The Ohio Baptist Messenger is the monthly news publication of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. Visit www.scbo.org to learn more...
VOLUME 73 ISSUE 4 APRIL 2025
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Featured This Month Baptisms, Cooperative Program Giving on the Rise in SCBO
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Be Strong and Courageous, Ohio Baptists!
Be a Shining Light in Your Community – Get Involved!
Northeast Ohio Leaders Learn the Ways of God with Richard Blackaby Revitalize Ohio: You Matter and God’s Not Finished With You
Ohio DR Stands Up Site After West Virginia Floods
A Faith Servant: Steve Hopkins Retires after Fifty Years of Ministry SCBO Churches Participate in Free Graphic Design Training
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Troy Pastor Moves into New Season of Ministry 12 Snowstorm Doesn’t Deter Church Launch in Central Ohio for Send Network Planter 14
The Ohio Baptist Messenger Staff
Dr. Jeremy Westbrook, editor-in-chief Stephanie Heading, managing editor
Seth Wicker, digital communication assistant AJ Frasure, director of IT
-- Tell us your story -- The Ohio Baptist Messenger is a monthly publication highlighting what the Lord is doing in SCBO churches or min- istries, and we need your help! Tell us your story and we could feature it in an upcoming issue of The Messenger . Please submit your stories to messenger@scbo.org. For more information, please contact Stephanie Heading at messenger@scbo.org.
Published monthly by The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio for members of Southern Baptist churches in Ohio. | 9000 Antares AveColumbus, Ohio 43240
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Baptisms, Cooperative Program Giving on the Rise in SCBO The results are in...I am thrilled to once again share with you that baptisms are on the rise here in the SCBO. We experienced a 13% increase in 2024 and have seen a 121% increase since 2021...to God be the glory!!
The first step is to send an email to grants@scbo.org and you will receive a link to fill out a form digitally. Once sub - mitted, your request will be reviewed and if it is approved, your church will receive funds within two to three weeks of your initial submission. You may submit one request annually and then must provide a follow-up report on how the Lord blessed your evangelistic efforts. The Lord has placed His hand upon our churches here in Ohio and I hope it remains upon us. If I can ever come to preach or serve your church in any way, please feel free to contact me at jwestbrook@scbo.org. It is an honor and a joy to serve the Lord and you.
I pray that we never get over the Gospel and stay focused on sharing the hope of Christ across the street and around the world. Thank you for your faithful and sacrificial gen - erosity towards the Cooperative Program. As you may already be aware, 2024 was the second high- est year of CP giving in the 71-year history of the SCBO! The good news is that we are off to another strong start so far in 2025. As a former pastor and church planter here in the Buckeye State, I always love hearing and seeing the impact of our missions giving. Evangelism Grants Available Did you know that your Cooperative Program giving helps provide evangelism grants to cooperating SCBO church- es? If your church is faithfully contributing to the Coopera- tive Program and has a vision to share the Gospel in your community, then we would like to bless you with a small financial grant, enabling you to accomplish this vision.
Moving Forward,
Dr. Jeremy Westbrook Executive Director-Treasurer, SCBO
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President’s Pen Be Strong and Courageous, Ohio Baptists!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fearing the Lord sets us free to pursue lives that glorify the Father in the name of Jesus. But, there are other kinds of fear. These fears don’t set us free, they make our world smaller. They enslave. They limit. They draw our attention away from the Lord towards something else…usually We’ve all been there… we know what we should do …but we’re afraid. Afraid of poor results, afraid of what others will think, afraid of the relational or financial consequences…afraid to the point of sinful timidity. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. This is not a promise that everything we ever try will turn out the way we want. It is a promise that God is with His people, no matter what. Because of His presence in our lives, we don’t have to be afraid. We can be strong and courageous - acting boldly for the sake of His Kingdom. some version of our own comfort, safety, or pleasure. Have you allowed fear to affect your faithfulness to Christ? Have you allowed fear to affect your faithfulness to Christ? Is there someone with whom you need to share the Gospel? Is there a change you need to implement at your church? Is there a difficult conversation you need to have? Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. If you’re not sure where to begin, we can help! It’s just an email or phone call away. There are amazing resources in our state to help church leaders. You can always reach me at president@scbo.org. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Dt 31:6). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Grace and Peace, Adam Pursel SCBO President
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Be a Shining Light in Your Community – Get Involved! The largest towns in the Southeast Region top out at 25,000 people. Our hills are covered with small communi- ties and rural areas that need the gospel just as much as the bigger cities. By Josh Remy, Southeast Region catalyst
In the Southeast Region, we have church pastors, lead- ers, and members who aren’t just stuck in their offices at the church. We have volunteer firefighters, little league coaches, after-school tutors, city council members, nurs- ing home volunteers, football chaplains, and many other positions of service and leadership in the local community. There is so much to do in our towns that we should be able to easily find something we enjoy and are skilled at doing and use it to bring glory to God. Begin looking in your community for what needs to be done and challenge each other to step into those roles. That may mean lightening the load of church programs so there is time to serve the community. That may mean associating with people who don’t always have habits or language we are comfortable with. That may mean sub- mitting to other leaders that have a different vision or agenda. It will also mean some great conversations and meaningful relationships. God wants to use us out in our communities to shine his light. Let’s get out there! Northeast Ohio Leaders Learn the Ways of God with Richard Blackaby In Northeast Ohio, over 60 leaders gathered to learn how to understand the ways of God and not simply look for acts of God. Dr. Richard Blackaby, presi- dent, Blackaby Ministries, led us in three sessions that challenged us to seek Christ and his kingdom first. Dr. Bill Kirkwood shared how to plan worship that solely glorifies God.
It isn’t as easy as it used to be to engage the people in our communities with the light of Christ. What used to be a cultural expectation of church attendance has since passed away. The old, empty church buildings that dot our countryside demonstrate that small-town churches can no longer assume the “if you build it, they will come” strategy. Instead, we must go to them. One of the best ways to do that is to get involved in your local community. Small towns tend to lack enough people to fill the roles necessary to operate, let alone make it a brighter place. What if, instead of trying all kinds of programs to attract people to the church, the people of the church went to help the community in whatever way possible? Jesus gave us the ridiculous picture of a candle being placed under a bushel basket. Why would anyone do that? And yet, we so often hide our light under a church roof. Church leaders and congregation members should be out among the people of our communities. Here are a few things to think about as we get involved: Humbly serve and lead. Our communities do not need arrogant church people to come and fix everything. In - stead, we should learn from people who have been in the role before. We must also be willing to take on things that other people won’t and do a good job with them, just as Jesus was willing to take up the towel and wash feet. Be encouraging. Our communities desperately need people to build each other up. Very few people have a Barnabas in their life. It is so easy in a small town to crit- icize how things are going. However, there are also some people working very hard to make things happen that would appreciate someone telling them they are doing a great job. As we get involved in our communities, may we be people of encouragement. Balance the dual mission. Yes, we are going to share the Gospel, but if all we do is evangelize and push an agen- da, we will be seen as insincere. Yes, we want to improve our community and build relationships, but if we never tell people about Jesus, then we have settled for the tem- porary mission. We must find the balance of being in the world without being of the world. We should do things with excellence, as we were doing them for Christ, and then be ready to share when people ask about the hope we have. God has put us where we are for a reason. We are called to be lights in the darkness.
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Reggie Hayes (SCBO), Mark Jones (SCBO), Allen Stinson (SWBA), Brian Underwood (SWBA), and Bobbie Garrett (NCBA).
By Mark Jones, SCBO revitalization consultant Revitalize Ohio: You Matter and God’s Not Finished With You
4. God loves to show His strength in our weakness. 5. The Lord desires faithfulness , not bigness. Would you take a moment and pray these hope-giving truths back to God? For the past three months, we have been training coach- es to come alongside you. There are multiple tools to help you in renewing, replanting, or repurposing. Across the state we have practitioners to help you on your journey. In the coming weeks, your AMS and regional catalyst will have tools to assist and encourage you. You are not alone! Will you pray with me for the congregations in your asso- ciation, region, and state to partner together for a greater kingdom impact? Will you take a moment to encourage another pastor right now? Email, text, or call him. If I can be of any assistance to you or your congregation, please email me at mjones@scbo.org or check out www.scbo. org/revitalize. Join me on May 16-17, in Bedford for Lead Well. The theme this year is “Endurance in Ministry.” Register now at https://www.scbo.org/event/lead-well-2025.
I want to take a moment to encourage you. Easter is around the corner, and you may see a few guests at your church. Perhaps you will have a full house. Or maybe you will have the regular 20 in your midst. Praise God no mat- ter what. Remain faithful and keep your eyes on Jesus. Were you aware that 79.1% of SBC congregations av- erage less than 100 in attendance including children? A healthy pastor and a healthy church are focused on Je- sus and his kingdom. This alone determines a successful church regardless of the numbers. In other words, a great church is a faithful church. Are you faithfully following Je- sus? Recently, I attended an AMS Replant Lab in Alpharet- ta, GA. I was encouraged by Mark Hallock as he shared five hope-giving truths for each and every one of us. My prayer is that these truths will encourage you. 1. The Lord is with you and for you. 2. Jesus has a plan for every congregation, including yours. 3. God is sovereign and He can be trusted.
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Ohio DR Stands Up Site After West Virginia Floods By Dr. John Heading, Ohio Disaster Relief state director
Mike and Angie are Jared’s neighbors. They live on a dead-end street next to Sugartree Creek in Williamson, West Virginia. Normally the nearby creek is about eight feet wide and a foot deep. But on February 19, 2025, torrential rains caused the river to swell out of its 15-foot bank and spill over another sev- en feet where it swallowed up homes on Goodman Drive. Both families lost everything in their homes to the flood waters including their kitchens, photos, furniture, family Bibles, plus so much more. The only thing they could do was clean up and haul all their belongings to the street so they could be taken to the local dump. Ohio Disaster Relief served these families and many oth- ers in Williamson with recovery efforts. West Virginia Di - saster Relief called and asked if we would stand up a recovery site there. A request for help is normal since we frequently help each other when a large storm hits. However, this time it was different. We were asked to stand-up the site on our own. Ohio DR has never operat- ed a full site outside of Ohio before. The request meant that we would operate and fund it on our own. We agreed and set up our site at East Williamson Bap- tist Church. Standing up a site requires a feeding unit, shower unit, logistics unit, Incident Management Team, chaplains, assessors, and recovery teams to do the work. Teams from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois responded to our site. During the two-week deployment, Ohio DR spent approximately $5,000 for site expenses. The investment was well worth it. Because we were in Williamson, we had the opportunity to serve Mike, Angie, and Jared. These neighbors already profess Jesus Christ as Lord and the way they handled the flood recovery was very different from the non-believ - ers we met. For example, on the night of the flood, Mike had to take his 78-year-old mother-in-law, who has dementia, to the neighbor’s house by boat. Instead of being angry about it, Mike praised the Lord that there was a boat to use. During the first week of the deployment, Ohio DR had five chaplains in the field. Tom McCullough served on his first deployment as a DR chaplain. However, Tom isn’t a beginner in chaplain ministry since he previously served as a prison chaplain. While out with an Ohio team led by Roger Davis from Ebenezer Baptist Church, Logan, Tom had the opportu- nity to meet Dave. Dave came by the house where the
team was working and Chaplain Tom shared who Jesus is. After a long conversation, Dave gave his life to Christ. After they prayed, Dave said he needed to call his mom. “She will be excited,” he said. Then Dave decided to go tell his friend about Jesus, and off he went. Going into the aftermath of a disaster to serve people who have lost so much is how we serve. But it’s the stories of Dave, Mike, Angie, and Jared that motivate us to prepare for the next deployment. Believers were encouraged and helped. Dave is now a believer and on a mission to tell others. All this because Christ first loved us and we want to share Christ with others. Thank you, Ohio Baptists, for the Ray Roberts State Missions Offering, Cooperative Program giving and individuals who support the work of Ohio Di- saster Relief.
Ohio DR Chaplain Tom McCullough witnessed to Dave and led him to the Lord in Williamson, WV.
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A Faith Servant: Steve Hopkins Retires after Fifty Years of Ministry By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
In the fall of 1975, a 19-year-old college student started his career in ministry at Forest Hill Baptist Church in Ber- lin, KY. Over the next fifty years, Steve Hopkins became a pillar of Ohio Baptist life as a pastor and then a member of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio staff. On April 7, 2025, Hopkins will celebrate 50 years of minis- try – 22 years in the pastorate and 28 years at SCBO – as well as his retirement from SCBO staff. At Forest Hill BC, Hopkins got his feet wet, serving a small congregation of 25-35 people that met for Sunday school every week but only met for worship every other Sunday. “Those people were so good,” he said. “They were so patient with me. For a 19-year-old college student, it was a good way for me to ease into it. I didn’t have to come up with a sermon each week.” After graduating from college and starting seminary at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, Hopkins accepted the pastorate at Indian Fork Baptist Church, Bagdad, KY, in Shelby County. “The church was a little bit larger there,” he said. “We were running 60-70, and maybe would hit 90-100 on a high attendance day.” After his first year in seminary, Hopkins married his wife Denise and the two started life together. He juggled sem- inary classes and pastoring the church while Denise taught school.
Steve and Denise Hopkins
“When we got married she got a job in Shepherd Coun- ty, KY. So she was teaching there, and we were living in Louisville,” he reminisced. “She was going south for her teaching job, and I was going east for my pastoring. So those days were interesting, but they were good days.” Hopkins came to Ohio in 1981 to serve as pastor at Woodsfield Baptist Church, Woodsfield. In 1983, he and Denise returned to Kentucky to serve First Baptist Church, Prestonsburg, until 1990 when they came to Ohio to min- ister at Whitehall Baptist Church, Columbus. Story continues on the next page...
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It was at Whitehall Baptist Church that Hopkins received a request from Dr. Jack Kwok, the new SCBO executive director, in the fall of 1996. A position on the SCBO staff had been vacated and Dr. Kwok wanted his help. “Jack Kwok came to me and said, ‘Hey, this position is empty. I have an opportunity to shape it and form it how- ever we want. Help me put together a new job description for this position,’ Hopkins said. “Dr. Kwok said, ‘What do you think our state needs most?’” Hopkins says he didn’t have to think about it long be- cause he knew what he needed most in his ministry. “I said, ‘You know, I think we need somebody that can help us with leadership issues.’” So he and Dr. Kwok worked together to develop a job de- scription that focused on leadership with Sunday school and discipleship thrown in as well. The day after the job description was approved by the SCBO Missions Council, Dr. Kwok invited Hopkins to lunch. “If it was still there, I could take you to the Cooker restau- rant on East Main Street and I could take you to the table
if it was still there because it was a traumatic moment for me,” he said. “Dr. Kwok said, ‘I’m not telling you that you need to come do this, but I’m telling you, God’s told me to ask you to pray about coming to this position.’” The request stopped Hopkins in his tracks. “I said, ‘Wait a minute! Time out! We developed a position for what I need, not what I can do.’ And he said, ‘Well, you’re willing to learn, aren’t you?’” For the next two months, Hopkins prayed and wrestled with his views about being on a state convention staff. “To be honest with you, and I’ve confessed this to state staff, I didn’t have a very high opinion of state staff,” Hop - kins admitted. “I kind of thought if you couldn’t pastor that’s where they put you and that was my opinion at the time, so I prayed about it. I even had one of those mo- ments where I said, ‘God if this is what you’re doing, what terrible thing have I done?’ But I came to the point that I felt like God said to me, ‘Do you love pastoring more than you love me?’” The question made him stop and think. “I loved pastoring. I thought that’s all I ever really wanted Story continues on the next page...
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to do was pastor and once I felt like God had called me to that, I didn’t want to do anything else, he said.” After almost two months of wrestling with the decision, Hopkins felt the Lord tell him, “How about if I have you serve pastors for a while instead of being one?” He finally reached a decision. “I either had to do one of two things,” he said. “I had to throw out everything I knew about discerning the will of God, or I had to come on state staff.” SCBO churches and pastors have benefitted from Hop - kins’ choice for the last 28 years. “Steve Hopkins has been and will continue to be a bless- ing to Ohio Baptists,” said Dr. Jeremy Westbrook, SCBO executive director. “He has the mind of a scholar, the heart of a shepherd, and the passion of a soul-winner. I, along with many others, are honored to call him friend.” As Hopkins completes his ministry at SCBO, he’s taking the lessons he’s learned over the years and looking for- ward to how the Lord will use him next. “I’m not really sure what’s next,” he said. “I’m not hang- ing up my cleats, but I’m not going to lace them up every day.” He’s open to wherever the Lord leads him next but has an idea of what it might entail. “I feel prayer will be at the heart of whatever’s next for me because that’s been a passion of mine for a lot of years.” As for his legacy at SCBO and among Ohio Baptists, he has a clear picture of what he hopes he’s accomplished. “I hope that 1 Corinthians 15:58, where Paul says, ‘Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord,’” he said. “That steadfastness. I’m not the flashiest guy out there. I’m not going to wow people, but I hope that I have been steadfast.” As a high school student, Hopkins played football, and his picture was in the local newspaper. He was in his uniform in his stance and the caption read, “Blue Devil Stalwart.” “I remember in high school thinking, ‘That’s the dumb- est thing you could say about somebody,’” he recalled. New Career Opportunity Ministry Assistant
“What does that even mean?” Hopkins’ mom cut out the picture, framed it and hung it. “Every time I walked by that picture, I thought, ‘That’s dumb!’” Fifty years later, he’s had a change of heart. “In the last few years, God brought that back to my mind, and I finally went and did some research and looked at what ‘stalwart’ means,” he said. He learned that “stal” is the word for a pillar that holds up a building, and the word “wart” means worthy. “So, a worthy pillar of strength,” he said. In recent years, Hopkins has prayed to be a worthy pil- lar of strength for his family, those he influenced through SCBO, and in retirement, those the Lord brings into his life. “And from now on I want to help people find that spot where they can sense the non-anxious presence of God and hear from him,” he said. “That’s what I want to do. I want to clear out a spot so they can hear from him, and if they have heard from him, then my mission is complete.” Editor’s Note: Breaking News – Steve Hopkins’s new mission is bringing him back to SCBO as the part-time Association and Prayer Catalyst. Farewell and Welcome Back, Steve!
SCBO is looking for a talented person to join our team as a part-time ministry assistant. For more info, complete the form HERE
SCBO Churches Participate in Free Graphic Design Training By Zac James, SCBO worship consultant April 2025 | 11
On March 13, our sister convention in North Carolina graciously shared its graphic design experts to train our pas- tors, staff, and volunteers! We had 25 registrants from SCBO, with 14 of our churches able to attend live. Thank you, Kathryn Carson, Daniel Spiv- ey, and Derek Toone! Also, Whitney Goulding couldn’t attend, but she cre- ated a significant amount of the content that was shared.
This training covered some universal graphic design principles that are very helpful no matter the event or size of your church. After this, conference lead- ers shared the free tool they use, Canva, with some demonstrations of how to cre- ate graphics from templates as well as common features that are very helpful in getting graphics done quickly and with excellence. On a personal level, our graphics team at FBC Lancaster benefited from this training when we attended an earlier we - binar with the same content. I highly recommend you check out the replay if you missed it! If you would like to watch the replay, it is available here.
12 | April 2025
Troy Pastor Moves into New Season of Ministry By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
Johnathan and Jeni Newman
Pastor Johnathan Newman and Koinos Church, Troy, are in a new era of ministry. For the last few years, Newman and his wife, Jeni, have sensed the Lord calling them into something new. However, Newman wanted to transition the church in a way that was best for its long-term health. “Being here for almost 27 years made me really have the desire to see the church do well beyond our lifetimes,” Newman said. He also wanted Koinos to avoid the very normal church pattern of start, growth, plateau, and decline during the transition. “Talking about that, thinking about that made us realize the importance of finding a way when the church is at a place of health and growth and strength became import- ant to us,” he noted. Newman and the other elders at Koinos began to pray and seek the Lord’s will for a new senior pastor for the church. “A plurality of elders caused us to see the growth of the church and development of younger men growing up, de- veloping for ministry and becoming pastors. Just recog- nizing that has created a pool of leaders, an abundance of leaders in the body, where it seemed like that would be the best case scenario if the next pastor would be raised up from within and that’s exactly what happened,” he said. Fifteen years ago, Brian Barnes and his wife Deanna came to Koinos as newlyweds. They were both baptized
at the church and Newman says they just took off grow - ing, learning, and being discipled. “Then we saw them begin to disciple others,” Newman recalled. “We saw clearly God’s giftedness and calling in their lives to be faithful disciple-makers, which led to Brian becoming a Life Group leader.” As time went on, the church recognized the biblical quali- fications of Barnes and appointed him as an elder. “So he’s been a pastor already for several years, but then as my wife and I began to think about God’s calling for us to take a step to do something different, I began to have the conversation with our elders, including Brian, about what God’s doing in our hearts,” he said. The elders found themselves on the same page – Brian Barnes was the man God was calling to be the next Se- nior Pastor at Koinos. “Not only does he love being an elder at our church, he really had the yearning to go be a lead teaching pastor of a church, plant a church, find a church to pastor,” New - man said. “As we’re hearing him say that, we’re thinking we don’t want him to move away and go find a church somewhere. We think he needs to be the next pastor at our church.” The succession plan was executed on February 16, when Barnes stepped into the Senior Pastor position. Following the execution of the successful succession plan, the transition period commenced for Newman, Barnes, and the church. Story continues on the next page...
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“I’ve moved from full-time Senior Pastor to part-time Pas- tor and Discipleship,” Newman said. “My role for 2025 is to do counseling, but also, really whatever is necessary to help Brian get fully acclimated in the new role as Senior Pastor.” In 2026, Newman will no longer be on staff at Koinos but will serve as a non-staff, non-employee elder. And, he and his wife will be fully launching the new minis- try the Lord has placed on their hearts – Thrive. Thrive is a non-profit ministry aimed at providing coach - ing, care, and counseling to pastors, pastor’s wives or other ministry leaders and missionaries. “What we recognized over the years is the huge impor- tance biblical counseling has been in our church,” he re- called. In 1998, Koinos Church was planted with a group of ad- dicts from Narcotics Anonymous. “Over the years we had lots of broken people in our church,” he said. As people requested help, Newman sent them to a Chris- tian counselor. “That’s what you’re supposed to do, right? That’s what all
pastors do,” Newman remembered. “I’m not the profes- sional. Go see the Christian counselor.” However, the feedback he received from the people he sent wasn’t good and he decided he couldn’t send people there anymore. “At that point, I discovered biblical counseling and I be- came a certified biblical counselor.” Newman is currently doing some counseling on a small scale but will be full-time at Thrive in 2026 meeting the great need for biblical counseling he sees in the ministry. “Many pastors are in a single pastor church where they don’t have that kind of culture of care elders around them, helping them settle conflict,” he noted. “There are lots of pastors who just don’t have anybody to go to to talk about these things.” Johnathan and Jeni Newman’s new mission is to be the ones that pastors and missionaries can contact for help, counseling needs, addressing conflict in the church, coaching, embracing change, and other spiritual and practical needs, as they devote the next chapter of their lives to Thrive.
14 | April 2025
Snowstorm Doesn’t Deter Church Launch in Central Ohio for Send Network Planter By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press senior writer
128 people weathered a snow storm for the launch of Change City Church in central Ohio on Feb. 16. Change City photo
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (BP) – A year’s planning had gone into Change City Church in central Ohio before launch day on what was initially a rainy Feb. 16. That’s when the texts started arriving on Pastor Darryl Baker’s phone. “Are you still launching? We are shut down. There’s a snow emergency here,” a Cincinnati pastor texted Baker. But that was 120 miles away. In Pickerington, it was only raining and freezing cold. “Hey, are you still launching today?” a friend from Colum- bus called. “We’re online only. It’s a snow emergency. You can’t even drive around here. It’s terrible.” Columbus is much closer, 17 miles northwest. “And literally, as he said that to me,” Baker told Baptist Press, “I looked out the window – and it was just raining here – and instantly it turned from rain into huge snow- flakes. Oh my goodness. And within a few minutes after that, we started getting bombarded with text messages, ‘Are you still launching today?’” Baker and his core team had held pre-launch events since the summer in Pickerington, a well-to-do Columbus sub- urb of about 25,000 people, and had secured a year’s lease on a church site in a building owned by Learning Never Ends, just across the street from Ridgeville Junior High School. The team had already made connections in the community. Baker contacted his core team. The launch was a go. He encouraged them to use wisdom and attend only if they could safely do so. Having grown up in Chicago, he was accustomed to driving in icy conditions. “I told my wife, ‘It may just be me and you,’” Baker shared
the conversation with Baptist Press. “And I said, ‘If it’s just me and you, guess what, it’ll just be me and you.’” Baker and his wife Patrice have been married 39 years and while Change City Church is a new plant for them, its location is not new on their radar. Baker eyed it as a potential church site long before he heard the call to the pastorate, he said. He pointed it out to his wife as they were driving home, having recently moved to the area. “I literally told my wife. I said man, that’s a great location for a church,” he recalled the conversation. “I said if God ever allowed me to pastor out here, I would want to meet in that building right there. That was 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I said that.” Baker was in pharmaceutical sales at the time, but de- scribes himself as having always had a heart for ministry. “The first person I led to faith was my friend Eddie, in second grade,” Baker told Baptist Press, “at lunch time, sitting on the bench. And I shared the Gospel and he re- ceived the Lord. And I was like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to go to heaven.’” As a young couple, he and his wife started a Good News Bible Club with their children in their home, inviting their children’s friends who were unchurched. As a family, they visited shelters and assisted living facilities. “My wife would sing, my kids would do a dance and I would do a teaching,” Baker recalled. Before Change City Church, Baker planted a church inde- pendently that met in a nursing home, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the facility on lockdown, which left the
Story continues on the next page...
April 2025 | 15
church homeless, and many drifted away. But he retained a core group of 45 members, with hopes of planting anew. Enter the North American Mission Board’s Send Network. After the pandemic Rick Williams, central region state cat- alyst for the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio (SCBO), and Reginald Hayes, SCBO community convention re- lations leader, introduced Baker to the Southern Baptist Convention system of church planting, which seemed to gel with what he and his core team had in mind. Baker agreed to go through the process, watching for God’s di- rection. Baker met pastors in the Ohio African American Fellow- ship, completed a church planting assessment, and was encouraged by the available network of pastors and re- sources. “This is what I was looking for, because the first time I planted a church,” he said, “I didn’t know anything about a church planting network, or anything. Because me and my wife, and a couple of the ladies, we said we’d rent a space and run some radio ads and see who shows up.” He considers Send Network a godsend. “God just really gave me an affirmative,” Baker said. “He said the cities are where change happens. Culture hap- pens in the cities, and that’s how we came up with the name.” Send Network President Vance Pitman describes the Bak- ers as faithful church-planting missionaries, “engaging their city, making disciples, and planting a church despite the obstacles.”
“We are thrilled about God’s activity in and through Change City Church in (Pickerington), Ohio, and their sending church, United Faith International Church,” Pitman told Baptist Press. “We trust God to raise up thousands of new missionaries like the Bakers who will follow God’s call and trust in His promises.” On launch day, Baker and his wife, now an SCBO minis- try assistant, arrived at church to 200 seats and about 15 people. They began the service. But something started to change. “I could just feel it. I’m sitting on the front row. And I can see the reaction from our praise team on the stage,” Baker said. He stepped on stage. People had come. “It was people everywhere,” he said. Nearly 130 people braved the slick roads and the 1.8 inches of snow the lo- cal CBS station, 10 WNBS, reported that day, most of it falling midday. An ethnically diverse group of Anglos, Af- rican-Americans, Africans, Caribbeans and others came, he said, some driving 30 miles or more. “We had the best launch day,” Baker said. “We had 128 people come out in a snow emergency. And the feedback we got from first-time guests was like, ‘We are so glad we came.’” The launch was extended to a second weekend, with 200 arriving the following week. But launch day, with a wind- chill of 14 degrees, was made complete with ice cream after worship. “Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches from Sam’s Club,” Baker said. Article courtesy of Baptist Press
16 | January 2025
Job Postings
BI-VOCATIONAL PASTOR Bethel Baptist Church, Bethel
Bethel Baptist Church is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. We are a conservative Southern Baptist Church with a blended style of worship, located in southwest Ohio just east of Cincinnati. We have a small congregation with a desire to increase our fold by reaching the lost in our community and are seeking a like-minded pastor. Our mission is to “Go Make Disciples!” We are a Bible-believing church and prefer the King James Version of the Bible. We encourage all applicants to view our Sunday morning worship services on our Facebook page. The church is seeking a man called to be a Southern Baptist pastor who agrees with the Baptist Faith and Message. He should also meet the requirements listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-4. Pastoral education and experience are preferred. Send resume to: Pastoral Search Committee, Bethel Baptist Church, 211 E Plane St., Bethel, OH 45106, or Email to bethelbaptist@fuse.net. The church’s Facebook page is Bethel Baptist Church, SBC. Terry Davis, Chairman of the Pastoral Search Committee can be reached at 513-354-0414.
MINISTER OF MUSIC Calvary Baptist Church, Wilmington
Calvary Baptist Church, Wilmington, is seeking a part-time minister of worship. The church uses a blended approach to worship that leans contemporary. Calvary BC has a full worship band with one Sunday morning worship service a week and a few special events throughout the year. This is a part-time position of approximately 10-20 hours per week. Reach out to Pastor Dave Frasure at pastordave@cbcwilmington. net or 513-315-7575 for more information.
Let the Ohio Baptist Messenger help your church find a new pastor or staff member! The Messenger is offering classified ads free of charge for Ohio churches searching for new pastors and staff members. The Messenger is read by churches and individuals in Ohio and across the country. To submit a classified ad, please send brief information about the position along with a return phone number or email: classifieds@scbo.org
February 2025 YTD Church Giving Catalysts.xlsx
Cooperative Program Giving Report (SCBO) December 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025 Church Name
SBC ID# Region
ASSOCIATION
Cooperative Program
1040 Global 4LIFE Worship
0589857 Central 0585555 Southwest 0589860 Central 0528802 Northeast 0595967 Central 0525329 West 0540980 Southwest 0588567 0587150 Northeast 0583841 West 0242735 West 0565637 Northeast 0576373 Central 0588707 Northeast 0595391 Northwest 0246090 Southwest 0588899 Central 0242180 Central 0246512 Northeast 0566679 Northwest 0244236 Southwest 0384032 Northeast 0593836 Southwest 0583283 Central 0571994 Northeast 0373936 Southwest 0595165 West 0597355 West 0242750 West 0454777 Southwest 0587880 Southwest 0376202 Southeast 0568822 Southwest 0396051 Central 0435255 0242818 West 0577585 Northeast 0594836 Southwest 0592075 Southwest 0588915 Southwest 0589930 Southwest 0246694 Northeast 0378356 Central 0504142 West 0398891 Southwest 0584810 Northeast 0244665 Southeast 0592246 West 0594399 Central 0595196 Southwest 0378992 Southeast 0245258 West 0245761 Southeast 0398123 Central 0394932 Northwest 0587151 Southeast 0566602 Central 0586945 Northeast 0242503 West 0245910 0411728 West 0389510 West 0592344 West 0246538 Northeast 0424309 Central 0246710 Northeast 0597338 West 0596481 Central 0243535 Northeast 0586610 Central 0243816 Central 0242859 West 0245613 Northwest 0245779 Southeast
Strategic Church Network
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
0.00 0.00 0.00
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
Abishek Nepali Bhutanese
Strategic Church Network
Abundant Life
Non-Associational
108.63 800.00 0.00 75.00 50.00 50.00 200.00 474.62 138.60
Abundant Life Community Church Abundant Life in Christ Church Agape Bible Fellowship Agape Korean Baptist Church Agape Nepali Baptist Church Airway Baptist Church Akron Hmong Baptist Mission All Nations Baptist Church All Points Church Hudson All-nations Baptist Church Allison Avenue Baptist Church Agape Ministries Alum Creek Baptist Church Austintown Baptist Church Avon Baptist Church Awakenings Christian Fellowship Beacon of Christ Church Beacon Of Hope Baptist Church Beavercreek Baptist Church Berachah Baptist Church Almighty Bhutanese
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Buckeye Central/Erie Association Southwestern Baptist Association Summit Baptist Association
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Summit Baptist Association Strategic Church Network
1,874.00
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Northwest Ohio Baptist Association Southwestern Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Steel Valley Baptist Association Northcoast Baptist Association
0.00 0.00
1,348.95
0.00
600.00 43.32 952.91 300.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Awakenings Christian Fellowship-Sidney Campus
0.00
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Steel Valley Baptist Association
3,055.72
0.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
7,873.80
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
0.00
Berachah Church
Strategic Church Network
300.00
Beth-El Messianic Congregation & Ministries
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
0.00
Bethany Baptist Church
2,594.00
Bethany Baptist Church Clarksville Bethel Baptist Church Bethel Unity Baptist Church Beverly Baptist Church Blanchester Community Ministries Bloom Baptist Church Brantwood Baptist Church Bridge Church at Perry Bridge City Church Collective Bridgepoint Community
0.00
370.62
Non-Associational
0.00
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
327.50
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
0.00
Strategic Church Network
8,459.00 2,867.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Southwestern Baptist Association Ohio Valley Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Summit Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Southwestern Baptist Association Summit Baptist Association Scioto Valley Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Ohio Valley Baptist Association
0.00
801.00
0.00
Bridgeview BC
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
585.15 600.00
Bridgeway Baptist Church
Bridgeway Baptist Church - Riverside Campus Broadman Baptist Church Cuya Falls
0.00
1,387.04 1,722.15 2,700.00 525.00 1,169.00
Brookside Baptist Church Brookville Road Baptist Church Brunswick Community Church Burlington Baptist Church Butler Community Church C3 Freedom House Calvary Baptist Church Calvary Baptist Church
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0.00 0.00 0.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
1,500.00
Calvary Baptist Church Blanchester Calvary Baptist Church McConnellsville Calvary Baptist Church Middletown Calvary Baptist Church Piketon Calvary Baptist Church Shreve Calvary Baptist Church Wilmington Calvary Missionary BC, Dayton Calvary Southern Baptist Church Center of Hope Bible Fellowship Centerville Christian Fellowship Central Baptist Church Marion Central Community Church Central Baptist Church Chardon Christian Fellowship Charisma Word Ministry Charity Missionary BC, Copley Cherry Hill Baptist Church, Korean Chestnut Ridge Baptist Church Chillicothe Baptist Church Carrollton Bible Chapel Cedar Hill Baptist Church Cephas Nepali Church Change City
Non-Associational
$
0.00
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
643.30
Miami Valley Baptist Association Scioto Valley Baptist Association Buckeye Central/Erie Association
$ $ $
0.00
1,680.68
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
West Central Association
$
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
Strategic Church Network
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
357.00
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Steel Valley Baptist Association Buckeye Central/Erie Association Summit Baptist Association
430.00 7,022.15 1,672.78
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Strategic Church Network
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Buckeye Central/Erie Association Northcoast Baptist Association Scioto Valley Baptist Association
75.00 300.00
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0.00
100.00
February 2025 YTD Church Giving Catalysts.xlsx
Cooperative Program Giving Report (SCBO) December 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025 Church Name
SBC ID# Region
ASSOCIATION
Cooperative Program
Christ the King Church Christ the King Eastern Hills
0581020 Southwest 0244202 Southwest
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
$ $
0.00 0.00
Christ the Lord
0583587 West 0595083 West
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
111.00
Christian Evangelical Baptist Church Christian Family Development Center Christians United in Christ Baptist Church
0.00
0589853 Southwest 0580405 Central 0593280 Central 0591347 Central 0589229 Southwest 0242347 Central 0593175 Central 0592173 0584043 Northeast 0590597 Southwest 0454363 West 0596819 Northeast 0244186 Southwest 0245506 Northwest 0016447 Central 0593015 Central 0596752 Central 0581515 Central 0596024 Southwest 0438085 Southeast 0580377 Central 0019071 Southeast 0588636 Southwest 0378844 Northeast 0567729 Southwest 0591918 West 0461426 Northeast 0404343 Northeast 0591553 Northwest 0592552 Northeast 0245407 Southeast 0569067 Southeast 0592343 Northeast 0581669 Central 0590099 Northwest 0244632 Southwest 0584862 Central 0243386 West 0580563 Central 0591485 Central 0580380 Central 0583431 Central 0245472 Northeast 0242974 West 0468876 Northeast 0594076 Northeast 0242875 West 0595308
Ohio Valley Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
500.00
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Chroma Church Church in the Valley Church in the Wild Cincinnati Tamil Church
Non-Associational
Strategic Church Network
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
Circleville First Baptist Church
Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network
2,441.81 4,439.46 300.00 1,600.00
Citizens Church
City Church - Cleveland Heights
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Northcoast Baptist Association
City Hope Church Citylight Church
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
300.00 900.00 812.13
Clearview Community Church Clough Pike Baptist Church College Heights Baptist Church Columbus Kale Heywet Church Columbus Kale Heywet Church Columbus Myanmar Church Columbus Tamil Church Community Baptist Church Dover Community Christian Fellowship Community of Faith Baptist Church Comfort Missionary Baptist Church Cincinnati
5,429.15 300.00
Columbus Jesus The Shepherd Korean Baptist Church 0596458 Central
Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network
88.90 0.00 15.00 0.00 30.00 0.00 225.00
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
Strategic Church Network
$
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
0.00 0.00
Connection Point Church Cornersburg Baptist Church Cornerstone Baptist Church Cornerstone Baptist Church
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Steel Valley Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Summit Baptist Association Northcoast Baptist Association Steel Valley Baptist Association Scioto Valley Baptist Association Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Northwest Ohio Baptist Association Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Strategic Church Network
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
962.21 1,592.52
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0.00 0.00
Cornerstone Bible Baptist Church Cornerstone Church of Aurora Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church Cortland Trinity Baptist Church
1,000.00
75.00 120.00 326.51
Coshocton Baptist Church Countryside Baptist Church
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
0.00
Cove City Church Covenant Church
900.00
0.00
Covenant Church of Perrysburg Creek Road Baptist Church Crestview Baptist Church Clayton Cross Community Church (C3) Creekside Church Crossroads Baptist Church CrossRoads Baptist Church Crosstown Community Church CrossWalk Worship Center Cuyahoga Valley Church CrossPointe Church Crossroads Church, A Baptist Congregation Cuyahoga Valley Church Brunswick Campus
1,500.00 4,440.35 120.00 12,938.34
Strategic Church Network
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network
0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association
411.68 200.00 21.00
Non-Associational
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Cleveland Hope Baptist Association
11,480.00 7,180.00 7,500.00
Dayton Avenue Baptist Church Dayton Chinese Christian Church
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $ Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0470880 West 0453209 West
0.00 0.00 0.00
Dayton Korean BC
Derek Wise
Individual
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $
Discovery Church DiverCity Church
0242727 Central 0596350 Central 0588823 Southwest 0572663 Southeast 0586156 Southwest 0592136 Central 0412189 Central 0401729 Northeast 0246165 Southwest 0245067 Northwest 0243550 Northeast 0245068 Northwest 0242305 Central 0245274 West 0579817 Southeast 0463869 West
Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network
300.00 133.60 624.00 225.00 0.00
Dominion Firehouse Chapel Dover Baptist Temple
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
Muskingum Valley Baptist Association $
Dreamers Church
Cincinnati Area Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Strategic Church Network Steel Valley Baptist Association Southwestern Baptist Association Northwest Ohio Baptist Association Cleveland Hope Baptist Association Northwest Ohio Baptist Association Strategic Church Network Miami Valley Baptist Association Scioto Valley Baptist Association Miami Valley Baptist Association
Dublin Baptist Chinese Church
0.00
Dublin Baptist Church
31,177.84
East Conneaut Baptist Church East River Road Baptist Church East Toledo Baptist Church Eastlake Baptist Church Eastland Baptist Church Eastland Heights Baptist Church Eastview Baptist Church Ebenezer Baptist Church Edgewood Baptist Church
116.34 848.80
0.00
900.00 3,134.04 1,216.00 2,227.42 3,000.05 4,799.34
Eldorado Baptist Church Elk Creek Baptist Church
0584896 West 0245282 West
Greater Dayton Association of Baptists $
0.00 0.00
Miami Valley Baptist Association
$
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