Many congregations across America are concerned about shrinking membership and congregational survival. Often, it seems programs and resources that address these issues are geared toward suburban church settings. LCMS Rural & Small Town Mission (RSTM) recognizes that while the work to which God has called congregations is the same, the context in which that work is carried out can be very different—even in rural America. While there is no "one” program or resource that provides guaranteed results, RSTM provides training and resources aimed at helping rural and small town congregations assess community needs and search for opportunities to engage their communities through acts of witness and mercy. This is the official LinkedIn page of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod - Rural & Small Town Mission. Please join the conversation but remember to ground comments in love for one another(John 15:12). Duplicate, irrelevant, inappropriate or offensive comments may be removed. The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, founded in 1847, is America's second-largest Lutheran denomination, with 2.3 million members in some 6,200 congregations across the United States. More than half are considered rural or small-town. It is a mission-oriented, confessional Christian church adhering to the Scriptures and explication of God's Word as articulated in the Book of Concord of 1580. DISCLAIMER: We invite you to join in the conversations found here and ask that you ground your comments in love as Christ instructs us in John 15-12: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.’’ While we do not edit posts of others, we do reserve the right to remove duplicate, irrelevant, inappropriate or offensive comments. Political statements and/or endorsements are not allowed. Contact us if you have any questions. Comments and links posted by individuals reflect personal opinions and may not necessarily reflect the beliefs and practices of or be endorsed by the LCMS.