Back to Rurality

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, addresses the time when we face the consequences of our poor decisions. TJ uses the story of Ezekiel, who, along with the people of Israel, faced exile due to their own sins. Despite their stubbornness, God met them in their distress and called them to return to Him. TJ encourages listeners to read Ezekiel 1 and see how God, in His glory, reaches out to His people even in their lowest moments. The episode highlights the importance of repentance, God's enduring presence, and His desire to restore us, urging rural listeners to embrace the hope found in Scripture.

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' host TJ Freeman discusses the sense of isolation that can come from living in rural areas and how it can make you feel distant from God. TJ is joined by guest CJ Dematitis, who shares his journey from an urban upbringing in D.C. and Baltimore to finding God glorifying ministry in rural Pennsylvania. They explore the challenges and blessings of rural life, emphasizing the importance of Scripture, community, and sitting under good preaching in deepening one's faith. CJ recounts how God's creation and supportive friends helped him feel less isolated and helped him grow more spiritually. They explain the need for expositional preaching and reliance on God's Word, encouraging listeners to seek out a healthy church.

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Hosts: TJ Freeman, Joe Wagner, and Josh MacClaren

Summary: In this episode of Rural Church Renewal, TJ, Joe, and Joshua discuss the misconceptions and challenges of discipleship in small, rural churches. They emphasize that discipling isn't just optional but a biblical mandate. The conversation sheds light on the sufficiency of Scripture in guiding discipleship efforts and how organic, relationship-based discipleship can be more effective than structured programs. They share personal anecdotes on how building relational equity can naturally lead to spiritual growth. The episode encourages church leaders and members to integrate discipleship into everyday interactions, making it a more natural and less time-consuming practice.

Connect with us:

• Website: brainerdinstitute.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Brainerd Facebook

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, host TJ Freeman discusses the concept of true and lasting refreshment sourced from our satisfaction in the Lord. Through his own personal experiences and in his study of Acts 3, TJ emphasizes that, unlike temporary fixes, true refreshment comes from repentance and turning away from sin. He closes the podcast by inviting listeners to reflect on their lives, suggesting practical steps like reading and praying through Acts chapter 3, and ends with the hymn 'And Can It Be.'

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, rural pastor TJ Freeman addresses the guilt many Christians feel about not sharing the gospel. TJ offers up a powerful tool for evangelism he calls 'grace stories'—narratives of God's grace in one's life. He reassures listeners that it's okay not to have all the answers and encourages them to be genuinely interested in others' stories. TJ shares his own experiences and biblical examples, such as the Apostle Paul's testimonies, to illustrate how to communicate one's faith. He challenges listeners to share their 'grace story' with at least one person this week and offers practical advice on how to practice and improve this skill.

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode, rural pastor TJ Freeman addresses the exhaustion and struggles many face in their daily lives. He brings encouragement through Revelation chapter 7, emphasizing that faithfulness amidst challenges is not in vain. He likens life to assembling a puzzling and reveals that scripture provides a clear vision of the ultimate picture. TJ reassures Christians of the future victory in Christ and the importance of prioritizing our relationship with Christ over other things in our life.

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, rural pastor TJ Freeman talks about the purpose we can find in everyday tasks, from chores to work to school, by recognizing God's greater plan. He shares personal anecdotes, including his time working in a freezer, and biblical insights to encourage listeners to see all of their actions as expressions of God's glory. He emphasizes that all work, whether paid or unpaid, seen or unseen, is valuable because it is done in God's image and for His glory.

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, reflects on the holiday season's mixed feelings and emphasizes making the most of it to point people to Christ. He shares personal stories, traditions, and practical steps to help listeners glorify God during the holidays. Using the acronym 'GLOW,' Freeman encourages his audience to remember the true reason for Christmas and how to navigate difficult circumstances with faith.

Key Points:

• Christmas as a Tradition: Oftentimes during the holidays we can lose ourselves in the traditions surrounding a holiday and forget what the holiday is actually about. We can get lost in what we’re doing or what we are feeling, with our pausing to think about Christ (Colossians 3:17).
• Seeing Christ in the Holidays: We can start to focus our gaze back on Christ this Christmas by thinking of the acronym: GLOW. GLOW stands for Give generously (2 Corinthians 9:7), look for the lonely (Matthew 24:40), orient your activities around Christ, and witness in the wonder (John 1:14). 

Listener Takeaways:

• Remember to give cheerfully, especially to your local church. It can be really encouraging to give financially or to give your time to serve your church. 
• Invite people into your home this holiday season, especially if you know they might be alone this year. Have them over for Thanksgiving or for a holiday movie.
• Be looking for opportunities for things that naturally point to Christ. It could be the star on the top of your tree, or another special holiday tradition. Look for Christ in them. 
• Take the opportunity to witness to others. Tell them about Jesus this holiday season. 

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of the podcast, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, addresses the challenge many Christians face of not regularly engaging with the Bible. He shares personal stories of his own struggles and how finding a different translation helped him understand Scripture better. TJ emphasizes the importance of prioritizing time for Bible reading, offers practical tips for integrating it into a busy schedule, and explains the benefits of deep engagement with God's Word.

Key Points:

• Reading the Bible as a Chore: Many Christians go through seasons where reading the Bible is easier and others where it feels like a while since we’ve spent time with the Lord. Even though it’s a hard truth to stomach, many times this is because we are not rightly prioritizing time in the Word. We need to remember that spending time in the Word is more important than lots of things we do in a day. 
• Why it’s Worth it: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says that the Word is profitable for us. We can know that reading the Bible will only benefit us! It teaches reproofs, corrects, and trains us in righteousness. Since God created us, we can only be whole if we are spending time with Him in His Word. The more we read, the more we are equipped to live like Christ. 
• How to Read the Bible: Commit to more than just reading one verse or chapter a day and just being done with it. Read it, draw some observations from it, try to interpret it, find some applications to your own life, and then pray through that text. Start with a smaller portion of Scripture and spend some time really reflecting on it. 

Listener Takeaways:

• Pick up a translation of the Bible that you understand. If you can’t understand what you’re reading well, you will have a hard time meditating on it. Sometimes we need to read a different translation to help us get into the Word more. Study notes can also be an aid in our understanding of the Bible. 
• When you sit down to read God’s Word, take a second to pray and ask the Lord to help you understand it. Ask also that it would transform your heart and mind.
• Go back to episode four of this podcast to hear more about how to read the Bible!

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]

Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of Back to Rurality, TJ Freeman, a rural pastor, delves into whether Christians should listen to Christian radio. He shares that we should listen to songs, radio hosts, and radio preaching with discernment. TJ also shares some helpful examples through his own experience with radio. If you feel like this might be a silly question to ask, this episode is for you!

Key Points:

• Avoiding Emotionalism: When TJ started listening to Christian radio, he really enjoyed it and it became a source of encouragement to him. Things started to take a turn when TJ started to rely more on the radio than his time in God’s Word and prayer with the Lord. 
• The Purpose of Songs: We see in Colossians 3:16 that God means to use songs to form us and shape us to be more like his son. It is a good thing when the songs we’re hearing are helping us meditate on things that are true to the Word of God. It is bad when we are listening to songs that are singing untrue things about God. 
• Benefits of Christian Radio: Rural people who may not have access to a grand theological library or a counseling center, can have access to fantastic sermons and other resources from their cars or own living rooms! You can have these resources right when you may need them, especially when you’re having a tough day. Listening to Christian radio also helps us connect us to the broader church. It is good to hear from Christians outside of our little bubbles whether that be missionaries or pastors from different parts of the world. 
• Shallow Theology: Christians should be careful when they listen to Christian Radio because often times the songs or artists can have wrong or just shallow theology. We need to remember that the songs we listen to shape our thoughts and our worship, so be careful and use discernment. 

Listener Takeaways:

• When you are listening to the radio, ask yourself if this is helping you understand what the Bible says? Use discernment when listening to songs or sermons on the radio. Don’t just trust the artists because they’re on the radio!
• Don’t let Christian radio be your only source of encouragement. It should not be a replacement for your relationship with the Lord. Prioritize time in the Word and time in prayer.
• Consider listening to some older hymns every one and awhile for some deep and profound songs. These hymns are often also written by people who we can know were trustworthy Christians. Let some older saints come alongside you in worship!

Connect with Us:

• Website: backtorurality.com
• Social Media: Facebook
• Email: [email protected]