Rural churches as healthy as urban, despite challenges
Rural churches are as healthy as urban churches, despite the unique challenges they face, according to national research data.
The National Church Life Survey (NCLS) has found that across all measures of health and vitality — faith, worship, belonging, vision, leadership, innovation, service, faith-sharing and inclusion — there was little difference between the responses of rural attenders and the national average.
Key issues facing rural communities included drought, decline of jobs and decline of churches, the NCLS reported this month. Many rural churches are small in size, reflecting the fact that they are in communities with smaller populations than urban areas. Some 25% of rural churches have a declining financial base and a further 14% feel their viability is threatened by finances.
Rural church attenders have an older age profile than urban church attenders. They are also less likely to be university-educated or employed, which aligns with their older age profile.
However, rural church attenders are more likely than urban attenders to be involved in church-based community service, social justice or welfare activities and are more likely to be involved in certain community-based activities than urban attenders.
Source: NCLS