Continuing to look at the unique challenges of ministry in a small town:

#2–Everyone Knows Your Crap.

They really do. When you do actually crap, the neighborhood knows it as all our sewers are connected.

When you and your wife are having a higher volume conversation, a crowd gathers and it goes on You Tube. Make sure your windows are down, cause church people don’t know that pastor’s and wives are normal people who use normal language at times.

When someone leaves your church. You see them everywhere…and they just give you that scowl. Not that you haven’t given your all to lay it on the alter…they don’t like that high impact ministry takes vision, heart, finances and excellence, and some will never get that…so they just gossip and scowl at you and their kids punch your kids at recess.

And when you have to make a tough call and let someone go from the staff…wow, front page news complete with severance package details, and the pastor is now contributing to the demise of yet another family. As if we cut all our high performing staff for the fun of it.

Small town loyalty you say…not all the time. Maybe it is a bit better, but people are just as stubborn and prideful here. Not that I am perfect by any means…but that’s why we have a great team to help when decisions get tough.

And lastly…you can’t go ANYWHERE! The store, a ball game, school…it is a 3 hour tour! Not that I always mind it as I love our people and am a people person, but at times it gets tiring. And I am not joking…my wife doesn’t let me go out to the store or places like that often as it will really take forever to get out of there. More tomorrow!

Blessings and peace!
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Doing ministry in a small town? Check out the sticks conference coming in just 2 weeks!