Six Thousand Country Churches

A systematic survey of rural Ohio congregations combines maps, county case studies, and tables to document an excess of small churches, widespread absentee and short-term ministry, low ministerial pay, and weak organizational support. The authors describe frequent emotionally driven revivalism and sectarian movements that often supplant stable community religion. They analyze geographic patterns and tabulate membership, minister residency, and salaries, then propose remedies including consolidated or federated and community churches, interchurch cooperation, improved minister education and compensation, reorganized circuits, and nonsectarian support, supplemented by illustrations, county maps, and statistical appendices.