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 11 November 2025
Transforming Prayer Impacts London Correctional Institute
Full story on page 13
Featured This Month God is Blessing Ohio, It’s Time to Express Our Gratitude by Dr. Jeremy Westbrook 3 Beloved, Let Us Love One Another by Adam Pursel 4 SCBO Launches Forward Together Podcast 6 SCBO Provides Biblical Counseling Services for Church Staff Ministers 7 Biblical Counseling Makes a Difference in My Life 7 Worship 4:24 - Something for Everyone in Worship Ministry 8 Blue Sky Times in Disaster Relief 9 A Season of Growth and Celebration at Springboro Baptist Church 10 Florida-Ohio Churches Partner for Reciprocal Mission Trips 11 Transforming Prayer Impacts London Correctional Institute 13 For the Kingdom: Jersey Church’s Vision for the Next Decade 14 God at Work in Ohio 16 2 | November 2025
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 Ave Columbus, Ohio 43240
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God is Blessing Ohio, It’s Time to Express Our Gratitude As the old saying goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
Church Planting Increase Another reason to celebrate is the continued church planting efforts in SEND Network Ohio. Multiplication is on the rise in Ohio, and we are anticipating another in- crease in the number of new plants and replants. We should thank the Lord for placing His good hand upon us and never take the days for granted. SCBO Pastors Conference and Annual Celebration We have so much more to share and celebrate with you, so I hope to see you at the SCBO Pastors Conference and Annual Celebration. Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon, is hosting us on Mon - day, November 10, and Tuesday, November 11. The Pastor’s Conference kicks off on Monday at 4 pm with great preaching from Andy Addis, lead pastor, Cros- spoint Church, Hutchinson, KS, and Brian White, lead pastor, Harvest Church, Carmel, IN. On Tuesday, our An- nual Celebration begins at 9 am and concludes by 3 pm. Please be sure to visit https://scbo.org/ac-home to learn more and get registered! I look forward to seeing you soon and expressing our gratitude together to the Lord for the great things he has done. Moving Forward,
The Lord is blessing us here in Ohio, and we are having fun joining God in his activity here in the Buckeye State. What a fantastic year we have enjoyed from the Lord, as his hand is upon us. Lord willing, we will soon gather together to collaborate, communicate, and celebrate God’s activity among us here as Ohio Baptists. Why? Because we are grateful and should come togeth- er to express it. Here are just a few examples of how the Lord is blessing us in the SCBO. Cooperative Program Giving Despite Cooperative Program (CP) giving being down nationally, Ohio CP giving is on the rise through the first nine months of the fiscal year, as well as over the same time period last year. We have spent most of this year celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program. Did you know that Southern Baptists have given over $20 billion through CP since 1925, and Ohio Baptists have contributed over $188 million to worldwide mis- sions through CP? No other denomination or network of churches has sustained that level of financial commit - ment for so long. In honor of CP’s 100th year, we are offering a free SCBO/CP100 quarter-zip in your size to messengers who pre-register for the SCBO Annual Celebration! It’s our way of saying thank you for your faithful generosity. Supplies are limited, so be sure to register today before your size runs out.
Dr. Jeremy Westbrook Executive Director-Treasurer, SCBO
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President’s Pen Beloved, Let Us Love One Another
Beloved, let us love one another… Why? John gives us so many reasons packed into this brief section! Love is from God! When we love one another, we display the reality that we have been born again and know God. When we fail to love, it displays the reality that we do not know God because God is love! God has perfectly displayed his love for us through sending his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world! Believers have seen and experienced God’s love and, therefore, must share that love. God has further displayed his love for us in that his love moved first. He did not wait for us to love him! Outside of Christ, nobody loves God. God displays his love by sending his Son to be the propitiation for our sins while we were still sinners! God’s incredible love for us both motivates and mandates us to love one another. When we do so, the invisible God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. Beloved, let us love one another… I’d like you to consider a couple of questions on this command from the Lord. What can you do this week to display the love of Christ to your church family? Is your church marked by Christian love? What can you do this week to display the love of Christ to your spouse/children? Is your home marked by Christian love? As always, I want to remind you: there are amazing resources in our state to help church leaders faithfully proclaim Christ in their communities. You can always reach me at president@scbo.org. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (1 Jn 4:7-12). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
Grace and Peace, Adam Pursel SCBO President
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SCBO Launches Forward Together Podcast A new podcast, designed especially for SCBO pastors and staff, is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the SCBO website. By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
Forward Together , hosted by Buzz Kocher, SCBO director of strategic initiatives, is a ministry podcast dealing with practical issues that impact pastors, staff members and churches. “We want to have honest conversations,” Kocher said. “We are not trying to skirt around difficult issues.” The first 14 episodes of Forward Together will feature members of the SCBO staff sharing about their ministry experiences. “With a person like Zac James, SCBO worship consul- tant, he’s got expertise in the worship world,” Kocher re - marked. “So we talked about the reality of worship and music within our churches.” Another episode will focus on ministry in a rural context, featuring Southeast Regional Catalyst Josh Remy. “I had a great interview with Josh Remy talking about rural ministry, and some of the challenges that there are work- ing with small churches, and how we can come alongside in different ways to help,” Kocher said. Eventually, the Forward Together podcast will interview SCBO pastors in their areas of expertise, in addition to equipping churches and pastors in areas like the Cooper- ative Program, International Mission Board, Church Plant - ing, Disaster Relief, and many other areas of SBC life. “I think the sky is the limit with this because we just have so many people within our state who have really good in- sights,” Kocher said. “One of the things that I’m making a priority is hearing their testimony. We want to know their call to ministry, and how that came about.”
Kocher is asking his Forward Together guests to “tell us your story.” “There are a lot of interesting stories,” he said. “And I think there are things there that other guys can relate to, and we really want to get to know the people we are interviewing and for them to share some of the rawness of their sto- ries.” Forward Together has a three-fold purpose. “It’s equipping, encouraging, and connecting. Those are probably the three biggest things we’re trying to do through this,” Kocher said. “I hope they equip and encourage pastors. I hope they see the mission of togetherness, of cooperation, and hopeful- ly, it can even provide networking opportunities for pas- tors. I think pastors are always trying to learn from other pastors. And obviously, different guys would be doing dif - ferent things. But, with all the different lanes that guys are running in within the SBC, we’ve got all of them covered.”
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SCBO Provides Biblical Counseling Services for Church Staff Ministers
By Ryan Strother, director of Convention Support
Ministry, while immensely rewarding, often carries bur - dens and challenges. Ministers are on the front lines of spiritual warfare, pas - toral care, and administrative responsibilities, all while striving to maintain their own walk with Christ and care for their families. The demands can be relentless, leading to burnout, Paid staff ministers and their immediate family members from cooperating SCBO churches are now eligible for biblical counseling services paid for by SCBO. Whether you’re part-time or full-time, if you’re in a ministry staff position, we’re glad to partner with you in this way. To be eligible, your church must have given through the Cooperative Program in the last calendar year. Ohio Baptists, your generosity makes blessings, like counsel- ing, possible for the ministers we serve. emotional fatigue, and spiritual dryness. Now, SCBO is coming alongside to help. We’re excited to partner with Fieldstone Counseling, a biblical counseling center in Ohio, and to contract with individual Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) certified counselors in SCBO churches. Currently, three individual counselors are working with us. This collaboration allows us to offer a wider range of options for you. All counseling sessions can be virtual or in-person with no cost to the minister. When it comes to seeking counseling, there are often obstacles, especially for ministers, that keep them from seeking help. First, they don’t know who to talk to for fear that their conversation might be used against them. Second, counseling carries a stigma that implies weakness, and they feel that this should be avoided; and third, counsel- ing can be expensive. SCBO is trying to overcome these barriers. Recently, I have had conversations with pastors about the struggles they are facing. Whether it is challenges with their children, questioning God’s calling, struggling with feelings of being betrayed by church members, dealing with marriage issues, or turning to unhealthy ways of coping with ministry stresses, I hope that pro- viding counseling will help ministers understand their challenges and honor God in their responses. Biblical counseling is not merely offering advice; it’s a process of discipleship in which the counselor, guided by the Holy Spirit and the principles of scripture, helps you apply God’s truth to your specific circumstances. It provides a framework for understanding your struggles, identifying root causes, and developing practical steps
towards Christ-centered growth and healing. Chad Berry, lead pastor, New Liberty Baptist Church, Lexington, is an ACBC-certified counselor. He has seen the fruit of biblical counseling in those he works with in his ministry. “The process of biblical counseling teaches people how to read and absorb the scriptures,” Berry said. “I had a counselee who had grown up in church, but shared that they never learned to study the scripture on their own. Through the process of biblical counseling, this counsel- ee has expressed that they are now drawing more from the scriptures than ever before. “The second fruit of biblical counseling is seeing people embedded into the local church,” he continued. “We all As a pastor, I am usually the one seeking to provide godly counsel to others. I recently came to realize that it was my turn to seek godly, professional insight on some lingering questions in my life. Why do I often get “derailed” by innocent comments from others and go into a “funk?” How can I continue to minister to others while grieving the loss of my parents? Why do certain situations cause messages of inadequacy, discouragement, and defeat to flood my thoughts? How is my trauma from the past impacting me today? Am I distancing myself from those who love me due to my reluctance to pursue honest answers to these situations? These questions and more caused me to seek out professional Christian counseling nearly one year ago. Counseling has given me the language and tools that help me to identify the destructive messages of the enemy in my life, and to counter them with God’s truths. I have not arrived by any means, but I am making progress in these areas of my life that have been stagnant for many years. I humbly encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to sit under the wisdom and insight of trained professional Christian counselors. You will not regret your decision to take this healing step. Biblical Counseling Makes a Difference in My Life Testimony By Keith Hurt, SCBO director of Next Gen
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know how vital the local church is to the Christian life. I had another counselee who was new to the faith, and seeing them grow in their love for the church and their connectivity deepen was one of the greatest joys as a counselor.”
More information, including the details of the counseling program and scheduling links, can be found at scbo- counseling.org.
Worship 4:24 - Something for Everyone in Worship Ministry Worship 4:24 is on the horizon at Cedarville University, January 30-31, 2026, and now is the time to make plans for your worship leader, your worship team, and your pastor to attend.
tor Joe Kibbey, so come with your worship leader and grow together,” James noted. We’re asking every SCBO church to send at least one person from your church to receive training, even if you only come on Saturday!” Register early for Worship 4:24 as the price increases on November 4. In addition, SCBO churches are eligible for a ten percent discount with promo code: SCBO424 . “For NAMB church planters in Ohio, I have some free Wor - ship 4:24 tickets as well,” said James. Contact James at zjames@scbo.org for more information. “No matter the worship style or musicians you have (or don’t have), no matter whether you’re a solo worship leader of a church plant, a pastor doing it all yourself, or a worship pastor at a multi-campus church, we have relevant training for your ministry,” James said. Register at worship424.com today!
Co-sponsored by The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio and the Cedarville University Department of Music and Worship, this conference is designed to equip and encourage worship leaders, musicians, bands, praise teams, and tech crews to be effective in worship min - istry. Worship 4:24 will feature guest artist Paul Baloche with special guest Meredith Andrews. “These guys are legends in worship team training, song- writing, and much more,” said Zac James, SCBO wor- ship consultant. “We design this event for your whole worship team, including worship and tech teams. “Pastors, we have breakout sessions for you, including our very own Aaron Taylor teaching with his worship pas-
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Blue Sky Times in Disaster Relief By John Heading, Ohio Disaster Relief director
Sixteen Ohio DR volunteers worked together to clean and reorganize the DR storage garage at First Baptist Church, Groveport.
Ohio Disaster Relief exists to bring help, hope, and heal- ing to people in crisis. “To bring” means we deploy to fulfill our mission during “Dark Sky” periods, when disasters happen, and we stand up to help. You read about people receiving Christ and volunteers doing hard things for the sake of the gos- pel during Dark Sky events. But what happens in DR when there aren’t any disasters that require deployment? These are known as “Blue Sky” times. You might think we are sitting around waiting for a disaster to happen. Instead, we are busy doing the be- hind-the-scenes work that keeps DR ready to help. During Blue Skies, we get requests to assist churches and other organizations. Churches request to use a shower unit for a mission team coming to town. You might think that’s an easy one. However, deploying the shower unit requires the unit to be ready to go. Volunteers must fill the propane tanks, make sure the unit is clean and complete any needed maintenance on the unit. The shower trailer has to be dropped off, hooked up, and then picked up and cleaned again. The DR shower unit has been deployed six times in 2025 to help Ohio churches. During Blue Skies, we get requests from Ohio emergen- cy managers and other government agencies to support an exercise. One request this fall was from the Hamilton County Emergency Manager asking us to feed volunteers for an event on October 21. We agreed, and Carl Brown, Dayton Avenue Baptist Church, Xenia, led this effort.
This kind of deployment requires Carl to recruit a team, plan a menu, go shopping, and get the mobile kitchen ready to go. The unit requires propane and water to cook. It also requires all the same things you have in your kitch- en to cook for a large group of people. The mobile kitchen, like every DR unit, requires mainte- nance. Recently, it suffered significant damage that de - stroyed the exhaust vent outside on top of the unit. The fan assembly alone cost $1600, and we installed it our- selves. Does your garage ever get so full that you can’t walk through it? The DR garage at First Baptist, Groveport, was reaching that point, so we scheduled a day, recruit- ed many volunteers to clean it up, threw the junk in a dumpster, and fed the volunteers as well. Blue Sky times also involve training in all phases of di- saster relief. We also have to maintain every piece of equipment. Ohio Disaster Relief has four heavy-duty, diesel pickup trucks. To have the oil and both fuel filters changed costs around $500 each. Managing our Blue Sky times is necessary to be ready to deploy when disaster strikes. It takes faithful volun- teers and the financial resources to meet expenses, both planned and unplanned. Thank you so much for supporting Ohio Disaster Relief with volunteers from your churches, and for giving to the Cooperative Program and the Ray Roberts State Mis - sions Offering.
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A Season of Growth and Celebration at Springboro Baptist Church
By Chad Keck, West Region catalyst
Members prayed earnestly in the weeks leading up to the event, asking God to open doors for gospel conver- sations and new relationships. Their prayers were an- swered as friends, family, and neighbors joined together for a day overflowing with food, laughter, and fellowship. The highlight came as the congregation celebrated six baptisms, each representing a powerful story of re- demption and renewal. As the waters rippled and tes- timonies were shared, the joy in the room reflected the truth of Luke 15:10: “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” These moments reminded everyone that the heart of their mis- sion remains unchanged—to proclaim Jesus as the only hope for salvation and to see lives forever changed by his grace. The following Sunday evening, the church family gath- ered again for another milestone—the dedication and grand opening of “The Cove.” Nestled among the trees behind the church building, this new outdoor ministry space was prayerfully designed to create room for wor- ship under the open sky, small group gatherings, youth events, and moments of quiet reflection in God’s cre - ation. It’s a place where faith and community can grow side by side. Around 200 people attended the dedication, which fea- tured heartfelt worship, a message from God’s Word,
The Cove at Springboro Baptist Church.
God is moving in powerful and unmistakable ways across Ohio’s West Region, and Springboro Baptist Church is a vivid testimony of his transforming grace. Under the leadership of Pastor Lucas Cunningham, who began serving in June 2023, the church entered a sea- son marked by momentum, unity, and spiritual harvest. What was once a dream of renewed outreach and com- munity connection is now unfolding before their eyes. Last month, Springboro Baptist hosted its annual Fall BBQ, one of the most anticipated and beloved events of the year. This year’s gathering drew an incredible crowd of 440 people—one of the largest since Pastor Cunning - ham’s arrival.
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and plenty of s’mores enjoyed around the fire. As one member shared, “It felt like a glimpse of heaven—God’s people together, worshiping freely, and celebrating his goodness.” The night beautifully embodied the spirit of Luke 14:23, where Jesus calls his followers to “go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” The evening at The Cove was more than a dedication—it was a declaration that Springboro Baptist is committed to going beyond the walls of the church to reach the lost and serve their community in love. The mission of 2 Cor- inthians 5:20 continues to guide them: “We are ambassa- dors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”
As a leading church in the West Region of the SCBO, Springboro Baptist continues to model faithful leader- ship, creative ministry, and a gospel passion that is in- spiring others throughout the West Region. The congre- gation is proof that when God’s people remain faithful to his word and committed to his mission, he does immea- surably more than all we could ask or imagine. The days ahead are filled with excitement and expectan - cy. Whether it’s through baptisms, backyard barbecues, or bonfire worship nights in The Cove, Springboro Bap - tist Church is seeing firsthand that God is still in the busi - ness of changing lives—and the best is yet to come.
Florida-Ohio Churches Partner for Reciprocal Mission Trips Two churches in the Florida-Ohio partnership are grow- ing their connection by investing in one another – in per- son. By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
The partnership between Life Church, Monroe, Ohio, and Faith Baptist Church, Lakeland, Florida, has taken the next step – working together hand-in-hand in each other’s ministry context. This past summer, Life Church and Faith Baptist formed mission teams that drove nearly 2000 miles round-trip for reciprocal mission trips during two weeks in August. Life Church, led by Pastor Bill Sargeant, traveled south during the first week of August and arrived in Lakeland with a team of eight in time to participate in a week of missions with Faith Baptist and its association, the Cen- tral Florida Baptist Association. “What our AMS was asking was for that whole week, all of our churches to really go above and beyond in the area of community outreach,” said Pastor Drew White, Faith Baptist Church. The churches worked together to serve people inside the church, outside the church, and at various commu- nity agencies, including a local camp, a pro-life clinic, and the national headquarters of One More Child. “We did power washing and physical labor and things like that with Drew,” Bill said. There’s just something about physically doing something together. It was a re- ally good moment where two churches came together. Because it wasn’t our group and your group, it was us together.” Life Church is a church replant and is currently reaching people who have never attended church before, are be- coming believers and are hungry to learn how to live the Christian life. The members of the mission team were all part of Bill’s small group.
Pastor Bill Sargentm (left), Life Church, Monroe, Ohio, and Pastor Drew White (right), Faith Baptist Church, Lakeland, Florida.
“Small groups are about depth in the word, but it’s also about proximity and relationship with one another,” he said. “Ultimately, to be involved with others, and when people don’t have that, and they get that, it just blows them away. That’s what happened on this trip.” At the end of their week together at Faith Baptist, the Life Church team headed back to Monroe to prepare to welcome the Faith Baptist team to Ohio the last week of August. They returned home changed, and that affected Life Church, too. “This trip was a little bit different because it overflowed onto the church,” Bill said. “The people who went were definitely impacted, but more so those who were close to them because of the joy and the excitement,” Bill not- ed. Since the trip to Lakeland, five people at Life Church
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are preparing for baptism, and four couples who have recently come to faith in Christ are working with Bill to change their living arrangements and get legally married. “I really believe the movement of obedience to the Holy Spirit in our people has now caused what we are seeing,” Bill said. “I think of a mission trip as a cannonball, so the splash is what we are enjoying now from the trip – those salvation experiences and those baptisms.” During the last week of August, a Faith Baptist team of 16, led by Drew, traveled to Monroe to assist with the Life Church Annual Pig Roast and do evangelism outreach. Again, teams from both churches worked together, pre- paring food and sprucing up the church grounds. Then they heard about a local parade and jumped into evangelism mode. “That was a great outreach,” Drew said. “There was a little league soccer parade that was happening in town that day where there were hundreds and hundreds of people,” “We grabbed every flyer we could find for the pig roast and took our crew over and handed out at least a couple hundred, if not more, to the community.” However, they didn’t stop there. They also handed out flyers in neighborhoods in Monroe. “Those were successful,” he said. “I talked to several families at the event that either got a leaflet on their door or at the little league parade.” For Drew, the mission trip was a homecoming and a time of harvest. He grew up in Monroe and served as a police officer with the Monroe Police Department for ten years before he
was called to ministry and moved to Florida to be the pastor of Faith Baptist. While back in Monroe, Drew reconnected with two men he had witnessed to for years with no obvious success. The first was Officer Josh King, and when they recon - nected, Drew saw something different in Josh. “There was just a different countenance about him,” he said. “He actually accepted Christ a year and a half ago, has given up drinking and cursing, all the things that I remember him being. You talk about fruit. You could see it on his face. “What an incredible story to be a part of that and be able to plant seeds and water seeds, but to know he’s given his life to Christ. My wife and I were in tears in the lobby talking to him about this, and he came to the event that night with his family. It was just an incredible moment for me personally. It was awesome!” The second man was Eric, and through Drew’s witness years ago, and the connection between Life Church and Faith Baptist today, Eric came to faith in Christ and now attends Life Church. He has asked Drew to baptize him. Bill and Drew are working out the details. Both pastors are committed to their partnership and are planning reciprocal mission trips for 2026. “We serve the same God. We have the same goal,” Drew said. “It’s the Southern Baptist spirit of cooperation that I just absolutely love.” Bill couldn’t agree more. “Now there’s a brotherhood and sisterhood together to grow the kingdom,” he said.
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Transforming Prayer Impacts London Correctional Institute By Steve Hopkins, prayer consultant
reason she is still here is that she can pray for her family. I realized I am not praying for my lost family members. I am now committed to praying for them, so my grandmother can go to heaven.” Mark was also moved by his experience with the men. “This has been a truly transforming experience. The men were hungry to learn and grow in their faith. They read ‘Transforming Prayer,’ along with God’s word, and the Lord transformed them,” he said. Every week, the men had to be coaxed out of the chapel because they were gathered at the altar, praying. Seeing God at work, feeling him move in my own life, has been life-changing.” “‘Transforming Prayer’ certainly lives up to its title,” Chris writes. “It will forever change the way I see prayer.” As Mark and I began to leave on the last night, five men gathered around us. They prayed over us, offering some of the most powerful prayers I have ever experienced. It was definitely more of an encouragement for me to be there than anything we did with them. Because of your giving to the Cooperative Program, each man received “Transforming Prayer” and “21 Days of Transforming Prayer.” The Transforming Prayer group study is available for your church at strategicrenewal. com . Also, mark your calendar—Daniel Henderson will be in Ohio on October 23-24, 2026, at Jersey Church for a prayer summit.
The entrance of the London Correctional Institute in London, Ohio.
For the last several years, I have been doing prayer ministry with Mark Painter, a deacon at Violet Baptist Church, Pickerington, and recently we were invited by Chaplains Kehr and Haynes to come to the London Correctional Institute to share the book, “Transforming Prayer” by Daniel Henderson, with the men incarcerated there. About 40 men gathered each Wednesday from 6-8:30 pm for teaching and prayer together. On the first night, two men prayed to receive Christ, a testimony to the great work the chaplains are doing in a challenging environment. Chaplain Kehr shared that they had 50 waiting for baptism! Adopting the request of the disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray,” we studied the Model Prayer (Matthew 6:9- 13) over five sessions. We learned that the motivation for prayer is “He is worthy!” and our response is “We are needy!” Together, we came to understand what it means to pray “scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayers.” I sat and talked with Kevin after a time of prayer in small groups. Others were still praying, so we had a few minutes. He shared with me the two things that impacted him most from “Transforming Prayer.” “The way ‘bless’ and ‘be with’ dominate most of our prayers,” said Kevin. “I’m learning to be more specific.” Kevin also noticed what people pray about. “We spend more prayer energy trying to keep sick Christians out of heaven than trying to keep lost people out of hell,” he said. “My grandmother is 97. She is eager and ready to go home and be with Jesus. However, she believes the
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For the Kingdom: Jersey Church’s Vision for the Next Decade
By Chris Moseley, Jersey Church, communication minister
he is calling Jersey Church to step out in obedience. Our heart is not to build our own kingdom, but to seek his. We believe the greatest way to advance the kingdom of God is by making Jesus known to those who have yet to believe. We are not seeking for Jersey Church to grow by 5,000, but to see 5,000 step into the kingdom of light from darkness. As Ethan Ness shared, “The announcement of the new vision has stirred up so much excitement around the church as people begin to pray for 5,000 people to come to Christ and consider what Kingdom Movement they will be a part of!” Our Mission The mission of Jersey Church is to glorify God in reach- ing the lost by discipling believers and sending them out to begin Kingdom Movements. Every follower of Jesus is called to be a disciple who makes disciples. That’s why our focus is not just on gathering people on Sundays, but on equipping believers to go into neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and nations—with the good news of Jesus. Our commitment is to send people out. That means help- ing believers take their next step of faith, whether that’s
At Jersey Church, we exist for one reason—to glori - fy God. Over the past 18 months, our Executive Staff, Church Council, and Church Staff Team have spent time reflecting, praying, and listening for the leading of the Holy Spirit. As we’ve reflected on God’s faithfulness and looked ahead to what He is calling us to, we believe He has given us a bold new vision for the next decade. Our Vision To see 5,000 people come to know Christ by 2035. This isn’t just a number. It’s a declaration of faith that God is at work in central Ohio and around the world, and
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leading a Bible study at work, serving on a mission trip, planting a church, or moving across the globe to bring the gospel where it’s never been heard. Adam Ness captured it well: “It is exciting to be part of a church that is leading its people to love Jesus and be more like him so that we can be sent out to share the love of Christ with our communities and the world. Bold visions inspire and help us realize it is not about us, but about what God is already at work doing.” Kingdom Movements How will we pursue this vision of 5,000 by 2035? Church Planting – We’re trusting God to plant ten new autonomous churches in the next decade. Each new church is a new outpost of the gospel, reaching people we may never reach from our current location. International Missions – We believe God is raising men and women from our congregation to take the gospel to the nations. Our prayer is to send 20 full-time missionar- ies in the next 10 years—workers who will carry the good news of Jesus around the world. Local Kingdom Movements – We want to see move- ments of the gospel take root right here in central Ohio. That means believers stepping up to serve in schools, businesses, community centers, and neighborhoods— living on mission every day, bringing the love of Jesus into ordinary spaces.
These Movements reflect our desire to be a sending church, multiplying the impact of the gospel in ways that far exceed what we could accomplish on our own. A Church All In This vision is bigger than us. We cannot manufacture re- vival or create movements of God on our own. But we can prepare, pray, and step out in faith. As Pastor Matt Read shared with the church, “This is just the beginning. As we move forward together, our vision to reach 5,000 will require us all to step out in faith. We must seek the Lord through His Word, intentional prayer, generous giving, and bold witness. I believe God will do more than we could ever ask or imagine—all for His glo - ry.” Hannah Bagley echoed this hope: “I’m deeply encour - aged by our new vision and mission. I can already see the Spirit moving in the faith and excitement that’s fuel - ing our plans. It’s clear he is leading us as we step out in bold trust to launch Kingdom Movements, for his king - dom and his glory.” For the Kingdom Together, we’re trusting God to bring 5,000 people to saving faith in Jesus by 2035.
Together, we find the lost, give help to the hurting, share the hope of Christ, and witness God grow His Church around the world. Your generosity today changes lives.
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16 | November 2025
God at Work in Ohio
Outreach and Prayer Ministry, Hillcrest Baptist Church, Bellfontaine I wanted to share some more pictures of how Hillcrest is using the evangelism grant. We purchased invitation door hangers for the congregation to use in their neighborhoods, employment, and families. We are also using them to hand out for our “Prayer Drive-Thru.” Since Hillcrest is located right off Main Street in Bellefontaine, it provides a lot of traffic to pull in for a drive-thru prayer. We are attempting to combine the ministry of prayer with outreach to our community. – Pastor Daniel McCarty, Hillcrest Baptist Church
Ashland County Fair Outreach, Hillside Church, Rowsburg Our second summer outreach event happened on September 14-20. We had a tent at the Ashland County Fair. We witnessed to dozens of people, and one man accepted Christ. We gave out over 2000 gospel tracts, 260 info bags, 170 Ten Commandment coins, 300 balloons, 70 pounds of candy and prizes. We have had three visiting families attending the church since the fair. We are very thankful for our partnership with the SCBO and the evangelism grant we received, helping us reach people in our community. – Pastor Mike Feliciano, Hillside Church
Harvest Fest, Sugar Ridge Baptist Church, North Ridgeville Our Harvest Fest turned out great! We had over 200 people come through. Each family received a bag with a gospel tract, information about our church and service times. We had several elders and members of the church walking around, talking with families. We had many conversations with our guests, and our volunteers did a great job being a light to the community. We gave away free food, and many smiling faces came through the line. Ninety percent of the people who attended said they would like to be notified of future events. We hope to see people return to the church with their families. Many people said they had a great time. – Myrranda Parsons, Sugar Ridge BC administrative assistant
Stories continue on the next page...
November 2025 | 17
Upward Soccer, Beacon Church, Cincinnati The SCBO Evangelism Grant was used by Beacon Church in Cincinnati for costs related to Upward Soccer. Funds were used to purchase goals, soccer balls, and other supplies to reach children and their families with the gospel. The Spring/Summer Soccer League had 29 participants, which was a great start for Beacon Church. Even better are the relationships that quickly formed. Coaches were able to have spiritual conversations at every practice and game. The gospel was presented over 81 times on various occasions to the children, culminating in an awards ceremony where the gospel was again shared with the families of the community. This was an amazing success as kids from Upward attended other ministries, including the Beacon Kids’ Camp, in July. The grant was also used to help with costs related to the July Kids’ Camp. About 50 children attended, and parents were able to join their children at Beacon Church’s Sunday worship service on the last day of the camp. As a result of both efforts, a parent and her child came to Christ and were bap - tized, and their entire family has been attending Beacon ever since. We are grateful for the generosity of Ohio Baptists and their giving to the Cooperative Program, which helped us to reach local families in need of a Savior. Thanks, Ohio Baptists! – Pastor Fran Trascritti, Beacon Church The Gilgal Congolese Team won the gold and championship trophy; CTK Highlanders were silver medal winners; and the New Hope Nepalese Team won bronze. The other teams received a consolation prize of IFCC t-shirts. Over ten nations were represented at the tournament, united by the love of Christ. This family-friendly tournament was filled with fun, laughter, music, good food, inflatables, and face painting. Many new relationships and friend - ships were formed for God’s glory! – Pastor Raymond Taw, church planter, International Fellowship Church Soccer Tournament, International Fellowship Church and CABA, Cincinnati On Sept. 20, 2025, IFCC (International Football Club of Cincinnati) held its annual soccer tournament sponsored by the International Fellowship Church (IFC) and Cincinnati Area Baptist Association (CABA) and hosted by Grace Point Espanol Church in Middletown.
Job Postings
PART-TIME PASTOR | Bethany Baptist Church, Clarksville Bethany Baptist Church is a warm, welcoming congregation committed to spiritual growth, community outreach, and Christ-centered worship. We are seeking a compassionate and visionary part-time pastor to shepherd our church family and help us grow in faith and service. The ideal candidate should be an ordained or licensed minister with theological training; have strong communication and interpersonal skills; have experience in pastoral leadership of at least one to three years; and have a heart for ministry and a commitment to spiritual integrity To submit a resume, please send a cover letter and a brief statement of faith to bhounshell23@gmail.com. You can also mail to: Bethany Baptist Church, P.O. Box 59, Clarksville, Ohio 45113. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. FULL-TIME CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTOR | Dayton Avenue Baptist Church, Xenia Dayton Avenue Baptist Church is seeking a full-time Children’s Ministry Director who will oversee the preschool and children’s ministries of the church for children from birth through fifth grade, with special focus on managing programs and supporting families. For a full job description, including qualifications, administrative and leadership responsibilities, program manage - ment responsibilities, and personal development requirements, please contact Personnel Committee Chair Shelley Honnold at sphonnold@cedarville.edu. FULL-TIME SENIOR PASTOR | Milan Baptist Church, Milan Milan Baptist Church, Milan, is prayerfully seeking a full-time senior pastor. Inquirers can send a resume to milanbaptist5199@ gmail.com. SENIOR PASTOR | Hillcrest Baptist Church, Carlisle Hillcrest Baptist Church, Carlisle, is looking for a new senior pastor following the retirement of its pastor. Please send a resume, statement of beliefs, and references to hbcadm820@gmail.com.
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
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