Our second Rural Ministry Colloquium of the year is now available for download at iTunes U.

Rev. Chuck Warnock led about 45 Duke Divinity Students, faculty, and staff in a Rural Ministry Colloquium on "The Power of Partnership: How a Small Church Made a Big Difference."

The Rural Ministry Colloquia are monthly lunch-time gatherings at Duke Divinity School where a pastor, scholar, layperson, or practitioner is invited to address an issue related to rural life or ministry and then lead a discussion on the topic. These events are open to the public.

Rev. Chuck Warnock is a writer who has written for Outreach Magazine, Leadership Journal, and ChristianityToday.com; a presenter who has led sessions at the National Outreach Convention and the Billy Graham School for Evangelism; and the popular blogger of "Confessions of a Small-Church Pastor," where he commented on his trip to Duke.

Primarily, however, Rev. Warnock is the pastor of Chatham Baptist Church in Chatham, Va. Chatham is a small town that, like so many such communities, has been devastated by the loss of its tobacco, textile, and furniture industries. Recently, however, thanks in part to the leadership of Chatham Baptist Church and its pastor, Rev. Warnock, the town has experienced signs of revitalization, including the expansion of a Boys and Girls Club, the creation of performing arts programs for youth, and the construction of a new community center.

Listen to Rev. Warnock share this inspiring story, as well as some of the lessons he's learned along the way.