Why Does a Growing Church in Memphis Care About Small Towns in West Tennessee?
- Boundless Team
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
The Kingdom of God doesn't stop at the Memphis city limits, and neither should our hearts for the "901 and beyond."
A growing church in Memphis cares about small towns because the Kingdom is about connection, not competition. By partnering with national rural ministry networks, FA Memphis serves as a "Big Brother" church, ensuring that rural pastors in places like Millington and Mason have the resources they need to thrive.
When you think of a "growing church," you might imagine bright lights, large buildings, and crowded suburban parking lots. But at First Assembly Memphis, we believe that a church's health isn't just measured by how many people sit in its pews, it's measured by how much light it sends out into the surrounding darkness. For us, that means looking beyond the city lights of Memphis and seeing the quiet, steady faith of our neighbors in the small towns of West Tennessee.
Term | Biblical Definition |
Kingdom Expansion | The process of spreading the Gospel and establishing Christian community across geographic and cultural boundaries (Matthew 28:19-20). |
Rural Ministry Partnership | A strategic collaboration where larger churches provide resources, training, and encouragement to smaller congregations in towns of 10,000 or fewer residents. |
The Strength of 1,200: A National Movement
We are not doing this alone. FA Memphis is part of a massive, nationwide effort to revitalize rural America. Recent reports from the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) highlight a Rural Church Ministry Partnership that has already reached more than 1,200 churches and trained over 6,000 pastors and lay leaders across the United States.
This isn't just a "nice idea", it’s a funded, strategic mission supported by the Lilly Endowment Inc. Its goal is to reach over 6,000 rural churches by 2029. When we talk about West Tennessee towns like Millington, Mason, or Arlington, we are talking about a local expression of a global mandate. Small towns face unique challenges, declining populations, aging memberships, and leadership shortages, but they also possess a relational depth that big cities often envy.
The "Big Brother" Church Model
What does it mean for FA Memphis to be a "Big Brother" church? It means we realize we have been blessed with resources, technology, staff, and organizational systems, that a bivocational pastor in a town of 800 people might not have.
Being a "Big Brother" isn't about being "better." In fact, we often find that rural pastors have a grit and a "boots on the ground" faith that inspires us. Instead, this model is about Kingdom Stewardship.
Sharing Knowledge: Offering training sessions for children’s ministry or digital outreach.
Encouragement: Rural ministry can be isolating. We provide a space for pastors to find community and prayer support.
Resource Pooling: Whether it’s sharing VBS curriculum or offering a platform through Boundless Online Church for those who are homebound in rural areas, we bridge the gap.
Our roots in Memphis history have taught us that we are stronger together. Whether you are in the heart of the city or on a backroad in Tipton County, the Holy Spirit moves the same way.
Kingdom Over Competition
One of the greatest traps a church can fall into is "territorialism." Some churches act like they are competing for customers in a marketplace. But in the Assemblies of God tradition, we believe there is only one King and one Kingdom.
If a person finds Jesus in a small white-steeple church in Mason, Tennessee, we celebrate just as much as if they found Him at our campus on Walnut Grove. Our goal is not to "grow FA Memphis" at the expense of our neighbors. Our goal is to see every corner of the 901, and every small town surrounding it, saturated with the hope of Christ.
5 Ways to Support Your Rural Neighbors
You don't have to be a pastor to care about rural ministry. Here is how you can practically live out this "Big Brother" heart:
Pray for Local Pastors: Rural pastors often work second jobs. Pray for their strength and for their families.
Shop Local: When you drive through towns like Bartlett or Millington, stop at the local coffee shop or diner. Support the economy that sustains these communities.
Share Digital Resources: If you find a life-giving blog post or sermon on our site, share it with a friend in a small town who might be looking for community.
Visit with Intention: Next time you're out for a weekend drive, attend a service at a small rural church. Your presence can be a massive encouragement to a small congregation.
Stay Connected Globally: Support Boundless Online Church, which provides a spiritual home for those in isolated areas where a healthy local church may not be accessible.
Life Takeaway: Your Faith is Part of a Map
When you look at your life, do you see yourself as an island, or do you see yourself as a light on a map? God has placed FA Memphis in a position of influence so that we can be a blessing to the towns that keep our region's heart beating. Whether you live in a high-rise or on a hundred acres, you are part of a family that stretches across every county line in West Tennessee.
Rural churches are not "relics of the past." They are the front lines of the future. By standing with them, we ensure that the next generation in every small town has a place to encounter the living God.
How can you take one step this week to encourage someone outside your immediate circle?
Want to go deeper?
If you're in Memphis, Cordova, Arlington, Bartlett, or the 901, we would love to welcome you in person at FA Memphis: 🌐 www.famemphis.org
If you're outside our area or in a rural community looking for connection, join our online church community: 🌐 www.boundlessonlinechurch.org
Need prayers? Text us day or night at 1-901-213-7341. (Note: This line is for prayer and pastoral support, not emergency services. If you are in immediate danger or need urgent help, please call 911.)
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