When a community only has 100 or so people, it isn't reasonable to expect a rural Methodist Church to have all 100 people as members. Many of these churches are also stuck in the country, far from the community's center of activity and are not used as social gathering places such as Boy of Girl Scouts, garden clubs, etc. Tied in with few people is the scarcity of talent and people resources. With so few people, just finding an organist is a major chore. This creates tension.
Programming is also difficult.
With no facilities, few people and little available talent, the pastor must make do. People wouldn't have come if they hadn't built that baseball field in Iowa. Many younger families today are being lost to churches because of lack of facilities and programs. This change in societal values needs to be addressed by the Methodist Church or we run the risk of losing an entire generation of rural young families. People still want to attend the community church in rural communities but they want more from that church.