Posted June 17, 2006 in Jun 2006, Greeting, Synergy
Summer is a great time for much needed R & R. We hope you will give yourselves a breather. Remember—laziness may be a sin, but rest is ordained by God. That means among all the duties that a godly person will do, relaxing is one of them.
Summer is also an excellent occasion for creative ministry opportunities, as well as an ideal time for planning and preparing for the fall and winter church calendar. The articles in this issue of Synergy will jump-start your mind for good warm-weather ministry. They will also help you get your “ducks in a row” for the cooler months ahead. Make your summer count!
In service with you,
John and Daria
Posted in Jun 2006, Building Your Ministry, Synergy
Building Your Ministry
A Looking Toward Sunday e-mail notice allows me to communicate with our church people on Thursday about our upcoming Sunday services so they can be thinking about and praying for the services. By doing so, I pray that our church family will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading throughout the week. The e-mail message is fairly short, with the content light and informative. A typical Looking Toward Sunday e-mail contains info on Sunday services, including the sermon topic and a notice of special events. It begins or ends with a joke or pun and concludes with an encouragement to pray, prepare, and invite. In addition to our church congregation, I e-mail the notice to my family and friends as well as our missionaries, who appreciate regularly knowing what is going on in our church. I am now adding a short and simple voice version (WAV file) that I send to those with high-speed connections. One college student commented how comforting it is to hear a familiar voice from home. One can only imagine how those in the military may feel.
Don Workman, Pastor
Faith Baptist Church
Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted in Jun 2006, Inward Look, Synergy
Inward Look
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the demands of ministry, family, and financial responsibilities? Craig Golden, state representative for the Empire State Fellowship of Regular Baptist Churches, shares from other pastors in the Empire State Fellowship this compilation of wise counsel on handling stressful times.
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Posted in Jun 2006, Global Outlook, Synergy
Global Outlook
As our missions conference approaches, the president of our ladies’ missionary group prepares for each Sunday School class a conference packet containing an information sheet, a needs list, and prayer requests for one missionary family coming to the conference. The packet also includes a computer-generated personalized card for each class to send to the missionary family. The cards are created to be age appropriate for the various Sunday School classes that will send them. (Read more of this article…)
Posted in Children's Ministries, Jun 2006, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
Summer is a good time to focus your congregation on good influences by promoting a summer reading challenge. A reading program is versatile; you can sponsor it for kids, adults, or both. It can be used to promote your church library or to direct a spiritual focus on a certain subject. The following guidelines may be helpful as you establish a reading challenge for your church:
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Posted in Jun 2006, Ministry Toolbox, Synergy
Ministry Toolbox
2 Corinthians 11:23–28
Paul reminds us that physical, emotional, and spiritual peril during the pastor’s or missionary’s earthy sojourn is to be expected. While God promises never to allow sinful temptation to be greater than we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), there is no promise concerning unbearable peril and circumstance. As the hymn phrase says, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares we have already come.”
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Posted in Student Ministries, Jun 2006, Idea Exchange, GARBCnews, Synergy
Student Ministries
PreEm is a formal event our church hosts to provide a healthy atmosphere for fellowship among Christian teens (ninth through twelfth grades) as a prom alternative. Its name comes from the word preeminence, based on Colossians 1:9–18. Verse 18 reads, “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Having a prom alternative enables parents to help their teens make positive decisions to choose a healthy atmosphere during the prom season. We strive to help all teens feel welcome and comfortable whether they attend as an individual or with a date. We require modest dress for all.
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Posted in Jun 2006, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
Four times a year, there are five Sundays in one month. When this occurs, our church does something different to add spice to a Sunday service. We encourage our congregation to participate in a 5th Sunday Praise service in which they present their expressions of worship. The hour-long praise service begins at 2 p.m., following a two-hour lunch break after the morning service.
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Posted in Jun 2006, Idea Exchange, Synergy
Idea Exchange
Our area GARBC churches get together whenever a fifth Sunday occurs in a month for a Sunday evening Singspiration. Different churches take turns hosting this event. Each attending church brings special music to share. During a previous summer we held the Singspiration at a local park that has an outdoor stage. A worship band and team singers led the attendees in worship songs with the help of a portable sound system and instruments. Churches shared special music. It was a great time, and many park goers stopped and listened to the singing and music.
Dan Nelson, Pastor of Worship
First Baptist Church
Richland, Washington
Posted in Jun 2006, Reach Out, GARBCnews, Synergy
Reach Out
Our church sponsors an annual Family FunFest, offered free of charge to the surrounding community. A 5K run starts the day with approximately one hundred runners of all ages, sizes, and shapes participating. This family oriented race originates and finishes at the church. The gospel is presented to the runners as they enjoy refreshments after the race.
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