Posted February 24, 2006 in Feb 2006, Greeting, Synergy
Greeting
Often the beginning of a new year prompts us to reconsider our ministry goals. As we seek the Lord’s guidance for the upcoming year, we take a look back to see what has been accomplished and a look forward to ponder what the Lord might do through us. Often in ministry, our desire to “make things happen” runs ahead of reality. Our church people may not share the same fervent desire to see the church’s ministry develop.
Our frustrated plans remind us of the need to patiently help our people get on board with the vision. No matter if the progress is slow or fast, we come back to the fact that our ministries belong to the Lord. May this issue of Synergy encourage us as we look forward to what the Lord has for our ministries in 2006.
In service with you,
John and Daria
Posted February 23, 2006 in Feb 2006, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
When each of our two associate pastors joined our staff, we did the things most churches do—provided a good crew to help unload the moving van, a meal, and some warm fellowship. But to offer more help and to encourage the new associates as they arrived, we held a Sunday evening fellowship and card shower. We asked our church people to include a gift card or gift certificate with their greeting cards. House-warming gifts are nice, but they often include unneeded or unwanted things. The gift certificates allowed our associates to get what they needed and to become acquainted with many community establishments. Some of our people gave certificates promising the associate pastors a meal at their home or at a restaurant. As a result, they not only felt warmly welcomed and encouraged but also received help in their transitions to a new community and new homes.Miles Grismore, Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Mason City, Iowa
Posted in Feb 2006, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
For our church’s 150th anniversary, we desired to recognize the Lord’s faithfulness and to celebrate our shared history. Our planning committee began working a year in advance—praying, preparing, and inviting former pastors to participate. For several months during our worship services prior to the celebration, we featured a historical note—a short story or an interesting piece of trivia about our church. A large banner hung outside the church building and anniversary stickers embellished our correspondence. We placed advertisements in the local newspaper and on radio and cable TV stations. God provided the finances through the generosity of our ladies’ group and special church and VBS offerings. To highlight the history of our church, we set up displays in our fellowship center. They included old photos, past church directories, and antique items. For months, people knew that a special event was coming. (Read more of this article…)
Posted in Feb 2006, Building Your Ministry, Synergy
Building Your Ministry
Cottage prayer meetings provide a relaxed setting that encourages church members to pray. For three consecutive months, all ages of our church family gather in homes the first Saturday of each month at 5:00 p.m. We open with prayer, followed by a time of singing. Next we announce prayer requests and participate in group prayer. Our people have found this prayer time to be spirit-refreshing, soul-uplifting, and heart-encouraging. Some individuals who do not pray aloud in church do so in this kind of gathering. After prayer, a layman reads the Word of God and shares a devotional applying to the Christian life. We enjoy sweet fellowship and a meal provided by the homeowner or by potluck. This gathering not only encourages our people to pray but also allows them an opportunity to get better acquainted and to share their needs. From time to time, we tell our testimonies, quote Bible verses, and canvass the community—recently one couple from an apartment near the church was saved as a result of canvassing. When a church has a special interest in prayer, the Lord blesses in unexpected ways. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7, KJV).
John Lineberry, Pastor
San Mateo Baptist Church
Jacksonville, Florida
Posted in Feb 2006, Building Your Ministry, Synergy
Building Your Ministry
Writing a Wednesday Night Article allows me to communicate a Christian worldview and to provide a change of pace for our Wednesday prayer meetings. While the Sunday morning and evening services involve expository sermons, Wednesday night offers the opportunity to respond to current events, cultural or ministry trends, and today’s hot-button issues. Even though people may have spent years in Bible-believing churches, they may not know how to respond Biblically to current issues and trends. By writing articles and stimulating discussion, I assist our congregation in grappling with compelling questions of our day.The topics and forms of writing are endless. Writing book reviews is a great start for generating articles. You will benefit from your personal reading, and the reviews will stir interest in reading among church people. Writing about current events teaches Christian truth and addresses issues that are on people’s minds. Articles on topics that are on our collective conscious, such as natural disasters, provide a forum for presenting a careful Christian response. Trends in culture and ministry can also be discussed. A Biblical response to the latest ministry craze may even steer an individual away from pursuing an unprofitable fad. While writing is not a substitute for expository preaching, articles do provide a means of addressing topics not covered in the current sermon series.When writing an article, first inform your readers about a particular issue. Include a detailed explanation if the issue is new and largely unknown. Next, explain the importance of the issue. For good or bad, many churches are suspicious of academic debate. Demonstrate to the readers how this trend, book, or theological issue will impact them individually or collectively as a church. Then, using a key passage, offer a Biblical response to the article’s topic. Some Biblical worldview thinking requires reasoning from inferences, so commentary on several Scripture references will be needed.
Enjoyment and excellence in writing come through practice. Go beyond reading other people’s writing; become a writer yourself. If writing for Wednesday night prayer meeting does not appeal to you, why not post your article on your own blog or publish your article in a church newsletter? You will be surprised at the gifts and talents with which the Lord has blessed you.
Brian G. Humphreys, Pastor
Dryden Baptist Church
Dryden, New York
Posted in Feb 2006, Inward Look, Synergy
Inward Look
Failure is a common experience shared by all who serve in ministry. May this article as it appeared in a series in the Baptist Testimony, the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches newsletter, encourage our hearts and help us deal with failure in a God-honoring manner.When faced with failure, ponder the following questions:
(Read more of this article…)
Posted in Feb 2006, Ministry Toolbox, Synergy
Ministry Toolbox
Even if you’ve been in ministry for years, this counsel serves as a good reminder of a pastor’s high calling.
Call of the ministry
Be satisfied in your heart that your desire for ministry has been confirmed by a personal calling from God. “If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1).
Reason for a call
Inform a lost humanity that they may be saved through the finished work of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and communicate to believers that they may grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ through the church. May your sermons always glorify the Son of God.
Academics
Choose quality schools to attend. Churches often decide whom to call as pastor based on the candidate’s academic background. Proverbs 24:27 infers that one should pursue his education before establishing a family.
Experience
Consider applying for a position as an assistant pastor upon graduation from college or seminary. After experiencing firsthand how a church works, you will be a better pastor and a wiser administrator.
(Read more of this article…)
Posted in Feb 2006, Global Outlook, Synergy
Global Outlook
Churches of the Northwest Association of Regular Baptist Churches know how to do missions conferences! Read on to discover conference ideas from Bits and Pieces, the Northwest Regular Baptist newsletter, published by Darrell Beddoe, regional representative.
Bethany Bible Church, Kenmore, Washington, Pastor Scott and Jayne Ritter
- Various homes hosted Sunday evening potluck desserts; small groups interacted with missionaries.
- Teens and missionaries took part in a picture scavenger hunt.
- Missionaries shared their testimonies in teens’ Sunday School classes.
(Read more of this article…)