Welcome to Adam's Playground
Help us reach the least-reached in rural America
Why Training Rural Evangelicals to Reach Catholics is Needed
In many rural communities, the unsaved are the “religious lost.” They are good, hardworking people, but many are trusting their justification in something other than the Gospel. We will look at the need to increase Gospel dialogue for our congregants.
Speaker: Jay Lindstrom
Preparing and Preaching an Expository Sermon Series
Sunday morning is relentless. It doesn’t care how many people we visited in the hospital or how many families were in crisis – it arrives right on schedule. It can be daunting to prepare a single sermon, much less an entire series. This seminar lays out a methodology and practical suggestions to help prepare and preach an expository sermon series.
Speaker: Daniel Bennett
Rural Ministry 101
This seminar is an orientation to rural ministry, geared primarily for pastors and spouses who are just getting started in rural ministry. Seasoned rural pastors and spouses are welcome to attend for a refresher course!
Speaker: Barney Wells
Small Church Conflict Is No Small Matter
One of the worst things in this world is when a small-town church has a big-time fight. In this seminar we will discover ideas about how to Prevent, Survive, and Recover from the damaging effects of church conflict. But we will also look at how God can redeem the worst situations to accomplish good.
Speaker: Mark Underkofler
Social Media and the Town and Country Pastor
Social media has become a way of life in our society. It is time for pastors to think through both the opportunities and dangers of the use of social media for the pastor, his family, his church, and his community. This seminar will walk through many of the key questions and concerns.
Speaker: Jeff VanGoethem
The Big Challenge of the New Rural Poor
Over the past 40 years, rural villages have become pockets of inner-city-like poverty. Differing from the traditional rural poor in many ways, these new rural poor can present challenges to the church in the smallest of towns. We will learn what makes this ministry so challenging and some successful strategies for engaging it.
Speaker: Barney Wells
The Healing Power of Intimacy with God
Pastoral work invites many difficulties and troubles. Can prayer and intimacy with God help us? This seminar will examine scripture, the practice of prayer, and the helpfulness of drawing near to God in the midst of the battles of life and ministry.
Speaker: Jeff VanGoethem
The Small Church in the Bible
“Bigger is better” is not in the Bible. Instead, throughout the Scriptures, God delights in doing extraordinary things through ordinary leaders and unimpressive groups. The goal of this seminar is to root our confidence in the “strategically small church” in the big story of Scripture.
Speaker: Brandon O’Brien
The Unhurried Pastor: Redefining Productivity for a More Sustainable Ministry
Many pastors feel trapped in a ministry life and schedule that is full of busyness, noise, and constant running. This commonly leads to burnout, depression, joylessness, and simply leaving the ministry. In this seminar, we will look at a different approach to pastoral ministry that can lead to more productivity, greater personal joy, and longevity in the ministry.
Speaker: Brian Croft
What Pastors Can Do to Train for Catholic Dialogue
There are many factors that reduce dialogue with Catholics in rural communities. We will explore removing roadblocks, reducing Evangelical missteps, training congregants, and suggesting helpful resources they can use.
Speaker: Jay Lindstrom
