Presbyters Serving as Pastors in Roman Africa

Presbyters served as individual pastors for rural congregations or at a regional church in the city of Carthage or another city, such as Sufetula, that had multiple churches and congregations. Twenty such presbyters can be identified by name or location. A presbyter or group of presbyters also might serve as a substitute for a bishop who was travelling, disabled, or between the death of one bishop and consecration of a successor. One such presbyter (Heraclius of Hippo) can be identified as long-term administrator for Augustine. Augustine’s correspondence and the legislation of the African bishops—usually on disciplinary issues—provides most of the information about presbyters serving as pastors. The legislation of the African church restricted the authority of these presbyters to baptize and to perform other actions that changed the status of a member of the congregation: admit penitents to communion apart from emergencies, to consecrate virgins. Although the legislation referred to the presbyter as praepositus, the person placed in charge, presbyteral pastors acted under the supervision of the bishop.

Barbarous Howling, Sonic Space, and Identity: The New England Regular Singing Controversy of the 1720s

During the 1720s Boston-area ministers and their allies argued that singing in rural churches had degenerated into vulgar howling. Fearful that the howling signaled the creeping Indianization of rural New Englanders they argued for reform that would require singing by note, a proposal strenuously resisted by rural congregations.

Die toekoms van die klein plattelandse gemeente

The future of the small rural congregation. The article addressed the plight of small rural congregations by relating the results of three visits to ten congregations in the Western Cape and Karoo region of South Africa. The research goal was to help these congregations theologically become missional and kingdom focussed. As such it implied a transformation process, moving from a nationalistic-denominational and maintenance-institutional stance to that of getting the whole community’s involvement to address the burning local issues that affect all. The issues that surfaced and the process that was followed are described.

Formal Pastoral Counseling in Rural Northern Plains Churches

Reports the findings of a survey of 491 United Church of Christ, Southern Baptist Convention, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Roman Catholic rural clergy from seven Northern Plains states. Offers implications for seminary and post-seminary training, placement of clergy in churches, pastoral counseling in rural congregations, and contextualized theory and ministry.

The Movement of the Spirit in the Churches of China Today

God's Spirit has worked in China to promote a resurrection of Christian churches. This miracle of God's grace is cause for praise and prayer. Chinas Christians continue to have many needs: more trained leaders, particularly for rural congregations, freedom from control by leftist elements, and wisdom for new directions in the future.