At first glance it may appear that the church in rural North America is thriving. Nestled just below any average small town skyline of water towers and grain elevators one will find the steeples and stained glass windows of various church buildings.

From a distance it would seem that rural communities are being sufficiently served by the mere number of churches present. But a closer look within the walls of the average rural church paints a much different and disturbing picture.

Many rural churches find themselves stuck in a current of decline that is ultimately leading to their death. They lack a clear understanding of their purpose. They are floundering in an absence of leadership. They possess little to no vision for how a BIG God longs to impact their small community for His eternal kingdom. And instead of embracing the changes necessary to propel them into the future, they are clinging to worn out traditions of the past.

Rural Church RESCUE speaks directly to churches struggling with these issues. Speaking from his experience as both a rural church pastor and firefighter, Jon Sanders presents a unique perspective on these common problems facing the rural church.

Using a metaphor drawn from the world of the fire service, Sanders outlines six principles necessary for rural churches to be healthy and reclaim the vital role God has called them to in their communities.