WaPost: A small-town Georgia preacher fills pews by leaving no one out

[lees1975]

10. It's out there.

And it depends on what kind of Christian. Among mainline Protestants, finding leaders and churches like this isn't a problem. Among the more conservative denominations, much more difficult, though Baptists, because of their free church tradition, and the differences in the way their denominations and groups relate to each other, and the independence and autonomy of each local church, which is a core principle of Baptist faith and order, there are those whose circumstances have combined with their background and their theological education to bring them to the point where they can separate the cultural background from the gospel itself, and lead a church to start meeting people's needs, rather than appointing itself as an authoritarian expert on morality.

This church, in a rural area, is somewhat of a surprise. This kind of minister usually doesn't get the time or consideration in a church where the mindset is locked in place, to make changes. But this church had only a small handful of its old members left, and they were apparently ready for change and welcomed it. And they found the people who needed them. They're out there, even in deep red counties and rural areas.