Posted June 25, 2005 in Women's Ministries, Jun 2005, Synergy
Women’s Ministries
The women of Piecemakers, our church’s ladies’ quilting group, use their love of quilting to make baby quilts, not only for babies in our church, but also for babies born outside the church family. As a practical demonstration of God’s love, the Piecemakers receive names of unchurched mothers in the community, and then they craft quilts for those mothers-to-be. A label on the back of each quilt indicates that it has been made for one of God’s special creations as a gift from the Piecemakers of Trinity Baptist Church. On the front of each quilt is a heart to show that it is a gift of love. The group keeps a picture of each quilt with the name of the recipient so the group can remember the individual in prayer at its regular meetings. This labor of love has led to wonderful witnessing opportunities. The Piecemakers’ ministry is one way the church can live out the truth of Matthew 5:16 in the community.
Brad Pellish, Pastor
Trinity Baptist Church
Alma, Michigan
Posted in Jun 2005, Reach Out, Synergy
Reach Out
Our church’s community has the highest percentage of Hispanic people of any county in Michigan; many are full-time residents. Since soccer (futbol to the Spanish-speaking community) is a big deal in our area and because our city has several leagues, our church hosted a soccer tournament—Fiesta de Futbol. Many teams registered. We scheduled a half-time program, and a speaker shared the gospel. At the conclusion of the tournament, we awarded trophies. (Read more of this article…)
Posted in Oct 2005, Reach Out, Synergy
Reach Out
Our church looks for ways to gain an audience for the gospel. Recently we hosted our first Cruise-In, a Saturday afternoon classic vehicle show. We invited people to display their special cars and motorcycles on our church parking lot from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Events like this attract car lovers who attend auto shows every weekend to look at cars and to talk to the people who fixed them up.Thirty-three vehicles were displayed at our first Cruise-In and over 150 people attended. We made food available, distributed gift bags containing auto-related coupons and appropriate gospel tracts, and awarded hourly door prizes. Visitors looked at the vehicles and voted for their favorites in four categories: Street Rods, Classic Cars, Antique Cars, and Cycles. At the end of the day, winners in these four categories received trophies. Before the trophy presentation, a man who is involved with hot rods and classic cars shared a brief gospel presentation. We gave people cards to fill out to indicate their decisions for Christ. Though we are not aware of any salvation decisions made that day, we know that visitors were exposed to our church and its ministries, and the event gave us new prospects for our church’s ministry.
We are now looking forward to our second Cruise-In and are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to present the gospel to people who might not otherwise walk through our church doors.
Brad Quick, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Elyria, Ohio
Posted in Jun 2005, Global Outlook, Synergy
Global Outlook
Pastors regularly get phone calls from missionaries on deputation requesting a meeting in the church. Many pastors report more requests than could possibly be scheduled—that’s good! Praise the Lord that He is calling out missionaries to reach those who have not been confronted with the question, What will you do with Jesus?
In light of the dilemma that exists, how should a pastor respond when missionaries call? Consider incorporating the following practices the next time you receive a phone request from a missionary.
1. Encourage the missionary. Commend him or her for answering the call of God. He or she is taking a huge step of faith. Encouragement is in order.
2. Ask good questions, not for the purpose of critiquing, but for gaining information. Missionaries should be able to answer your questions or be willing to find out the answers.
3. Even though the church may not have money available to provide the missionary with financial support, invite the missionary to come for other reasons—to gain prayer support, to be used of God to speak to others, and to allow God to work in unforeseen ways. I know from personal experience that churches have supported new missionaries when it seemed financially impossible.
4. Before ending the phone conversation, pray with the missionary, asking God’s blessing on his or her ministry and His help in raising the individual’s prayer and financial support. This step alone will tremendously encourage the missionary’s heart, as well as your own.
When the phone conversation is over, will the missionary be encouraged or discouraged? That is up to you.
David C. Little, President
Baptist Church Planters
Posted in Jun 2005, Building Your Ministry, Synergy
Building Your Ministry
Protecting pastors from harm is an important aspect of the church’s pastoral care. The following considerations may be helpful as your church pursues caring for its pastoral staff.
* Grant a three-month sabbatical after five years of ministry.
* Form a pastoral relations committee that devotes itself to building up the pastor and to seeing that his needs are met.
* Place a pastoral severance allotment in your church’s constitution, granting perhaps one week’s salary for every year the pastor served at the church.
* Examine the procedure for dismissing a pastor as outlined in the church’s constitution to ensure that it is Biblical. God has spoken from Matthew 18:15–17 and 1 Timothy 5:20 regarding the proper handling of grievances; churches should avoid using unscriptural means such as petitions.
* Reflect on the church’s treatment of the associate pastors. Are they honored as pastors? If the senior pastor leaves the church, do the associate pastors continue the ministry, or do deacons step into a role that Scripture may not have intended for them?
A characteristic of a healthy church is one that protects its pastors from harm.
Bill Heinrich, Pastor
Sovereign Grace Baptist Church
Modesto, California
Posted in Jun 2005, Global Outlook, Synergy
Global Outlook
Our church has developed a special bond with several Jamaican pastors and wives. Recently three pastors and two wives from Jamaica ministered at our church. Their presence afforded an occasion to invite pastors and interested lay leaders in central Indiana to a luncheon, where they could hear about opportunities for short-term missions trips. The Jamaican pastors and missionary appointees who assist churches in forming short-term missions teams to Jamaica were available to give firsthand information and to field questions. The setting provided an opportunity for pastors to meet the Jamaican pastors prior to going overseas. As a result of the luncheon get-together, a church of one of the attending pastors is sending a construction team to Jamaica to assist a Bible college, which was represented at the luncheon by its president.
Ron McDugle, Pastor
First Baptist Church
Danville, Indiana
Posted in Jun 2005, Reach Out, Synergy
Reach Out
As a new church plant in a small county-seat town, we have capitalized on the availability of a quaint park and a pavilion for refreshments to sponsor summertime Concerts in the Park. The concerts have become locally accepted, featured as “good family events” in the Chamber of Commerce’s visitor’s guide.
The church family prepares and advertises for the concerts, which are held on Friday evenings before dusk. We advertise through releasing radio and newspaper press notices two weeks in advance, displaying local signs and reusable high visibility banners one week in advance, and extending invitations to churches in the area.
One hundred to three hundred attendees bring their blankets or lawn chairs for the evening. Our teens and adults serve cotton candy, popcorn, and drinks. We set up a photo display of our church and its ministries and distribute church brochures and response cards for post-concert contacts. We have had concerts videotaped, edited, and aired on the community cable channel.
(Read more of this article…)
Posted in Jun 2005, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
Camp experiences are unique and effective opportunities for the transforming work of Christ in the lives of youth. Would you like to see young people and adults from your church make decisions for salvation and dedicate themselves to the Lord for His use? Encourage them to attend a Regular Baptist Camp, where they will be exposed to the power of God’s Word in a beautiful Christian setting. To pique their interest, consider using the following activities:
- Plan a special Sunday or club night when campers wear their camp shirts from past summers.
- Ask adults who have counseled at camp to share testimonies of their experiences.
- Invite a special speaker to share the camp ministry with your church.
- Arrange a photo bulletin board, where campers and counselors can place their personal snapshots from camp.
- Announce that on a specific Sunday, you will give campers a discount or cash-on-the-spot for those who register for camp.
- Present camp gift certificates, scholarships, shirts, or hats as awards earned through Sunday School or clubs.
- Encourage campers to bring their unchurched friends by offering to pay part of the camp fee for the camper who invites a friend. Offer camp scholarships to those who do not attend your church.
- Plan a brief dedication on Sunday for the campers and counselors from your church who will leave for camp on Monday.
- At your midweek prayer meeting, pray by name for the campers and counselors attending camp that week from your church.
- Schedule Sunday evening reports from campers and counselors who have returned from camp.
- Arrange for families who have never been to camp to visit the facility when camp is not in session. Call ahead to make arrangements.
(Items 1-11 reprinted with permission from the IFRBC newsletter. Minor adaptations made for Synergy.)
Posted in Jun 2005, Greeting, Synergy
Greeting
It’s summertime-bike-riding, walking-in-the-park, talking-to-your-neighbors time. Summer offers unique opportunities to share the gospel with people in your community. In this issue of Synergy, three sister churches offer their ideas for outdoor outreaches. How might your church reach people for Christ this summer? Recruit prayer support for upcoming outreach events (write to PrayerLink email or website), and then let us know what happens.
In service with you,
John and Daria
Posted June 24, 2005 in Jun 2005, Ministry Toolbox, Synergy
Ministry Toolbox
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
This classic passage on progressive sanctification magnifies the role of the Bible in our Christian growth. The “witnesses” that surround us are the men and women of faith spoken about in Hebrews 11, including Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, and Moses. They are not witnesses in the passive sense of sitting in Heaven and watching us run the race of faith. They are witnesses in that they testify to us about the character, work, and plan of God in the believer’s life. How do we know what they witness to us about God? Through God’s Word we learn about them and how God worked in their lives to help them grow and to accomplish His divine purposes through them.
(Read more of this article…)