Growing in ministry skills is a desired learning outcome of pastoral mentoring. John Greening and Jim Vogel invite a group of seven men to join them in a mentoring relationship. The group will meet online every other week for an hour, beginning in March, for a total of 8-10 sessions. The men must be in vocational ministry currently or preparing for vocational ministry on the college or seminary level. Through collaborative interaction on ministry practices the group will focus on the following learning objectives:
• Gain an understanding of the dynamics of pastoral ministry; e.g., leadership, interpersonal relationships, communication, circumstantial appropriateness, etc.
• Aspire to a godly “best practices” approach to ministry.
• Develop the competencies of Christ-like pastoring.
• Enhance ministry effectiveness through intentional involvement with other pastors/churches/ministries within the GARBC.
If you are interested in participating in this mentoring relationship, please submit an email of request to John Greening and Jim Vogel stating your desire to be included in this group and your reasons for wanting to be involved. A maximum of seven men will be invited to join this group.
GARBC Preaching Webinar
Authorial Intent - Is it the key to our preaching? a webinar by Rich Van Heukelum, pastor of Walnut Ridge, Baptist Church, Waterloo, IA, will take place on February 19, 10:00 a.m. CT. Judge Scalia of the Supreme Court stated, “The worst thing about the Living Constitution is that it will destroy the constitution.” In the Supreme Court a division exists between those who view the constitution as a living document with ever-changing interpretation and implementation, and those who hold to authorial intent and see their task is to “begin with the text and to give that text the meaning it bore when adopted” (Judge Scalia).
Subtly that same distinction can infiltrate our preaching, such as our interpretation and implementation of Scripture. How do we avoid inserting our own meaning, but instead seek and express God’s intended meaning from a passage? This Webinar will give you tools to preach God’s Word more effectively. Register now for the GARBC Preaching Webinar.
Multi-ethnic Ministry Helps
You don’t have to cross the ocean to reach the world, but sharing the gospel with people of different ethnicity will require looking beyond your cultural traditions and biases. Eldon Brock, Founder and President of Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries, Inc., has provided the following resource list as a reference for churches in developing their ethnic ministries. When viewing the websites listed below, pick and choose what fits your need and convictions. This listing does not imply endorsement of the doctrines or associations of an organization. However, even though doctrinal and denominational differences exist, you can glean workable methods of ministry.
www.peoplegroups.info People Groups is a web site of NABM –SBC, providing information on people groups in USA and resources. To find the nationalities in your area, go to USA and Canada map and click on the state name, the county, and city or zip. A list of nations with the number living there will appear. You will need to register to check all pages. Suggestion: use the list of nations in your area as a prayer list to allow God change the heart of your people as well as those who have moved to your area.
http://unityinchristmagazine.com (Site opened January 25, 2010.) Art Lucero, publisher of Unity in Christ Magazine, is a veteran evangelical California consultant in multi-ethnic and multi-cultural issues. He selects and posts current articles from leading thinkers in the field.
http://artlucero.wordpress.com Healthy Diversity, Art Lucero’s blog site, provides help for developing unity among diverse groups, especially pointed to helping churches accept and assimilate Hispanic people. Art is speaker and coach.
http://thenewculture.org The ReNew Partnerships and TheNewCulture.org’s stated purpose: to provide Bible-based resources and training to help Christian leaders to understand, build, and sustain biblical, multi-ethnic community. They further state, “Our on-site training forums and innovative training resources l provide leaders with the tools they need to work through the many challenges of sharing life and ministry with Christians of other ethnicities.”
http://www.joshuaproject.net/prayer-cards.php Joshua Project: Scroll down the list of continents and then click on N. America ato find the people groups living on the continent who have migrated from the area of unreached parts of the world.
http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php Find “country” then “United States” on drop down menu to views a list of 363 people groups in our country with 71 from the unreached in the world.
http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf World clock gives stats of population and growth by the minute, giving the impression of how many people are in the world.
www.4truth.net Presents information on the many religions.
http://www.simusa.org/index.php/category/culture-connexions
Culture ConneXions (CCX) stated purpose: to help churches as they respond to the growing diversification of American society. The website identifies itself as a team of experienced cross-cultural missionaries who seek to come alongside churches to equip them for effective intercultural ministry.
http://www.reachinghispanics.org David Whitcher, Baptist Church Planters Spanish ministries Director. Many good methods and resources. This is David’s blog, “El Ministerio” simply means “the ministry” and it is our aim to help you do the work of the ministry amongst Hispanics within the United States.
http://www.ethnicharvest.org Ethnic Harvest aims to reach immigrants in the U.S. This evangelical website is well worth looking into for practitioners. It is good at linking to things normally difficult to find.
http://www.proskuneo.info Resource for multi ethnic worship, printed and video in several languages. Some power points have more than one language on one slide for multi-language congregations.
www.gospelcom.net/ibs International Bible Society, Colorado Spring, CO. provides foreign language Bibles, portions, and tracts.
“Leading Theologically Substantive Worship”is a topic John Greening recently presented during an online mentoring session with pastors. Would you like to be part of a mentoring group led by GARBC representatives John Greening and Jim Vogel? The hour-long sessions take place twice a month. E-mail to inquire or sign up for the next mentoring group.
Synergy Ready to View!
Broaden your scope of ministry possibilities—check out the new winter issue of Synergy, the GARBC newsletter geared to those in ministry. Special thanks goes to contributors Pastor David Garlich, John Greening, Pastor Ron Hemsworth Jr., Pastor Stan Lightfoot, Pastor Larry Lindow, Pastor Darrel J. Robinson Sr., Jim Vogel, Pastor John Wooden, and Faith Baptist Church of Salem, Ore. These colleagues have taken time to share ministry ideas that they have found helpful. In doing so, they are demonstrating care for sister churches. Take a moment now to reply with a ministry idea that has worked for your congregation.
Description: There are no magic formulas to ministry success, but it is possible to improve ministry effectiveness by practicing consistently five activities that anyone can do. Our worship, interpersonal relationships, communication, and community perception can be positively developed by regularly carrying out these five activities. Churches in Indiana are invited to take part in this 60-minute instructional webinar and advance another step forward in professional enrichment.
If churches in your state would like John Greening and Jim Vogel to lead an exclusive webinar for them, please e-mail us.The equipment you need to participate in a webinar is access to high-speed Internet and a phone or a headset.
GARBC Resource Center is hosting a free webinar, “Visitor Strategies: Welcoming and Following Up Church Visitors.” Jim Vogel, associate GARBC national representative, will be sharing pertinent information to help you connect effectively with newcomers. Register now for the webinar to take place Friday, Dec. 11, 10:00 a.m. Central Time.
Free Class for First-time Seminarians
A free class for first-time seminary students will be offered Jan. 5–8 at Baptist Bible Seminary, Clarks Summit, Penn. Seminary Dean Dr. Mike Stallard will teach the four-day course, “Spotlight on Issues in Theology: Spiritual Formation.” The course will highlight the current debate in the culture on the nature of spirituality and how to obtain it. The course is described as ideal for pastors, missionaries, and others engaged in full-time professional ministry. It will also be valuable to potential Master of Divinity students or others considering an advanced degree.
Jump-start Your Ministry
Jim Vogel, GARBC associate national representative, offers practical ministry advice and outreach ideas in the Leader’s Digest column of each issue of the Baptist Bulletin. In the November/December Bulletin, Jim writes a tongue-in-cheek article on the benefits of not planning and then offers tips for planning, as well as three easy-to-facilitate Christmas outreach ideas. Help your people expand their vision of church ministry: place subscription money for the Baptist Bulletin in next year’s church budget or ask your people to pay for their own subscriptions. Group and whole church plans come with reduced subscription rates. E-mail Lynne Goemaat for details.
Media and Book Reviews Online
Baptist Bulletin.org regularly offers book reviews for you to peruse. Recent reviews include a DVD, Parables of Jesus, and the books When Your Aging Parent Needs Care and Why We Love the Church.
Be sharp for ministry. Read the Baptist Bulletin! Coming in the November/December issue of the Baptist Bulletin:
• What Baptists are doing to plant churches in New York City
• How to become an adoption-friendly church—just in time for Adoption Awareness Month
• Why the emergent church defends the idea of universalism
• Five insights from a first-time church historian
Baptist Bulletin Special Report: VBS and the Gospel
A special report at Baptist Bulletin.org asks, “Is Your VBS Taking a Vacation from the Gospel?” You won’t want to miss this informative article that investigates evangelical publishers who now have licensing agreements with Catholic publishers. The four publishers—Gospel Light, Group, Standard, and Augsburg Fortress—sell their Vacation Bible School logos, art, and content to Catholic organizations who release VBS material that looks the same as the evangelical version, but teaches Catholic doctrine.
Build Your Children’s Ministry Engage your children’s ministry workers and Sunday School teachers with great training from RBP. Dynamic presenter and experienced teacher Andrea Chamberlain hosts an enjoyable and effective seminar that will help your teaching staff develop their ministry skills.
During the seminar participants will learn:
Appropriate teaching techniques for different age groups
Ways to engage children with the Word of God on a level they can understand
How to develop available resources to make lessons come alive
Register for the following seminar or inquire about hosting a seminar:
Oct. 10: RBP Blueprint Seminarfor pastors and wives, ministry leaders, and deacons and wives, led by John and Daria Greening, hosted by Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Wash.
Online Mentoring Program Begins
Five pastors in five states spanning the country have had three online mentoring meetings with John Greening and Jim Vogel, GARBC representatives. The group meets for an hour every two weeks to discuss pastoral leadership, develop ministry competencies, and build friendships. To read more, see Baptist Bulletin. For more information or to put your name on a mentoring waiting list, contact John Greening. Participants may call in or enter online for the mentoring hour.
September 15- Parenting Workshops by John and Daria Greening, sponsored by the Garden State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches, at New Life Island in Frenchtown, New Jersey. For more information contact Pastor Gary Tum Suden at gtumsuden@fbcwillingboro.org.
October 10-RBP Blueprint Seminarfor pastors and wives, ministry leaders, and deacons and wives, led by John and Daria Greening, hosted by Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington.
October 10-RBP Impact Teaching Seminar for Sunday School workers and teachers and Bible study leaders, led by Alex Bauman, hosted by Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington.
Children’s Ministries Seminarfor Sunday School workers and teachers, children’s ministry leaders, church education directors led by Andrea Chamberlain.
September 19- Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Jasper, Georgia
October 10- Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington
October 24- First Central Baptist Church, Chicopee, Massachusetts
November 7- Fellowship Baptist Church, Jasper, Indiana
November 14- Emmanuel Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio
Don’t Stop Loving the Church Seminar
West Cannon Baptist Church, Belmont, MI is sponsoring a one-day Pastors’ Seminar on Tuesday, September 22. Mark Cizauskas, executive pastor, writes, “It is a joy for our church family to provide an opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and renewal for those who are battling on the front lines. God has blessed us and we want to be a blessing to you and your church family.
It is our desire this year to exalt the church. There are many rallying cries today beckoning Jesus followers to abandon the church for something more authentic or relevant. Some even condemn loyalty to the church as disloyalty to Jesus. It’s time to turn our ears and eyes to God’s Word, remember the beauty of the Bride of Christ, and fall in love with her again. As pastors and church leaders, we must not abandon the call to be “shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Join us we consider why we must continue to love and defend the church in spite of her flaws.
We are thrilled that Kevin DeYoung, Ted Kluck, and Mike Wittmer are joining us this year. Each of them is committed to the church; they have written excellent books on this subject.” To register, visit the conference website.
Are you keeping current in your awareness of theological issues and ministry trends? The Quest website offers resources in these topics and more. On the Quest website you will find book reviews and information on preaching, Christianity and culture, preaching, theology, and worship. Young Baptist leaders are making thought provoking and knowledge entries almost every day! If you are a young Baptist leader under forty, connect with your peers. “Old guys” are encouraged to connect with the “young guys” as well! Go to Quest!
Mentoring by the Reps
John Greening and Jim Vogel are offering the opportunity for young Baptist leaders to interact with them in a six-month mentoring relationship. The men must be currently in vocational ministry or preparing for vocational ministry in college or seminary. This one-hour online biweekly interaction on ministry practices will pursue the following learning objectives:
to gain an understanding of the dynamics of pastoral ministry; e.g., leadership, interpersonal relationships, communication, circumstantial appropriateness, etc.
to aspire to a godly “best practices” approach to ministry
to develop the competencies of Christlike pastoring.
to enhance ministry effectiveness through intentional involvement with other pastors/churches/ministries within the GARBC.
If you are interested in participating in this inaugural mentoring relationship, please email John Greening or Jim Vogel stating your desire to be included and your reasons for wanting to be involved. A maximum of seven men can participate. Mentoring will begin the first week in September. The one-hour session will occur every two weeks.
Synergy for Those in Ministry
The summer issue of Synergy is now ready for your viewing. Short articles and ideas on pastoral, women, and children’s ministry offer great help and encouragement. A special thanks to contributors, Jeanie Augsburger, Laird Baldwin, Chris and Deb Hindal, William King, John Lineberry, Linda Nemmers, Mike Plog, Steve Poludniak, Jim and Jeannie Vogel, and Debbie Weil. Please share your ministry thoughts and ideas for Synergy!
Seminars for Church People and Leaders
September 15- Parenting sessions by John and Daria Greening, sponsored by the Garden State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches, at New Life Island in Frenchtown, New Jersey. For more information contact Pastor Gary Tum Suden at gtumsuden@fbcwillingboro.org.
October 10-RBP Blueprint Seminarfor pastors and wives, ministry leaders, and deacons and wives, led by John and Daria Greening, hosted by Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington.
October 10-RBP Impact Teaching Seminar for Sunday School workers and teachers and Bible study leaders, led by Alex Bauman, hosted by Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington.
Children’s Ministries Seminarfor Sunday School workers and teachers, children’s ministry leaders, church education directors led by Andrea Chamberlain.
September 19- Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Jasper, Georgia
October 10- Grace Baptist Church, Kennewick, Washington
October 24- First Central Baptist Church, Chicopee, Massachusetts
November 7- Fellowship Baptist Church, Jasper, Indiana
November 14- Emmanuel Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio
Young Baptist Leaders now have a venue for communicating and sharing information, http://garbcquest.org The Quest website features sections on books, Christianity and culture, preaching, theology, and worship/ministry resources. Connect through Quest!
Baptist Bulletin Bullets
Relevant news in timely fashion comes to you via the Baptist Bulletin!
Check it out:
Online at www.BaptistBulletin.org:
• Calvin: Still Making Points with Baptists by Paul Hartog
• Growing Churches in Nebraska
• Church Planting in Chalco Hills
• An evaluation of The Multisite Church by Ken Fields
• Norm Olson’s Q & A Column
In the July/Aug print edition
• “Easter in Africa,” an international report from Chris Hindal
• GARBC Annual Report
• GARBC church news in Soundbytes
Exceptional offerings are all under one roof at the GARBC Annual Conference, June 22-26, Elyria, Ohio. A record number of workshops are available. Register now.
Look at what our pastors and ministry leaders have to offer you!
Theology and the Church: A Plea for Priority and Precision
Tom Alexander, Wellington, OH
Setting a Vision for Women’s Ministry
Barbara Anderson, Elyria, OH
Church 2.0: An Internet Site for Your Ministry
Dave Bosket, Schaumburg, IL
Empire State Fellowship’s Shop Talk for church leaders on May 14 will feature topics on church relationships and ethics by Jim and Jeannie Vogel, associate GARBC representative and wife. The Shop Talk will take place at Brooktondale Baptist Church, Brooktondale, New York.
Multi-Ethnic Ministries Round Table
Leaders and educators interested in cross cultural and multi-ethnic ministries are invited to a discussion forum at Baptist Bible College, Clarks Summit, PA, on May 18 and 19. The round table will focus on the opportunities and challenges to reaching the millions who have come to our country from all areas of the world. By reaching internationals, churches have the means of impacting areas of the world that are closed to traditional missions. For more information contact Eldon Brock of Ethnic to Ethnic Ministries, Inc, 863.471.6061.
Strategies: Welcoming and Following Up Church Visitors.” Jim Vogel, associate GARBC national representative, will be sharing pertinent information to help you connect effectively with newcomers. 
Jim Vogel, GARBC associate national representative, offers practical ministry advice and outreach ideas in the Leader’s Digest column of each issue of the Baptist Bulletin. In the November/December Bulletin, Jim writes a tongue-in-cheek article on the benefits of not planning and then offers tips for planning, as well as three easy-to-facilitate Christmas outreach ideas. Help your people expand their vision of church ministry: place 
Be sharp for ministry. Read the Baptist Bulletin! Coming in the November/December issue of the Baptist Bulletin:
Appropriate teaching techniques for different age groups
Oct. 10: 
Five pastors in five states spanning the country have had three online mentoring meetings with John Greening and Jim Vogel, GARBC representatives. The group meets for an hour every two weeks to discuss pastoral leadership, develop ministry competencies, and build friendships. To read more, see 
October 10- 
West Cannon Baptist Church, Belmont, MI is sponsoring a one-day Pastors’ Seminar on Tuesday, September 22. Mark Cizauskas, executive pastor, writes, “It is a joy for our church family to provide an opportunity for fellowship, encouragement, and renewal for those who are battling on the front lines. God has blessed us and we want to be a blessing to you and your church family.
Online at