Rural Church Summit

Rural Louisiana:

• 40 of Louisiana’s 64 Parishes are considered Rural by the Department of Health.

• Around 1.3 million people live in these 40 parishes.

• 52% of our Louisiana Baptist Churches are in these 40 Parishes.

• We have 12 towns in these parishes with no SBC church.

• New churches are definitely needed in at least 3 of these parishes.

• Replanting is needed in most of them.

Significant transitions and struggles are happening for many churches in rural Louisiana.

• Declining Populations (45 of 64 parishes lost population over the last 10 years).

• The need for Bi-vocational Pastors with fewer jobs available in these areas.

• AND some are growing and stand to grow through Urban and Suburban spread, changing the culture in the area, which churches have to transition to as well.

Lots of great opportunities for meaningful ministry in Rural Louisiana. Partners, Planters, Replanters, Pastors needed.

If you are a rural pastor, or have a heart for ministry in rural Louisiana, join us for the first Rural Church Summit, May 11-12, at First Baptist Natchitoches. It will be a time of fellowship, encouragement, collaboration, and equipping, sponsored by the North American Mission Board’s Rural Team, Send Network Louisiana, and the Louisiana Baptist Convention.

Host or Publisher Lane Corley