Beyond the Small-Town Stereotype: Rural Churches Are Growing

What do rural churches and their growth look like?

“Well, I was born in a small town, and I live in a small town… All my friends are so small-town, my parents live in the same small town. My job is so small-town, provides little opportunity.”

These lyrics from John Cougar Mellencamp’s hit song “Smalltown” perfectly capture my upbringing in Black Lick, Pennsylvania—a modest coal mining town 50 miles east of Pittsburgh. But amid the nostalgic beauty of this ballad, I’ve always wanted to add one more line: “I was transformed in a small town.”

My life changed forever one Sunday morning when, as a high school junior, I wandered into a tiny rural church of 45 members and encountered the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

After receiving my education in major cities, I returned to my rural roots and spent the past two decades pastoring two churches in northern Vermont. Today, I serve as director of the Rural Church Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. It’s a position that allows me to help rural pastors and congregations build stronger evangelistic connections with their communities and share the good news with greater passion and precision.

Seeds of Growth, Signs of Struggle: Rural Churches in 2025

One of my first major initiatives in this new role was analyzing the 2025 Rural Churches Today study by Lifeway Research. This comprehensive survey of over 1,000 pastors serving towns with populations under 10,000 offers rare insight into the realities of rural ministry. Co-sponsored by the Rural Church Institute, the Rural Home Missionary Association, and the Center for Rural Ministry at Grove City College, the study fills a longstanding gap in data focused specifically on rural churches.

The survey explored key themes such as pastoral calling and wellbeing, evangelism and community outreach, and the current landscape of rural ministry—its triumphs and its trials.

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Here are some of the key findings:

Encouraging Growth: 60% of churches reported at least five commitments to Christ per 100 attendees last year; 31% saw over ten—indicating strong evangelistic impact.
Ongoing Struggles: 40% reported fewer than five commitments, underscoring the need for renewed outreach and support.

These findings challenge the assumption that rural churches are stagnant or in decline. Many are quietly thriving, cultivating deep relationships and fostering evangelistic growth in ways that larger churches may struggle to replicate. Still, the disparity between growing and struggling congregations highlights the need for focused training and support to help more churches engage effectively in outreach and discipleship.

Looking Ahead

In the months ahead, the study’s co-sponsors plan to distribute the full report to denominational leaders and rural ministry networks across the country. But our goal goes beyond mere dissemination—we aim to spark evangelistic collaboration, develop strategies for pastoral resilience, and empower rural churches to serve as anchor institutions in their communities. A book expansion is already in discussion, with hopes of inspiring spiritual renewal across rural America.

Contrary to John Cougar Mellencamp’s lyric, even though my new job is so “small-town,” it provides immense opportunity.

Jason R. McConnell is director of Rural Church Institute. He also serves in multiple academic and mentoring roles, including at Gordon-Conwell and the Rural Home Missionary Association.

Jason McConnell