“Church planting in the Western Plains is generally not a high-profile, money attracting endeavor.Why would someone in a city of three million, for example, be concerned about a town of around twenty thousand, let alone one of two or three thousand? That’s what we’re dealing with here in the Western plains.” Read more»
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
More by R. Scott Clark ›
Thanks for the correction, Phil! You got me this time – I’m usually very careful about my writing! 😀
This is a very important place, one of the biggest “cities” in NE Wyoming (I’ve been in that area). A good example of how geographical considerations sometimes can override a purely “population-centered” mindset. Gillette forms a hub that can be used to reach out to people in other close towns like Buffalo, Newcastle, Sundance, etc. I think we need to take these rural areas, the so-called “blank spaces” on the map, more into consideration when we consider how to best reach this country for Christ!
Other examples of towns/”cities” that are very important for their geographical area, despite not being really that big (future ideas for church planting? 😉 ):
– Havre, MT
– North Platte, NB
– Minot, ND
– Elko, NV
– Grand Junction, CO
Amen!
As a native “small city” westerner, I’ll wholeheartedly echo Dr. Clark’s “Amen!”
(Just a small technical correction – it’s North Platte, NE-braska [NB = New Brunswick, Canada]
Yet another Old Calvinism Calvinist fleeing the city. 🙂