d programs of
work fail to realize them because they attempt to force progress and to
secure results more rapidly than is possible. One of the chief duties of
the rural pastor is to train leadership. A church is no stronger than
its permanent resident leadership. No matter how brilliant the work of
the minister, if he has failed to develop local leadership, his work is
soon dissipated when he leaves. Now leadership cannot be produced in a
year or so and where it is most needed it requires several years to
discover and develop it. Unfortunately much of this frequent shifting of
rural pastors is directly due to ecclesiastical rule rather than to the
needs of the local churches, though much of it results from meager
salaries and sectarian rivalries which soon discourage a man who sees
larger opportunities for service elsewhere.

Numerous studies of the actual condition of the rural church in many
parts of the country all show the futility of denominational competition
in maintaining two or three churches where only one is needed or can be
supported. Furthermore, the present generation of young married people
who desire the best religious influences for their children are no
longer much interested in the theological or ecclesiastical differences
of the various denominations, and they refuse to support them or do so
under protest and with an apathy which makes effective church work
impossible. As a result, there has been a strong movement in recent
years toward the consolidation of rural churches and for the
establishment of what are called "community churches." Although much
effort has been given toward getting denominational boards and leaders
to form state federations for promoting inter-denominational comity, and
although notable progress in this direction has been made in a few
states, particularly in Maine and Vermont, yet the chief impetus to the
community church movement has come from the people themselves, who have
insisted upon a combination of the local churches often in spite of
ecclesiastical indifference or opposition. The lack of coal in 1918
induced many churches to hold their services together and in many cases
gave an impetus to the idea of their permanent federation.

The term community church has come to be applied to various forms of
churches, but whatever its form, its fundamental purpose is the service
of the community rather than the advancement of a particular
denomination and it admits all Christia