins and are optimistic about the future.

Small-town pastors say success in their context often involves churchgoers making specific applications of their faith. More than 9 in 10 say they consider it a ministry success when they look at their church and see members showing care (98%), broken relationships healed (94%), members consistently present (94%), members stepping into leadership (93%) and new commitments to Jesus Christ (93%).

Slightly fewer also point to becoming a trusted part of the town’s life (88%) and seeing attendance growth at the church (77%).

Most pastors, though perhaps not as many as would like, say they’re regularly experiencing each of these potential signs of success in their churches. Almost all (97%) say it’s a regular occurrence for them to see members showing care, while 90% say they see members consistently present.

Around 4 in 5 rural pastors (83%) say they’re becoming a trusted part of their town’s life. Close to 3 in 4 regularly see members in their congregation stepping into leadership (77%), broken relationships healed (77%) and new commitments to Christ (75%). Two in 3 (66%) say their congregation regularly experiences attendance growth.

“Since most rural communities are not growing, it’s harder for churches there to increase attendance. Yet 3 in 4 pastors still aim for attendance growth,” said McConnell. “Even more rural pastors aim for success in the spiritual growth of their congregations evidenced by their focus on salvations, care, forgiveness and serving.”

With these signs of success, it’s no wonder small-town pastors are optimistic. Almost 9 in 10 (88%) expect their church to be stronger in 10 years, including 53% who strongly agree. Just 11% disagree, and 1% aren’t sure.

Attendance and budget also play a role in a pastor’s future expectations. Pastors at churches with fewer than 50 people in attendance are the most likely to disagree that their churches will be stronger in 10 years (24%). Those at churches with a budget of $300,000 or more are the most likely to agree (97%).

“The future outlook of most rural pastors for their churches is more positive than past statistics might support. Clearly, pastors in rural areas are putting their confidence in God’s capabilities rather than widespread trends,” said McConnell.

Effective Rural Ministry

In the past 12 months, the median rural congregation has seen five new commitments to Jesus Christ as Savior through their church. A few churches (13%) have not seen any new decisions recently. A third (33%) have seen from one to four commitments in the past year, while another third (32%) reports from five to 10. Less than a quarter (22%) say more than 10 people have made a new commitment to Jesus in the past 12 months at their church, including 10% who said 21 or more.

Evaluating based on new commitments per 100 attendees presents another data point that may better represent the effectiveness of a congregation. One in 4 churches (27%) had more than zero but less than five new responses. Around 3 in 10 (29%) saw five to 10 commitments. Another 3 in 10 (31%) say more than 10 people made a new decision, per 100 attendees at their church.

The new commitment numbers among small-town churches are slightly lower than the average U.S. Protestant church, according to a 2024 Lifeway Research study. Among all Protestant churches, 52% have seen at least 10 people indicate a new commitment to Jesus in the past 12 months.

“Change can happen more slowly in rural areas, but rural churches continue to be dedicated to reaching people in their communities with the gospel in hopes of lives being changed,” said McConnell. “New commitments to Jesus Christ reported by rural churches include both children of church members and people in the community who had not previously had faith.”

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