4 Traits that Make Small Churches Vital, Formational Communities
In small-membership churches, spiritual formation thrives when it is intentionally embedded in the community’s life. Allen Stanton writes that while church size doesn’t determine the…
Author
Allen T. Stanton
Allen T. Stanton is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church. He currently serves as a consulting fellow with the University of the Ozark’s Thriving in Rural Ministry initiative and as director of strategic initiatives for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Stanton is the author of Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and The Gift of Small: Embracing Your Church’s Vocation (Fortress Press, 2024).
3 Indicators of a Thriving Rural Congregation
Allen Stanton says rural churches need better indicators of what it means to thrive. He outlines three characteristics of vital rural congregations able to lead…
The Gift of Small: An In-depth Interview with Allen Stanton
In this in-depth interview Allen Stanton explains how small congregations can be surprisingly nimble in the face of change and effective in spiritual formation due…
“The Gift of Small” featuring Allen Stanton
Podcast Episode 166 Do you lead a small church? In this episode Allen Stanton shares how small congregations can be surprisingly nimble in the face…
Building Thriving Rural Congregations
How can rural churches break free from the false narratives and unrealistic metrics that obscure their potential vitality? Allen Stanton lays out a new vision…
3 Unique Gifts of the Rural Church
Allen Stanton says rural churches are uniquely positioned to be agents of change within their communities. Most are trusted long-term community stakeholders, and on any…