$95 Million Lilly Endowment Grants Boost Rural Church Vitality

Small-town and rural churches often struggle from a lack of resources, especially during difficult economic times. In response, the Lilly Endowment has awarded significant grants to 20 organizations across the United States to provide resources to help churches in rural areas and small towns enhance the vitality of their ministries and strengthen the leadership of the pastors and lay leaders who guide them.

The spectrum of Christian traditions among the recipients includes Catholic, mainline and evangelical Protestant, and Pentecostal faith communities, as well as communities rooted in black Church and Hispanic traditions. Based in 15 states, they will work to reach all regions of the country by working with a wide range of collaborating organizations, including colleges and universities, and national and regional denominational offices.

Evangel University of the Assemblies of God in Springfield received $7.5 million. Overall, a total of more than $95 million is being distributed. Funds will support pastors and leaders in congregations in rural settings in a wide variety of ways. Efforts will include:

• Holding workshops, conferences and webinars to explore common challenges facing churches in rural settings;
• Developing and sharing resources designed specifically for rural and small-town ministries;
• Offering certificate and training programs on rural ministry for pastors and congregational lay leaders to strengthen their leadership skills;
• Providing coaching, mentoring and other forms of support for pastoral and lay leaders;
• Building or strengthening networks among rural and small-town churches for shared learning and mutual support; and
• Providing small grants to congregations to help them develop or enhance collaborations with other organizations in their communities to address local challenges.

Small churches across America will benefit as funded organizations serve as resource hubs in their church networks and/or geographic regions and work collaboratively with more than 160 other organizations that will also provide resources and support to rural and small-town churches. This initiative joins other major funding efforts aimed at strengthening religious institutions across the country.

“Rural and small-town congregations play critical roles in supporting the vitality of their local communities,” said Christopher L. Coble, the endowment’s vice president for religion. “Yet many resources available to support congregations do not address adequately the particular challenges faced by churches in rural settings. Our hope is that these grants will provide much- needed resources and support to rural and small-town churches to help them address their challenges and enhance and extend the many ways that they serve their communities.” This latest initiative builds on the Endowment’s previous $70 million investment in supporting Christian ministries and addressing pastoral challenges.

–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice