Rural Christian Forces

The Community-Serving Church and Its Allies
I.Opportunity and Function of the Country Church
Its necessity to rural progress.
Stages in its evolution, and its changing ideals.
The test of its efficiency.
The church’s broad function: community service.
Its high responsibility: spiritual leadership.
II.Some Elements of Serious Weakness
A depleted constituency. Economic weakness.
Lack of social cooperation. Wasteful competition.
Poor business management. Moral ineffectiveness.
Narrow vision of service. Inadequate leadership.
III.Some Factors Which Determine Its Efficiency
A worthy constituency.
Local prosperity and progressive farming.
Community socialization. A community serving spirit.
A broad vision of service and program of usefulness.
United Christian forces in the community.
A broad Christian gospel; not sectarian preaching.
A loyal country ministry adequately trained and paid.
A liberal financial policy. Adequate equipment.
Masculine lay leadership developed and trained.
A community survey to discover resources and needs.
IV.Some Worthy Allies of the Country Church
The country Sunday-school.
The Rural Young Men’s Christian Association.
The County Work of the Young Women’s Christian Association.
V.Types of Rural Church Success
Some real community builders.
The church in the open country.
Oberlin, the prince of country ministers.