“If you miss Heaven, you’ve missed it all,” Bruce Snyder would often say at the end of sermons, and for 86 years he lived by a simple motivating motto, “Perhaps today.” Years later, when church members from seven churches recalled his ministry, they all remembered the same thing—his golden baritone voice and the songs he sang about Heaven.
Bruce H. Snyder, the longtime associate pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio, died on January 24. He was 86, one day shy of his birthday.
He was born in Mishawaka, Indiana, on January 25, 1937, and was led to trust Christ as Savior at eight years old by his father, a pastor. Bruce attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where he sang in a men’s quartet that traveled to churches on weekends. After graduating in 1958, he married Ellen E. Read, who grew up in Plymouth, Indiana. He studied at Bob Jones University for a year while Ellen completed her program there, and she graduated in 1959.
Bruce became superintendent of the City Rescue Mission in South Bend, Indiana, and while serving there was called to pastor Auburn Bible Baptist Church, Auburn, Indiana. In 1965 he became associate pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio, forging relationships that would last for the remainder of his ministry. He also served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Churubusco, Indiana (1968–1969); Faith Baptist Church, Elida, Ohio (1971–1975); Maranatha Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio (1984–1988); Montana Avenue Baptist Church, Caldwell, Idaho (1988–1995); and First Baptist Church, Horseheads, New York (1995–2003).
He served as Emmanuel’s associate pastor on three separate occasions: 1965–1968, 1975–1984, and 2003–2014. After he was named emeritus pastor in 2014, he continued to serve the church in retirement. His years at the Toledo church were marked by rapid expansion, growing from a congregation of 300 to an average of 1,400 during the 1970s.
Bruce served on the steering committee that started Emmanuel Christian School in 1967 and served the first year as its administrator. He also became Emmanuel’s radio announcer, starting with a Sunday morning program on WTOD, and continuing when the church produced a 15-minute daily broadcast for WPOS-FM, known as Midday Manna and later Echoes of Emmanuel. He was also host of the church’s long-running broadcast of its evening service.
When people asked why he kept returning to the same associate pastor role in Toledo, his answer was usually taciturn—but the church knew the real reason. He offered calm, reassuring leadership during difficult transitions when he served as interim pastor. He became the soul and conscience of the church, a quiet problem solver who led with integrity. Years later, when Jim Vogel was recruiting ministry leaders to write for The Pastor: A Guide for God’s Faithful Servant, Bruce Snyder contributed a chapter on the role of associate pastor.
“Being a pastor is indeed a good work,” Bruce wrote. “Being the associate with a good pastor is also a very good work. It is such a great privilege to be directly involved in the work of the local church and see firsthand what God is doing in ministry. To all associates, I echo the sentiments of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord’ (1 Cor. 15:58).”
Bruce leaves his wife of 65 years, Ellen; his children, Brenda (Bob) Shawver, Bruce (Janice) Snyder, Brent (Sharon) Snyder, Beth (Darrin) White, and Brian (Cindy) Snyder; 16 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
