11 Mental, Emotional & Spiritual Challenges Unique to Rural Pastors

11. Multi-denominational non-denominationalism. The rural pastor can often be stretched when they are the only church for 20 miles and they are ministering to Charismatic’s, fundamentalists, liberals, Lutherans, Catholics, or any one of the many evangelical sects in attendance any given Sunday.

10. “Can you…?” This question is asked so many times. It is usually connected to things like…

• …Mow the church lawn
• …help fix the septic tank
• …clean the church gutters
• …lead worship-communion –give a sermon-baptize all on the same day
• …take Ms. Thompsons 3 truckloads of garbage to the dump,
• …make youth come back to church so it doesn’t die while not bothering the retired people.
• …drive me to town for my dialysis and take me home again.

9. Money. ”He doesn’t farm, log, or do any kind of “real” work so his pay is sufficient” or “Why doesn’t your wife have a Job?” Many pastors in the US have no or very poor insurance. Many rural pastors are crippled by debt. Read more