Small Town Faith

by Christopher McLean

God declares through Micah: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). Bethlehem was little, but from it came the Christ. Many of our hometown churches are little too, but in them we receive the same Christ “from ancient days.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but He grew up in another small town called Nazareth. Apparently, it wasn’t a very significant place, as it prompted Nathael to ask Phillip: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Well, the answer to his question is yes! God chose to have His Son, the Saviour of the entire world, live and grow up in a small town called Nazareth.

Sometimes those who grow up or live in small, rural towns can feel lonely or insignificant. They may ask themselves, “Can anything good come from… [insert your small town here].” And the answer is yes! For you see, “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are” (1 Corinthians 1:28). God intentionally chose a small town in which to raise His only begotten Son. So we must answer the question, “Can anything good come from a small-town?,” the same way Phillip responded to Nathanael: “Come and see!” (John 1:46).

Perhaps there are some who consider living in a small town to be like sitting in the penalty box… they can’t wait to get out! But there are also those of us who find life in the rural and isolated areas of our country to be a great pleasure! I’ve been called to serve four small churches in North East Saskatchewan. Along with my wife and two teenage daughters, we also serve a cow, four miniature mules, a couple of horses, any number of pigs and chickens, ten cats, and two dogs. We love the country lifestyle and we feel so blessed to live where we can grow good food and grow in the faith!

The number of people attending church may rise or fall from one generation to the next, but what we do as the Church doesn’t change. The Church is where we hear the voice of our Shepherd. We preach and teach the pure life-saving Gospel and administer the healing medicine of the sacraments according to the Gospel.

As much as I love serving as a rural pastor, there are seasons and times when it can feel lonely and even depressing. Having four points in our parish means that I get to do plenty of driving. Even though I enjoy driving, there are times when it gets tiresome. Likewise, as much as the people in our congregations love where they live too, there are times when they feel lonely or depressed—especially when they look around and see that there aren’t as many people as there used to be. When we feel a bit down about the smallness of our church, it’s helpful to remind ourselves of what the Church is all about.    

Martin Luther writes in the Smalcald Articles: “God be praised, a seven-year-old child knows what the church is: holy believers and ‘the little sheep who hear the voice of their shepherd’” (3.12.2). The number of people attending church may rise or fall from one generation to the next, but what we do as the Church doesn’t change. The Church is where we hear the voice of our Shepherd. We preach and teach the pure life-saving Gospel and administer the healing medicine of the sacraments according to the Gospel. God works through seemingly insignificant means—words, water, bread and wine—to do His marvellous life-saving work. He uses seemingly insignificant people in seemingly insignificant places as His chosen instruments to bless His Church.

There are mornings when I arrive at church and look around at the still-empty sanctuary and wonder if we will gather even two or three pews worth of people for worship. And yet, every Sunday God calls and gathers His lambs—and even if they are not many, they continue to join Him at His table. When discussing the authority of the Church on earth to forgive sins, our Shepherd declared that “where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). Just two or three? Even our smallest congregation can manage that! It is encouraging to remember that the Church is not the building; it is the people who have gathered in His name to hear the voice of their Good Shepherd. Even though we may wish to have a few more faces in the picture directory, what really matters is that we hear the voice of Jesus from Nazareth.

As God’s baptized children, we give Him great thanks that “He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith” (Small Catechism, The Apostle’s Creed, Article 3). One of the beautiful aspects of liturgical worship is the way it connects God’s Christian Church on earth over time and space. Liturgical worship unites us in the one true faith. We may be isolated and spread apart geographically, but from God’s perspective, we are all gathered around the same Word and the same altar. Each Divine Service, we are worshipping with the entire Church on Earth and with angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven! In the liturgy, we share a profound connection with all other earthly congregations and even those in the heavenly realm. The worship of the Church includes all believers, both living and departed. Knowing that we are part of a huge family in Heaven and on Earth gives us additional comfort during the times when we feel alone. Even if we can’t see the whole company of God’s Saints in heaven and earth, we are united to them through Jesus of Nazareth.

As members of Lutheran Church–Canada, we are also connected to a body of fellow believers that spans our entire country. Being part of this broader community means we get to share both resources and the richness of our confessional faith. We draw strength from knowing that all of our congregations are part of a vibrant tapestry of believers, each contributing to the greater mission of the Church in the specific places we live, and in the ways He equips us to serve.

As we look past the boundaries of our own communities, we see the work that God is doing across our nation and abroad. Staying informed about news and activities in our synod, regions, circuits, and parishes helps us to remember that we are part of that broader community. When we seek opportunities to gather as a larger church body, we get to see how our own seemingly meagre efforts, which come from seemingly meagre origins, are magnified by the unity of all God’s people. This sense of unity encourages us to reach out and share the blessings God has given us and participate in God’s work beyond our local context.

So, the question once again is, “Can anything good come from your small town?” Yes! Come and see! Come and see Jesus of Nazareth as the Church gathers in His name. Come and see the One who came in humility to lift us up! Even though our congregations are spread out across many towns and cities of various sizes, God continues to bring each and every one of us the same gifts: forgiveness, life, and salvation. No matter the size of your congregation, you are the Church, and He is with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

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Rev. Christopher McLean is pastor of the North-East Lutheran Parish in Saskatchewan, which includes Zion (Nipawin), Zion (Mistatim), Good Shepherd (Hudson Bay), and St. Paul’s (Melfort). The photos in this article feature these congregations, taken by Rev. David Haberstock.

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