Synergy

Synergy, a GARBC newsletter, contains practical ideas, helps, and encouragement–written for those in ministry by those in ministry. Though Synergy is out of print, it …

GARBC Newsletter for Your Ministry SEPTEMBER 2011 BALANCE—what does that word mean to you? The teeter-totter of life presents us with work vs. rest, patience …

Accomplishing More by Slowing Down Slowing down is difficult. For me, it actually seems counterintuitive because I often get praised for thinking well on my …

Give Me a Break! Facing a fall schedule that is jam-packed with activities and responsibilities? As the wife of a pastor who is also a …

8 Mistakes in Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers Where would we be without those faithful workers who regularly give of their time to serve in our …

Bringing the Church to Your Community “If your church closed down today, would your town know that you were gone? Would they miss you?” When …

Preparing Teens for an International Missions Trip Youth leaders Nikolai and Kristi Payne recently returned from taking a team of 14 teens on an ambitious …

Books for Internationals Do you have Bible study references books or other books in your library that you really don’t use? Has a loved one …

How do you define synergy? According to the Encarta dictionary, synergy is the working together of two or more people, organizations, or things, especially when …

Why Not a Multiethnic Church? Could your church be multiethnic? Check how many nationalities live in your community. Go to http://www.peoplegroups.info/; click on your state; then go …

A Quiet Getaway for Pastors “Jesus made it a regular habit to get away from the crowds so He could reconnect with His Father. If …

10 Tips for Welcoming Visitors Most churches are thrilled to see visitors attend services. Often we can reach these people with the gospel; other times …

Pastoral Fine Points Correct theology, passionate preaching, a heart for God, an emphasis on Christ, and good people skills are big matters essential to quality …

Handling a Crisis Pastors, along with chaplains, are called to respond to crisis situations. When leaving to handle a crisis, you don’t have time to …

A great thing about the GARBC is the opportunity to network ministry ideas. As you read the following ideas from your ministry colleagues, be open …

“It’s a Kick!” Community Soccer Camp We decided to begin using a community soccer camp in the summer when our pastor, Jon Jenks, observed the …

Internet Missions Conference Over the past year our church has experimented with conversing during occasional morning worship services with individual missionaries via Skype. This software …

Need to get away? About two hours northwest of Chicago, between Madison and Milwaukee, lies a secluded wooded retreat known as Cedarly Retreat Center. After …

Cardboard Testimonies Cardboard testimonies is a powerful tool that churches across the country are using to present and illustrate the power of the gospel. The following …

Speedway Evangelism Pastor Laird Baldwin, Bible Baptist Fellowship, Brookville, Ohio, shares the following account that may be an idea starter for outreach in your church: …

Effective evangelism ideas are available to you in Synergy! This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. …

It’s spring! Chicks, calves, colts, kids, lambs, and bunnies–they’re all born in the spring. As you observe new life in the natural world, set your …

In everything our church plant does, we seek to implement our mission of putting God’s love in action by Biblically building worship, relationships, and churches. …

Would you like to jump-start your church’s evangelism efforts? Pastor Robert Cowman shares outreach ideas in which your church people can easily participate. Plan now …

In a church-wide effort to reach and serve the community of Hobart, IN, Central Baptist Church hosts an annual Hobart Community Cookout. The event offers …

15 Summer Outreach Ideas That Any Church Can Implement! Webinar will be presented by Jim Vogel, GARBC associate national representative, on June 3. Drawing from …

God Space: Naturally Creating Room for Spiritual Conversations, a book by Doug Pollock, offers suggestions for everyday opportunities to open conversations. The following conversation idea …

Our church studied the book One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven by Mark Cahill. In the chapter “If They’re Breathing, They Need Jesus,” the …

Did you know you can access a multitude of evangelism ideas from past issues of the Synergy newsletter? Electronic issues of the Reach Out category …

Teamwork– hard to live with it, but impossible to live without it! Our Resource Center staff is nearing the completion of a five-year RBP revision …

Healthy churches recognize the need to welcome guests effectively as they arrive for Sunday services and special events.  Many enlist and train a group of …

The Manhattan Declaration drafted recently by “Orthodox, Catholics,  and Evangelical Christians” and signed by many has attracted considerable attention. Many notable leaders have weighed in …

Do you have Sunday School students who delight in causing mischief? If so, think for a moment about your practices as a teacher. You might …

Our church connects with our community by calling residents listed in our local phone book. During our conversations, we ask how we can pray for …

Our church became interested in helping people with addictions in 2005, when former Pastor Greg Stine became burdened for our county. At that time Barron …

As part of the church’s installation service for their new pastor, Faith Baptist of Salem, Oregon, read their church covenant, affirming their intent to live …

The Birth of Jesus was Right, written by Pastor Stan Lightfoot of Rustic Hills Baptist in Colorado Springs, CO, is a good devotional thought that …

As a pastor, I have the responsibility of training and equipping our people with fresh ideas and utilizing technology that God has given to us. …

“Together We Can Accomplish More” is the  mantra of the GARBC. John Wooden, pastor of First Baptist in New Berlin, WI, shares the story of …

Recently I realized a couple of our elderly attendees could not read the bulletin, prayer notes, or other handouts.   For the next printing of the …

“What material do you and John use as a couple for devotions?” I received this email question from a young husband/pastor who was seeking suggestions …

Our little church is placed in the middle of an aging community. The local economy is worse than most, and the incident of single parents …

Recharge with Synergy!  This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. Written by ministry leaders for ministry …

Recently our bathroom flooring gave way, requiring repair. Actually it became one of those projects that grew in scope beyond our imagination. Soon we realized …

This year our women’s events are revolving around the theme, “Once upon a time….” Every six weeks we plan an event for women, which involves …

For an event to kick off and promote our fall Bible study,  our women’s ministry hosted a Pampered, Pink, and Pretty Night. We had make-up …

As a pastor I sought to affirm a commitment annually among our leadership team of pastors and deacons  to our mutual ministry. This practice encouraged …

Want a substantive book that addresses biblical material about baptism with precision and grace? Believer’s Baptism by Thomas Schreiner and Shawn Wright (B&H Academic, 2006) …

Christ taught that children are important and that they need to be protected (Matt. 18:1-6). A church can never be too careful when it comes …

In Praise of Little Places and Humble People Ever been to Omer, Michigan? It’s a town along Lake Huron not far from Tawas. I drove …

Pastor Laird Baldwin desires to encourage pastors and ministry leaders and their families. If you have a particular topic or dilemma related to pastors or …

Now is a good time to start preliminary planning for your church’s Christmas program. Pastor Steve Poludinak describes the program used for outreach by Tri-County …

In ministry certain periods of time may seem like drought experiences in our lives. However God’s Word reminds us of the Lord’s love and care …

Do you have Sunday School students who enjoy poking their neighbors or making side comments? If so, you might help your students improve their behavior …

Remember the old song, To Know You is to Love You? To know Primaries is to love them! Their enjoyment of small pleasures, enthusiasm for …

Last fall our church hosted a team dinner for the local football team of Park Falls High School. Our people served chili to all the …

Are you looking for a way to get your children thinking missions? Gospel Literature Services is enlisting children to fill piggy banks and help send …

Start the New Year with Synergy!  This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. Written by ministry …

Energize with Synergy! View the Winter issue now. This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. Written …

Happy New Year! As we ring in the new year, let’s improve with age! Older does not necessarily mean wiser. While gaining experience in serving …

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Today …

In this day of well-publicized corporate financial misdealings, the church should be a shining model of integrity and precision in its financial  record keeping. The …

This women’s ministry idea shared by Grandview Park Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa, can be used as a tool to improve publicity and promote connections …

A well-designed church sign can result in increased visitor foot traffic to your church. Make sure your outdoor sign is an asset to your church, …

A New Perspective on Junior High Bible Studies When I was in junior high, the last thing I wanted to do was sit in a …

“Come in and learn about God!” You may not say those words as students enter your classroom, but your teaching practices should definitely communicate that …

When you hear the word “teacher,” what picture comes to mind? Perhaps you visualize a favorite teacher from your past or yourself with a lively …

God made Adam bit Noah arked Abraham split Joseph ruled Jacob fooled Bush talked Moses balked Pharaoh plagued People walked Sea divided Tablets guided Promise …

It’s hard to know specifically what Paul meant in 1 Timothy 3:10 when he said to let the deacons “first be tested.” As a pastor, …

Deacon care groups are a great way to get our families and individuals into smaller settings and develop friendships, as well as share joys and …

Summer sizzles with Synergy! View the July issue now. This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. …

Summer is sometimes associated with “summer reads”- books with lighter, fluffy content. While it is good to take time for rest and relaxation, the summer …

In my work as a United Parcel Service supervisor, I have seen that company leaders know the business they’re in and that they have measuring …

Our Women’s Missionary Fellowship (WMF) ministry kicks off each September with our All Daughters Banquet. We enjoy a meal and a program in which we …

In the last three years, our ladies’ ministries have been brought under one umbrella called First Women’s Ministries. We have the following ministries by and …

In my technology role at the GARBC Resource Center, I oversee 25+ websites. Over the last several years there has been a shift in website …

In my work as a Youth Summit community sponsor I help teens in the local school develop leadership projects that benefit our community. The students …

As sisters in Christ, it’s good to prompt each other to pray. The following suggestions are two simple ideas that can multiply the prayer effort …

Nothing kills an audience’s interest faster than spotting the words “Slide 1 of 101” on the first screen of a PowerPoint presentation. As a pastor …

It is always a challenge to get kids to see “the big picture” of God’s working throughout Biblical history. The Hero of each Bible story—whether …

Children at our church enjoyed a LEGO My Eggo activity and meal. We divided the children into three groups according to LEGO skill level. For …

Warm up your brain cells this winter! Synergy is ready for your viewing! This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great …

During the recent Christmas season, many churches hosted Christmas Eve services in which they reflected on the gift of Jesus Christ, and shared the gospel …

Do ladies in your church have special hobbies? Why not turn their hobbies into outreach opportunities? The format is simple: Women get together once or …

Often deacons begin serving in their office with little training or experience, nor do they possess a working knowledge of Baptist history and distinctives. As …

In this age of postmodernism, much has been said about the emerging church movement. This movement has influenced the way believers do church, read and …

Recently my husband and I attended a child dedication service at Faith Baptist Church, Winfield, Illinois, in which our grandson and our daughter and her …

A well-respected and loved veteran pastor, Joe Bower, has spent the latter portion of his ministry career in helping churches during times between pastors. He …

Many people today doubt the relevance of God’s Word. They would rather read USA Today, Time, or Newsweek than the Bible. They believe that the …

Dear Olivia, Happy Birthday! I am writing this letter to you on the day of your Parent-Child Dedication at Faith Baptist Church. As you read …

Everybody can do it! Is your church small? Does it have limited resources? That’s our church, but our bridge-building and outreach can go against the …

We are writing this note from home today due to an intense blizzard that has paralyzed the greater Chicago area. The GARBC Resource Center is …

Our Man to Man ministry is designed to provide accountability and encouragement to men in the church. We want men to have good friends and …

A greeting from Jeannie Vogel, GARBC women’s ministries coordinator: Hi! Allow me to introduce myself. I am a recent addition to the staff at the …

As I hear the Scriptures being read publicly, I shudder at the lack of preparation that sometimes precedes the oral reading of God’s Word. Paul …

Autumn Synergy is ready for your viewing! This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. Renew your …

What’s going on at your church? Probably a full schedule of ministry happenings! The fall brings busyness. We must ask ourselves, are we choosing that …

How well do your church people know the Biblical Distinctives of Baptist churches? Biblical Distinctives of Baptists may not be well known among all of …

1. TRUE. When we use the term, Baptist Distinctives, we are not referring to church traditions that are rooted in cultural norms or individual church …

Do your Sunday School teachers communicate God’s Word clearly and accurately and live in a manner consistent with the content they teach? To help teachers …

[YOUR CHURCH NAME] EDUCATIONAL MINISTRY TEACHER’S STATEMENT OF MINISTRY As a teacher in the ministry of [your church name], it is my desire that God …

Boring! That’s what many church members say about church budget presentations. Budgets contain lists of details that may seem tedious and complex to the average …

Fire and police departments, hospitals, nursing homes, corporations, sports teams—all are venues that are many times open to the ministry of a chaplain. Help your …

Have people in your church been blessed by the ministry of a Regular Baptist Camp? Encourage those people to give back to the camp by …

Need a quick recipe for the next church potluck? Try whipping up this easy-to-make moist cake. Happy Autumn! One Bowl Apple Cake 24 servings Cake …

Looking for a retreat get-away that’s affordable and in peaceful setting? The Rivendel Retreat in Deposit, NY, is available to pastors and missionaries (75% discount), …

On-field missionaries experience loneliness, fatigue, and ministry challenges—many of the same challenges as stateside pastors and wives experience. Missionaries could use a boost, a friendly …

The Regular Baptist Resource Center often receives requests from individuals desiring to obtain the Association’s Literature Items. These historical documents, written by former leaders of …

How well do you know the Biblical Distinctives of Baptists? Circle the correct answer. (Answers and rationales are available.) T F 1. Baptist Distinctives are …

Summer Synergy has arrived! This GARBC e-newsletter for pastors and wives and ministry leaders provides great ideas for your ministry. Renew your thinking by reading …

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” Can you relate to this quote by President Franklin D. …

Pre-field and supported missionaries travel many hours, take great effort, and exert much energy in ministering to churches. Encourage traveling missionaries by extending the following …

Do you ever want people to love you, but instead they are mean to you, or worse, don’t even notice you? I admit it—I like …

Our body of believers is a small church that reaches out to its community in a big way. On the third Saturday of every month, …

“From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: Glory to the righteous! But I said, I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me!” (Isaiah …

Lessons I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way! Those of us who are married recognize the tendency we have to become complacent, selfish, and even unloving in …

Capitalizing on our community’s interest in karate, our church has found a unique evangelism opportunity through the Karate for Christ program. Our mission is to …

Deacons often need help in knowing how to provide leadership and effectively serve the church. The following paragraph from a newsletter by Pastor Roger Ridley, …

Our church is using Love and Respect Seminars to facilitate a new ministry that provides help to husbands and wives for improving their marriage relationship. …

Synergy, a GARBC e-newsletter, provides practical ministry ideas and helps. Written by ministry leaders and pastors and wives for their colleagues, Synergy articles are church-tested. …

Greeting We recently had the opportunity to share the gospel with a man with whom we were conducting personal business. We had listened to him …

Building Your Ministry At times it may be difficult for church visitors to know how to get started in their Christian walk or how to …

Reach Out Sneak Preview of a Baptist Bulletin article by Jeff Hodgin They were a young couple in their early-to-mid twenties. He carried the baby …

Building Your Ministry For five consecutive years our church, First Baptist Church, Bronson, Michigan, has held an annual Sunday School contest during the month of …

Idea Exchange Continuing education might seem costly—but ignorance is more expensive. Here are five ways to build support and funds so you and your team …

Inward Look January is often the month when the GARBC Resource Center receives résumés from pastors who think the Lord may be leading them to …

Idea Exchange During baptismal services our church shows the testimonies of baptismal candidates on video. As the believer enters the water, screens in the front …

Ministry Toolbox She said procrastination was the cause of all my sorrow. I don’t know what that big word means. . . . I’ll look …

Reach Out In our church’s efforts to improve our follow-up of visitors, we found a city map to be a helpful tool. When originally attempting …

Reach Out When listening to a sermon recently, I was stirred by this statement: “The unsaved are not our enemy, they are our mission field.” …

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). In a world of quick fixes, we find ourselves wanting shorter wait times to see …

Ministry Toolbox In 2 Timothy 2:2 the apostle Paul instructed young pastor Timothy, ”And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, …

Children’s Ministries Our small church has been blessed with a large number of children. Through the years we have noticed the availability of programs designed …

Building Your Ministry Small group ministry is not a passing fad. Have you read the stats? “2 out of 5 adults in the United States …

Reach Out Facilitating a gas buy-down event is simple; the most difficult part is securing a venue for the event. I approached gas stations, saying, …

Reach Out At a conference of the Wisconsin Association of Regular Baptist Churches, Pastors Pete Mothershead and Scott Bixby challenged and instructed us in the …

Holiday Focus When people think of Christmas, their thoughts often go toward home and family. In planning our church’s Christmas calendar, we wanted to incorporate …

Holiday Focus Since Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, I desired to provide a realistic way for our people to give a gift to Jesus. Jesus said, …

Idea Exchange A beautiful, full-color brochure, “LeClaire Baptist Church—Discovering Life at Its Best,” caught my husband’s and my attention while visiting an Iowa Welcome Center …

Inward Look If ignorance is bliss, then when it comes to computer technology and surfing the Web, I must be the happiest man alive. At …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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; …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Women’s Ministries Ladies’ Retreats are a great thing, but unchurched women will not usually attend them. To offer an event that appealed to community ladies …

Reach Out As a volunteer chaplain for our local fire department, I have witnessed many things our public servants deal with day by day. It …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Greeting Developing the educational environment of your church is a challenging task. People in your church represent a variety of ages, spiritual maturity levels, learning …

Global Outlook Our church is like many churches that struggle financially. We still desire to encourage missionaries! When missionaries phone to inquire about scheduling a …

Ministry Toolbox John Donne, a minister and poet, wrote, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, …

Inward Look Scott Kigar, associate and discipleship pastor of First Baptist Church, Rochester, Michigan, granted us permission to publish the following article from Direction, his …

Idea Exchange To enhance our Wednesday evening prayer time, we encourage people to bring in newspaper or internet news items as prayer requests. These national …

Building Your Ministry Our church participated in a campaign in which we considered the Biblical purposes of individual believers within a local church body. As …

Children’s Ministries While I was serving as a youth pastor, my senior pastor impressed upon me the importance of giving children focus and attention during …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Current Issue Synergy, a GARBC e-newsletter, provides practical ministry ideas and helps. Written by ministry leaders and pastors and wives for their colleagues, Synergy articles …