God's Country bookcover

God's Country

Faith, Hope, and the Future of the Rural Church

Brad Roth 

(Author)
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Description

With the poetic force of Kathleen Norris and the pastoral warmth of Eugene Peterson, Kansas pastor Roth sets forth a vision for vibrant rural churches, for ministry in congregations that bear a profound sense of both loss and possibility, and for harvesting fruits of transformation and renewal. Rooted in stories from Scripture, his own ministry, and interviews with rural church leaders, Roth offers a sturdy theological and practical alternative to church-growth strategies that rely on success stories and flashy metrics. Reclaiming God's vision for the rural church, Roth writes, means learning how to praise, abide, watch, pray, grow, work the edges, die, befriend, and dream. In God's Country, rediscover the stunning abundance of God's presence in rural communities. Name the ways that the rural church testifies to God's glory and goodness. Learn to live and love and minister right where you are, no matter how small or unassuming it may seem.

Winner of the Award of Merit, Christianity Today 2018 Book Awards, The Church / Pastoral Leadership category.

Free downloadable study guide available here.

Product Details

PublisherHerald Press (VA)
Publish DateAugust 25, 2017
Pages280
LanguageEnglish
TypeBook iconPaperback / softback
EAN/UPC9781513801612
Dimensions8.4 X 5.4 X 0.7 inches | 0.6 pounds

About the Author

Brad Roth is a pastor in rural central Kansas. He grew up baling hay, tending sheep, and shearing Christmas trees on a farm in Illinois. He is a graduate of Augustana College, Harvard Divinity School, and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Brad has a heart for serving God and God's people in rural communities. He's passionate about sharing faith in word and deed and living out God's love in the community. He and his wife enjoy getting outside, tending a garden, and hanging out with their three sons.

Reviews

"A balm to the soul for all who seek the kingdom in rural communities. For anyone who fears that the sun has set on vibrant rural congregations, Brad Roth offers a sage call for hope and renewal."--David Boshart "Reviews"
"Brad Roth deftly weaves his social and theological analysis of the rural church in America with his own experiences. Readers will come to understand the problem and promise of the rural church in all its complexity."--Tom Montgomery Fate "Reviews"
"Brad Roth has done a wonderful, unusual thing: thought about the rural church in a way that combines both honesty and hope."--Will Willimon "Reviews"
"Brad Roth really understands rural ministry--he understands the challenges and yet still loves living and ministering in a rural town. I found God's Country helpful and inspiring, and I think you will too."--Donnie Griggs "Reviews"
"Filled with wisdom and grace and a tenacious love for rural communities, which have much to teach us all. I recommend it highly!"--Tracey Bianchi "Reviews"
"God's Country is a beautiful book. Brad Roth tackles our temptation to either deplore the state of the rural church or romantically glorify it. And best of all, he calls us to love."--Michele Hershberger "Reviews"
"You can sense Brad Roth's love for rural people on every page in this book. . . . This is a book I will assign to divinity students and to a prominent position on my shelf."--Leonard Sweet "Reviews"

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