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RENDEZVOUS

Miles To Go Before I Sleep

Pastor Dave Knight, then serving in Augusta, Montana

The challenges of rural ministry are many. We face all the challenges any pastor and church face except to a smaller degree. The two challenges which are unique to rural ministry, and that in Montana, is the low concentration of population and the great distances which need to be traveled to reach the people who are in need.

Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States. It is about three times the size of the state of Pennsylvania, yet it has a population of approximately 882,000 people compared to nearly 12 million in Pennsylvania.

The challenge of ministry for the Augusta Community Church and the Dearborn Memorial Chapel is that it covers an area of about 1100 square miles with a population of about 800 people--population density: 3 to 4 per square mile. This is equivalent to ministering to the entire state of Rhode Island with a fraction of the population.

The area of ministry to the community of Augusta encompasses a radius of 15-30 miles.

The Dearborn Memorial Chapel is located in the middle of ranch country with the town of Wolf Creek about 11 miles away.

The closest doctors, dentists, nursing homes, and pharmacy are 25 miles away, and the closest major hospital is 60 miles away in Great Falls. A car or truck is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

These challenges are faced to a greater or lesser degree by every pastor who is in rural ministry. In this day of high gas prices, the financial cost of ministry is even greater.

The Rocky Mountain Bible Mission covers a large area where there are many wide open spaces. Yet within these vast areas live people who need to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ. The staff of the Mission cover many miles in order to provide support services for affiliated and non-affiliated churches. Your prayers for safe travel are greatly appreciated.

So the next time you are stuck in a traffic jam in one of our nation's great metropolitan centers, say a prayer for those who travel many miles without seeing a car. The spiritual needs of rural Westerners surrounded by prairie or mountains are every bit as great as those of city people surrounded by commuters and skyscrapers.