Circuit Preacher

[Notthemama1984]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/the-circuit-preacher-was-an-idea-of-the-frontier-past-now-its-the-cutting-edge-response-to-shrinking-churches/2019/09/23/e3cced32-d348-11e9-9343-40db57cf6abd_story.html

Came across this and got me thinking. The circuit preacher model really would benefit some areas. If you have two congregations that are too small to provide a full income by themselves, maybe they could pool their resources and provide the full package? I would think that the churches would benefit more from a minister who is able to devote 40+hrs a week on ministerial work vs 40hrs a week in a non pastoral profession and scratch together some hours with what is left over.

Thoughts?

 

[PaulCLawton]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/the-circuit-preacher-was-an-idea-of-the-frontier-past-now-its-the-cutting-edge-response-to-shrinking-churches/2019/09/23/e3cced32-d348-11e9-9343-40db57cf6abd_story.html

Came across this and got me thinking. The circuit preacher model really would benefit some areas. If you have two congregations that are too small to provide a full income by themselves, maybe they could pool their resources and provide the full package? I would think that the churches would benefit more from a minister who is able to devote 40+hrs a week on ministerial work vs 40hrs a week in a non pastoral profession and scratch together some hours with what is left over.

Thoughts?

My understanding is that this is still the case for some churches in the Scottish Highlands.

 

[Blood-Bought Pilgrim]

I think you are right that this will continue to become more common. I don't think it ever fully went away-- I know of people who have done similar things in rural areas over the past few decades. Hopefully churches will look to this more frequently when they can't support a full-time pastor on their own.

 

[Jake]

Apparently at one point, my church was in a joint call with another ARP church which is 1:15 hrs away by car... but the minister rode between the congregations on horse! I think he alternates 2 weeks at each congregation. Both of our congregations are still around and each have their own minister now. I've heard some rural ARP churches still share ministers.

 

[Santos]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/the-circuit-preacher-was-an-idea-of-the-frontier-past-now-its-the-cutting-edge-response-to-shrinking-churches/2019/09/23/e3cced32-d348-11e9-9343-40db57cf6abd_story.html

Came across this and got me thinking. The circuit preacher model really would benefit some areas. If you have two congregations that are too small to provide a full income by themselves, maybe they could pool their resources and provide the full package? I would think that the churches would benefit more from a minister who is able to devote 40+hrs a week on ministerial work vs 40hrs a week in a non pastoral profession and scratch together some hours with what is left over.

Thoughts?

I think that this could really be a great answer for south Texas. (Not a female "preacher", but a circuit preacher.)

 

[Polanus1561]

Ignorantly asking and with no offense intended, what is stopping such churches from combining for the sake of long term? I assume there is some unity for them to be able to share a pastor.

Obviously depends a lot on whether they are local baptist churches or denominations etc.
Would a PCA and OPC church plant consider merging for the sake of the local bodies to have a full time local pastor?

 

[Santos]

Ignorantly asking and with no offense intended, what is stopping such churches from combining for the sake of long term? I assume there is some unity for them to be able to share a pastor.

Obviously depends a lot on whether they are local baptist churches or denominations etc.
Would a PCA and OPC church plant consider merging for the sake of the local bodies to have a full time local pastor?

My thought would be the distance on church is from another. Would it not be more beneficial to have the ability to worship in your community?

 

[Notthemama1984]

Ignorantly asking and with no offense intended, what is stopping such churches from combining for the sake of long term? I assume there is some unity for them to be able to share a pastor.

Obviously depends a lot on whether they are local baptist churches or denominations etc.
Would a PCA and OPC church plant consider merging for the sake of the local bodies to have a full time local pastor?

I know that some situations prevent merger due to distance between congregations.

 

[Notthemama1984]

I think that this could really be a great answer for south Texas. (Not a female "preacher", but a circuit preacher.)

That is what I was thinking. I live in Houston Metro and thus it doesn't apply here, but the rural areas are going to be lucky to gather more than a handful of families.

 

[Edward]

Modern transportation and communications certainly made the option more viable. Maybe a downsizing of the multisite megachurch modetl.