ON THE MISSION FIELD IN RURAL AMERICA

WHEREAS, Scripture declares that Christ commands his church to make disciples of all nations and that we are called to be witnesses to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8); and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have endeavored since 1845 to spread the gospel across North America and around the globe; and

WHEREAS, Jesus regularly identified himself with rural and small places like Nazareth (Matthew 2:23); and

WHEREAS, Over 75 percent of all towns and cities in the United States are small nonurban communities of no more than 25,000 people; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 19 percent (or 60 million people) of the population in the United States resides in rural areas; and

WHEREAS, Rural church pastors often suffer from isolation and loneliness, lacking ministry partnerships and resources; and

WHEREAS, Every person in a rural community is made in the image of God and needs to hear the gospel; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Anaheim, California, June 14-15, 2022, express our commitment to and recognition of the mission field in rural places; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we pledge to continue to support the work of the Cooperative Program to help spread the gospel in rural places; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage our churches to look for opportunities to establish, help, and revitalize churches in rural communities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we state our support for the work rural churches do to spread the gospel; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we pledge to remember that all of mankind is made in the image of God and deserving of our love and gospel outreach, regardless of the size of their community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage and celebrate the work of the North American Mission Board, state conventions, local associations, rural churches, and their ministry leaders in their ongoing efforts to spread the gospel, plant new churches, and revitalize established ones in rural places; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we urge all Southern Baptists to dedicate our time, money, and lives to the furtherance of the good news of Jesus Christ across every area of the world, home and abroad, in city centers, suburbs, small towns, and rural places.