Top 5 Posts of 2025
I’m a bit of a fairweather blog reader. Around this time of year, a lot of blogs share their most read posts and I often use the opportunity to catch up on what I’ve missed.
It’s in that spirit, I share with you today the top post of 2025 on the rural project blog. I hope it might help you find the best stuff we’ve written while you enjoy your Christmas break.
These are not all written (or recorded) in 2025, but they are what received the most views.
Top Videos
Before we dive in, an honourable mention to our most viewed videos.
Last year our most viewed was Rob Parson discussing the Joys and Challenges of Ministry in Rural Northumbria:
Also, these videos were far outstripped by two videos Rob did for the FIEC: Why bi-vocational ministry? and Reaching the Lost in Rural Places. Both are very relevant to rural churches so we’ll share them here.
Now onto the good old-fashioned blog posts. Here are the most-read posts of 2025.
5. Priority #1: Sowing the Gospel
As part of my (very slow!) series on priorities for rural churches was this article on sowing the gospel. Here I challenge church leaders to make sure that sowing the gospel seed is kept as a priority in their churches.
4. How to Plan Christmas Outreach for Your Church
Not the most timely perhaps! But in this article I explain how we as church leaders can plan outreach at Christmas time. The principles, however, will hold good for evangelism more broadly and you may find it helpful.
3. Definition of a Rural Church
One of the most common questions we are asked is “What is a rural church?” We’ve no desire to be the guardians of the phrase, but it a helpful question to ask. If you find out that you’re a rural church, make sure you get in touch!
2. Cultivating a Missional Culture
Rob Scothern wrote our most-read post written this year. He outlines how to create a missional culture in your church, even giving suggestions of resources that might be helpful for discussion. And we’re glad to see that evangelism is a priority for our readers as much as it is for us!
1. 5 Lessons from the Parable of the Sower
Our most popular post of the year was this post. It takes the parable of the sower and shows how it should shape ministry in rural churches. Hopefully it may encourage you as you enter the new year.
We’ve got lots of exciting things ahead in 2026. This includes ordinary pastor interviews with Jonathan Bond, Rob Scothern and John Hindley.
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