By Greg Linscott

One of the most beloved movies of all time in the U.S. is It’s a Wonderful Life. In one scene, a young George Bailey boasts about his dreams of exploration. He points out his membership in the National Geographic Society to prove he is committed to a life of risk and adventure. Those who understand the reference smile; after all, his membership just means a magazine subscription, right?

Regular Baptist churches sometimes view their fellowship with the GARBC in the same way—that they are just subscribing to a magazine or bankrolling a publishing house or enabling chaplains to obtain legitimate credentials. We might believe that fellowshipping with the GARBC doesn’t really affect who we are, what we do, or how our churches operate. But fellowshipping with the GARBC means that churches are also fellowshipping with one another. And when congregations work together, God can accomplish much.