Biblical Perspectives on the Implementation of Rural Ministry by the Church

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Abstract

Rural Ministry is a concept of community-based service. Rural ministry focuses on poverty reduction, social transformation, and community development in rural areas. Its primary goal is to empower those living in rural areas in order to improve the quality of their life. People living in rural areas often experience marginalization from development. In such a circumstance, the Church is called to shoulder its social responsibility as the light and the salt of the world. Here, community empowerment is the manifestation of its calling, and this action is based on the theological ground that all creatures belong to God. However, in exercising its social functions, the Church is more inclined to be involved in charitable activities and fails to undergo transformation. For this reason, it is necessary for the Church, in the corridor of evangelism, to revisit its paradigms and practices in rural ministry. That is why the Church needs to keep reminding itself to continuously maintain Christianity as the living religion among the people. It means that the Church should make positive impacts on the world. This paper aims to analyze and discuss the strategy of the Church in implementing Rural Ministry viewed from biblical perspectives. This qualitative study undertakes library research for theoretical analysis.