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 12 December 2025
Ohio Baptists Celebrate God’s Work at 72nd Annual Meeting
Full story on page 4
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Featured This Month
It’s a Great Day to be an Ohio Baptist!
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Ohio Baptists Celebrate God’s Work at 72nd Annual Meeting Scott Gatian Awarded the 2025 Darty and Dot Stowe Award
Lottie Moon in her Own Words The Legacy of Lottie’s Letters
Ohio’s IMB Missionaries Need Our Support on the Field, in the States
Ohio IMB Missionary: You Are Part of My Journey
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What a Difference a Year Makes!
What’s Your Bible Reading Plan for 2026?
Urban Pastors Participate in Antioch Perspective Workshops Why Your Church Should Send At Least One Person to Worship 4:24 Evangelism Grants Enable Local Churches to Share the Gospel
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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It’s a Great Day to be an Ohio Baptist! Over 244 messengers, guests, and exhibitors from across Ohio gathered at Lifepoint Church in Mount Ver- non for the 2025 State Convention of Baptists in Ohio (SCBO) Annual Celebration, November 10-11.
overall one percent increase to the total budget and a new partnership initiative with the IMB to provide schol- arships for pastors who have never been overseas on a mission trip to go abroad to share the gospel. SCBO Director of IT, AJ Frasure, unveiled our free SCBO app that can be downloaded, keeping you connected to all of the incredible stories of God at work in the Buckeye State. There is so much to be encouraged about, and I believe this new app will help our SCBO family stay informed. Lastly, our convention will continue to see the Lord’s blessings when all the glory goes to him. What a joy it was to give a report where both baptisms and CP giving are on the rise. Send Network Ohio churches continue to be started and strengthened. SCBO camps and conferences are witnessing record attendance and decisions. Why? Because the hand of the Lord is upon us, and all the honor and glory go to him. It’s a great day to be an Ohio Baptist. Thank you for the honor of serving both the Lord and you as your Executive Director. Moving Forward,
The Annual Meeting celebrated God’s work in Ohio as well as cast vision for the future as our SCBO staff re - counted multiple ways the Lord is blessing his work throughout the state. The highlight of our Annual Meeting was hearing re- ports of increased giving to the Cooperative Program, a 121% increase in baptisms over the past four years, and 29 new churches in the state convention this year—23 plants, two replants, and four new affiliations through our SEND Ohio partnership. As messengers celebrated God’s work in Ohio, the Wor- ship Team from Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon, led messengers in praise and worship. Dr. John Heading, Ohio Disaster Relief director, report- ed that the Lord is blessing the ministry of Disaster Re- lief not only here in Ohio, but around the world. He also announced that Ohio DR is hosting the 2026 Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Roundtable, a national advanced training event and directors’ meeting, in January 2026. I was blessed to deliver my fifth Executive Director’s Re - port since assuming the position in August 2021, using an old outline received from my pastor over 25 years ago, and preached a message from Mark 2:1-12 titled, “The Convention that God Blesses.” The first way that the Lord will continue to bless our con - vention is for Christ to remain at the center of all that we do as Ohio Baptists. Baptisms are on the rise, as more churches are receiving evangelism grants to take the gospel to their communities. Additionally, Cooperative Program giving has increased by $350,000, or 8%, over the past three years...praise the Lord! Secondly, the word of God must remain the final author - ity in all that we do. Ohio Baptists are making disciples across the street and around the state. As a result, new churches are being started and strengthened. Third, those who are far from the Lord need to be brought close to the Lord. We are seeing many of our SCBO camps and conferences do just that. Camp U Can saw 25 young men profess Christ this year, and overall, 210 campers, ages 9-17, have been saved since its inception in 2019. Also, both Super Summer and Worship 4:24 had record attendances this year! Fourth and fifth, I believe the Lord will continue to steady his hand upon us as we both demonstrate faith and dis- courage negative attitudes. Messengers unanimous- ly approved the 2025-2026 budget, which includes an
Dr. Jeremy Westbrook Executive Director-Treasurer, SCBO
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2025 Annual Celebration
The newly elected 2026 SCBO officers are Recording Secretary Charity Betts, President Dave Welsch, First Vice President Karlie Hale, Second Vice President Austin Mathis, and Dr. Jeremy Westbrook. Assistant Recording Secretary Kay Arnold was re-elected but unable to attend.
By Stephanie Heading, managing editor Ohio Baptists Celebrate God’s Work at 72nd Annual Meeting
An unseasonable snowstorm and bitter cold did not deter Ohio Baptists from celebrating the work of God across the state as they gathered at Life Point Church, Mount Vernon, for the 72nd Annual Celebration of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio (SCBO), Novem- ber 10-11. The Pastor’s Conference kicked off the Annual Celebra - tion as pastors gathered to hear a message from Pastor Brian White, Harvest Church, Carmel, Indiana, and par- ticipate in worship led by the Life Point, Mount Vernon praise team, who led worship throughout the two-day celebration. God’s Blessings “What a wonderfully blessed year we have enjoyed from the Lord in the Buckeye State,” said SCBO Executive Director Dr. Jeremy Westbrook. Cooperative Program giving is up over the same time period last year, and has risen year by year since 2022, increasing $350,000.00. Baptisms increased 121 per- cent in four years, from 1,735 baptisms in 2021 to 3,855 baptisms in 2024. Church planting and revitalization continue strong with 23 new church plants, two church revitalizations, and four new affiliations this year. SCBO also joined the year-long celebration of the Co- operative Program’s 100th anniversary through its CP100 video series. Buzz Kocher, director of strategic initiatives, visited each of Ohio’s six regions, interview-
ing pastors, church planters, and missionaries to ask them why they support the Cooperative Program. “It is CP that helps us in accomplishing the Great Com- mission,” Kocher said. “We are proud to be Southern Baptist, and we are not alone.” The 244 messengers and guests also honored the his- toric cooperation between the IMB and Ohio African American pastors in 2025 – the first Ohio African Amer - ican mission team to travel to Uganda. Members of the team took the stage to share what God had done during their time abroad. Quintell Hill, IMB African American church mobilization strategist, thanked SCBO for its “clarity of course” in supporting this groundbreaking mission team. “It started because Ohio Baptists said ‘yes,’” Hill said. “I am overjoyed by what God is doing in this state. Be- cause of their obedience, other pastors have commit- ted to go.” Powerful Messages Dr. Westbrook exhorted listeners during his Annual Re- port, “The Convention That God Blesses.” “Nine out of every ten people in Ohio do not know Christ as Savior,” he said. “God is working in the state, but there is so much to do.” From Mark 2:1-12, Westbrook shared the six charac- teristics of a convention that the Lord blesses: Jesus is
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2025 Annual Celebration central, the word of God is the authority, the sick and hurt are welcomed and brought, faith is demonstrated, negative attitudes are discouraged, and all glory goes to God. “Stay focused on preaching the word of God. Proclaim the word of God,” he said. “Make disciples across the street and around the world.” Outgoing SCBO President Adam Pursel, pastor, Life Point Church, Mount Vernon, delivered the President’s Address, challenging the messengers. “Ministry is difficult,” he explained. Pursel stated that the Great Commission is the mission of believers. “The mission is worth the work,” he said. “Do you agree?” Kale Booher, pastor of Life Point Church, Delaware, brought the Annual Sermon, “Finishing the Race,” from 2 Timothy 3:10-17 and 2 Timothy 4:1-8. Through the words of the Apostle Paul to Timothy, Boo- her encouraged believers to stay focused despite the hardships in ministry. “If you desire to live a godly life, you will be persecut- ed,” he said. “We are in the fight and are going to have difficulty.” He exhorted pastors to abide in Christ, to be compe- tent in God’s word, to preach the word, to rebuke and
exhort with patience and teaching, to do everything with creativity and passion, to stay laser focused, and to finish well. “Don’t retreat. Pass on what you have learned,” Booher said. “Run all the way to the finish line.” Business Session In the business session, messengers approved the 2025-2026 budget of $4,890,480.00, up one percent from last year, while Ohio remains a 50/50 CP state. The budget increased funding for 13 line items and also included one new item. “IMB Pastoral Scholarships is a new initiative between IMB and SCBO to offer financial assistance for pastors who have never been on an overseas mission trip to go for the first time,” Westbrook said. The newly-elected 2026 officers are President Dave Welsch, pastor, First Baptist Church, Heath; First Vice President Karlie Hale, pastor, One Love Communi- ty Church, Cleveland; Second Vice President Austin Mathis, pastor, Grace Church, Harrison; Recording Secretary Charity Betts, First Baptist Church, New Leb- anon; and Assistant Recording Secretary Kay Arnold, First Baptist Church, Lancaster. The 2026 SCBO Pastor’s Conference and Annual Meeting is set for November 9-10, 2026, at First Bap- tist Church, Kettering, and will include an IMB Sending Ceremony.
Reginald Hayes, director of community relations, and members of the historic first Ohio African American mission team to Uganda, address the messengers of the 72nd SCBO Annual Meeting.
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2025 Annual Celebration Scott Gatian Awarded the 2025 Darty and Dot Stowe Award
By Zac James, worship consultant
Worship consultant Zac James awards the 2025 Darty and Dot Stowe award to Scott Gatian, FBC, Lancaster.
Scott Gatian is the 2025 recipient of the Darty and Dot Stowe Award, presented on November 11, during the SCBO Annual Celebration at Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon. Each year, the Stowe award is given in memory of Darty and Dot Stowe, who served Ohio Baptists from 1954 to 1981. It is presented to a pastor or minister who has served faithfully, was never recognized like those in the larger, more visible churches, but left a legacy and served in the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 2:3-12. Annual gifts to Georgetown College from the Stowe family provide the Darty and Dot Stowe Award. SCBO Worship Consultant Zac James presented the award to Gatian and gave this tribute speech, shortened for space. “History matters. When we join a church staff, we inher - it the cumulative ministry impact, ingrained culture, and leadership decisions of those who came before us. Certain churches can look back to key staff members and pastors who sought the Lord, who stood in the gap, who led through difficult times, and God used their faith - fulness to hold their church together despite the prevail- ing winds that threatened to undo them. This year’s award winner is one of those associate pas- tors who has demonstrated a lifetime of faithfulness, and
that faithfulness played a key role in his home church’s present health and increased CP giving. This year’s award winner was an electrician by trade who gave his life to Jesus. He began his ministry as a part- time youth pastor in 1994 and a year later was ordained into full-time ministry in the same church. He was in it for the long haul and remains a member of that church to this day. He started the praise and worship team at his church and led through the worship wars of the late 90s and early 2000s. He organized and led Upward Basketball for 4-5 years, as well as serving as the in-house elec- trician and IT tech, as his church was brought into the “computer age.” As a youth pastor, he did youth camp, engaged in local missions and fundraising, and led multi-church mission trips to neighboring states. He played Jesus in multiple Christmas cantatas, served in VBS, and counseled mar- ried couples and troubled youth. When I met him, I was a guest worship leader who was amazed at the quality and unity of the worship team he had built. But he was retiring due to stage four spinal cancer that was ravaging his body. I will always be
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2025 Annual Celebration grateful that he recommended to Art Fulks that I step into his role as Worship Pastor. As our relationship continued, what I discovered was a rare, special example of character, integrity, and humility in ministry. He released the reins and trusted me. He supported me. He served with me. And occasionally, he gave feedback or drew attention to something I hadn’t considered. He was always helpful and humble, and he made my lead- ership better. This special type of relationship was only possible be- cause of his deep, grounded humility, faithfulness to the church, and unending love for Jesus. I continually saw him put his church before himself. De- spite the suffering and treatments of cancer, he contin - ued serving on the worship team for six years before re- tiring this year. What I would learn from other staff and members of the church was that he played a critical role in filling gaps and preserving the unity of the church.
When Art Fulks left for Georgia, it was God’s divine prov- idence that saw him as chairman of deacons, a critical transitional position in our church constitution. Looking back, these key moments of transition absolute- ly could have sunk our church with different leaders in his role. But today, by God’s grace, in no small part because of his leadership, we are enjoying healthy unity and slow but steady growth, which is reflected in our budget next year, which bumps CP giving from 8% to 10%, an in- crease of $20k. Despite his physical suffering, he continues to fill needs through guest preaching and worship leading. He con- tinues to serve as our church treasurer. However, a new tumor has appeared this year, and treatment continues apace…so I would ask that you remember him in your prayers as we honor my brother in the Lord today. Please join me in thanking, for his faithful service, Pastor Scott Gatian.”
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Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
Lottie Moon in her Own Words
The Legacy of Lottie’s Letters In 1873, Lottie Moon was appointed as a missionary to China. She spent nearly 40 years sharing the gospel with love, courage, and unwavering faith. Her letters home inspired churches to pray and give, leading to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Today, this offering supports mis - sionaries and helps take the life-transforming message of Jesus to the nations. Let’s honor her legacy by praying and giving so others can hear the hope of the gospel. Facts for Southern Baptists to Ponder. In the vast continent of Africa, we have one white missionary & one colored. In Japan we have - not one. In Burmah, Siam, India, the isles of the ocean, - not one. In China we have at present eight missionaries. Putting the population of China at four hundred million, this gives one missionary for fifty million people. Yet, we call ourselves Missionary Baptists. Our Lord says, “Go ye into all the world & preach the gospel to every creature.” Are we obeying this command? - L. Moon. Editor’s note: Lottie Moon wrote this letter in September 1877. All information and Photos courtesy of the International Mission Board
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.
GIVE TODAY AT LOTTIEMOON.COM
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® is a registered trademark of WMU®.
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Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Ohio’s IMB Missionaries Need Our Support on the Field, in the States
By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
Of the nearly 3,600 missionaries serving with the Interna- tional Mission Board, 78 of them call Ohio home. Recently, Dr. Ryan Strother, SCBO director of convention support, invited them to a Zoom meeting – the first step in learning how SCBO can better support our missionar- ies. “I worked with our IMB partners to contact those mis- sionaries and scheduled a virtual meeting. Eighteen mis- sionaries attended and gave input that will help us devel- op strategies for our churches to support missionaries on the field and stateside,” Strother said. At the meeting, he welcomed those on the Zoom call from far-flung places. The group included a wide spectrum of missionaries – some new to the field, now in language school, and others who have been on the field for years. “How thrilled I am! I’ve been waiting for this meeting,” he said. “I want this meeting to be an encouragement.” During the 90-minute meeting, Strother worked to learn more about their lives and ministries with two rounds of questions. “I designed these questions to get them talking about things that would give us helpful insight as I’m thinking through our strategies,” he noted. Their answers were illuminating, detailing both triumphs and challenges.
“A couple of missionaries will soon see the Bible trans- lated into the language of their people group – a labor 50 years in the making,” Strother exclaimed. “Among other encouraging connections, we linked Ohio missionaries in Eastern Europe with one of our churches that is minis- tering to Slavic people in our state. Our missionaries are doing amazing work!” Many missionaries minister in unreached places – less than two percent of the population is evangelical Chris- tian. “It seems the majority of our Ohio missionaries we are aware of come from the Central Asia affinity,” Strother said. “There are quite a few places in that affinity that would be more closed. They are working in some of the hardest places.” Ohio’s IMB missionaries shared the obstacles they face – experiencing isolation, seeing spiritual darkness, and pursuing an enormous task. Not only do IMB missionaries need support while they are on the field, but they also need it when they return on furlough. “Stateside typically happens every three to four years and can be about six months at a time,” Strother said. Housing and transportation are the biggest needs for fur- loughed missionaries. They don’t have their own homes and cars waiting for them when they return from the field. This is an area where Strother believes Ohio Baptists can step in to help. SCBO churches that have mission houses or vehicles in good shape and are willing to share these resources with furloughed missionaries can con- tact Strother at rstrother@scbo.org. Another stateside need is caring for missionary children who return to the states while their parents continue to serve overseas. These are known as “Third Culture Kids” (TCKs), and Strother hopes to meet their unique needs. “One of the things we heard twice was that there are two different missionaries who said they’re coming back to Ohio to look at Cedarville for their daughters,” Strother said. “Honestly, that wasn’t even on my mind, so that’s something to think about.” The first IMB missionary Zoom call won’t be the last. “I hope to hold a couple of these meetings a year,” he said. “Because they seem to enjoy it. I think it was neat for them to see each other as well. I love meeting with missionaries. I’m always impressed with missionaries and what they do.”
Charlotte Diggs (Lottie Moon) was born in December 1840 on the family estate, Viewmont, in Albemarle County, VA. This photo is one of three views of Lottie Moon’s Viewmont Home, Charlottesville, VA (circa 1927). Photo courtesy of the IMB from the Library of Congress Photo Archives.
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Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Ohio IMB Missionary: You Are Part of My Journey By Margie Drane, IMB Missionary, Europe
sent among people groups where the name of Jesus is unknown. Later I assisted with starting new churches. Through my IMB ministries, I have led Bible studies, created children’s Bible curriculum, trained leaders, helped with disaster relief efforts, cared for abandoned babies at an orphan - age, taught English at a Christian school, and discipled and mentored children, students and young adults. I have worked with volunteers in a variety of outreach endeavors and ministered to human trafficking victims, homeless, addicts, parolees, refugees, and many more. There are so many stories I could tell. The joys and heartbreaks, the adventures and dangers and miracles. The many things God has taught me. The mistakes I’ve made and the challenges I’ve faced. The laughter and tears. The wonders and beauty. The incredible and un- ending need. So many faces and so many places. Yet thinking about it all, the thing that stands out the most is the overwhelming and urgent need for people to know the love of Jesus. You are a part of my journey. Every penny that you give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering supports mission - aries like me and the ministries that enable us to teach people about Jesus. Everything I have accomplished on
Margie Drane, IMB missionary, Europe
I laughed with the Ukrainian children as I developed creative ways to engage them in English classes. The international university students eagerly gathered at my apartment to join in fellowship and Bible study together. Professional Ukrainian women built friendships through the free baking classes I offered. Young adults met week - ly to ask spiritual questions and discuss why I believe in Jesus and trust the Bible as God’s word.
“You must be on the road within two hours. Take only one or two suitcases and leave every- thing else behind. You don’t have time to say goodbyes, and you won’t be coming back.”
One video call with leadership changed everything. It was time to evacuate Ukraine, and our team had less than two hours to begin the journey. It was another end and another beginning. I have had a multitude of addresses internationally and in the U.S., yet there is no place I call home. My family lives in South Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, and they are to whom I return. For the 25 years that I have been serving with the In- ternational Mission Board (IMB), I have travelled to 75 countries and lived in south Florida, South Africa, En- gland, Ukraine, and now in France. My call to missions has been similar to Abraham’s – with God telling me to go to the land He will show me … until He sends me somewhere else. As an IMB missionary, I began as a photo and video jour- nalist and storyteller, sharing what God is doing around the world through various forms of media. I created evangelistic materials in local languages and was often
the mission field and the many ways God has worked through me to touch lives is thanks to your financial and prayer support. In the midst of the tears and hardships of evacuation, we never had to worry about the logistics. The IMB provided the vehicles we needed for transport. Housing was ar- ranged for each stop along our route. Legal documents and medical tests for border crossings were prepared and debriefing with licensed counselors was available. When starting new lives and ministries in other countries, relocation expenses and visas are always provided. Re- sources are given to learn languages and cultures, gain security awareness, lead trauma healing or orality train- ings, assist with disaster relief and humanitarian needs, and utilize a multitude of evangelism and discipleship methods. All of this is provided through your generous giving. Thank you for the love and support which makes it possible for me to share internationally about the Good News of Jesus Christ!
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What a Difference a Year Makes! It has been said that you will overestimate what you can accomplish in a day and underestimate what you can accomplish in a year. If we apply that to God and what he is capable of, he can do so much! And while there are many stories of life and church change in 2025, one of the most exciting in our Southwest Region is seeing the two side-by-side pic- tures of Grace Church, Harrison, from a year ago to now. Austin and Amy Mathis, along with their son Easton, planted Grace Church three years ago, and their church has changed significantly in the past year! In April, Harrison Avenue Baptist Church (HABC) voted to be adopted by Grace. After months of renovations, Grace Church moved into the newly renovated space on October 6. Grace Church honored the 68-year legacy of HABC by having an Honor Sunday. Grace Church has since baptized 11 already this year, with more scheduled, and given over $9,000 to missions in their Firstfruits Missions Offering. In the past year, they have also doubled in attendance, launched GRC YTH for 6th-12th grade, and have recent- ly been hosting “Fill the Truck” to offer food and assis - tance to those impacted by the government shutdown and the pause of SNAP benefits. Their congregation also put in the work! As Austin shared, “I cannot thank the people of Grace Church enough. They would work all day, then show up and work here until 10 pm. They didn’t have to be asked. They weren’t guilted into it. They just showed up, and it wasn’t because of me. It’s because they love Jesus and his church.” By Reagan Wagoner, Southwest Region catalyst
Pastor Austin Mathis, Amy Mathis, and son, Easton.
Austin also acknowledges that there is no way God would be working in their church without the power of prayer. He shared his routine during the renovations. “Several times a week, I sit here. Alone. In a half-finished auditorium, praying. Praying in gratitude for everything we’ve seen God do in the young life of Grace Church Harrison. Praying expectantly for what’s ahead. It’s wild to think about the long history in these walls, the people who have worshiped here, the lives changed, the faith that’s been passed down. Decades of Sunday services. And now we get to step into that story and carry it for- ward. There is nowhere else I’d rather be.” So grateful for what God is doing through Grace Church Harrison, and other churches that are planting, merging, and revitalizing, that Jesus may continue to be known more in Cincinnati!
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What’s Your Bible Reading Plan for 2026? After years of decline, something unexpected is hap- pening. Americans are opening their Bibles again. New Barna data from the State of the Church 2025 reveals a surge in weekly Bible reading among U.S. adults, climb- ing to 42 percent—a 12-point uptick since Bible reading bottomed out at a 25-year low in 2024.* By Steve Hopkins, associational and prayer consultant
George Müller wrote: “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.” Why? Reading scripture isn’t just a godly exercise in discovering information about Jesus; it is the Spirit’s exercise in aiding our transformation until we look more like Jesus. The Holy Spirit shepherds us through the word he inspired, allowing us to see Jesus more clearly. Jesus prayed that the Father would sanctify us—set us apart as his people—by his word of truth. (John 17:17) We learned in Bible school – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) It is a needed lamp for today and light for tomorrow. Peter encouraged us to “desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:2-3) Do you have a Bible reading plan for 2026? If we don’t have a reading plan, we too often fumble our way through the scriptures—if we read them regularly at all. Consistency is more important than quantity. That is, it’s better to read a few verses of the Bible each day than to read several chapters only one day per week. Consis- tency puts us in a place to hear from God every day. Be consistent in your reading, even if you must slow down the pace. If you want help selecting a Bible reading plan for 2026, send me a note, and I’ll send you some options. Steve- Hopkins@scbo.org.
Young adults led the way: Millennials jumped an unprec- edented 16 points, reaching 50 percent—half now say they read the Bible weekly. Gen Z mirrors this pattern, rising from 30 percent to 49 percent in just one year. Bar- na’s 2025 reports show increasing commitments to Je- sus and church attendance—primarily fueled by young adults. The spike in Bible reading appears to follow those trends. “2025 is showing a major rebound of Bible reading, along with a surge in usage among younger gener- ations,” commented David Kinnaman, CEO of Bar- na Group. “This aligns with other signs of spiritu- al interest and reinforces the finding that Christian faith and practice are experiencing a reset moment.” barna.com/trends/bible-reading-trends/ One thing… Research says there is one thing you can do to make 2026 a better year spiritually. George Guthrie found, “The number one predictor of spiritual maturity among those who regularly attend church was reading the Bible daily.” (Read the Bible for Life, p. 6)
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Urban Pastors Participate in Antioch Perspective Workshops Seventy urban Ohio pastors recently participated in the Antioch Perspective workshops, sponsored by SCBO in each of Ohio’s six regions, to equip pastors and church leaders with processes to help congregants grow from members into leaders, strengthening the impact of their churches. By Reginald Hayes, director of community relations
love and assistance they provide to local neighborhoods through Christ. “Local churches within urban contexts are pivotal light- houses of hope, encouragement, and resources in dark parts of major cities. Many people within cities are isolat- ed and are looking for help,” Owens said. Research from The Barna Group indicates, “The con- nected generation is looking for the church to provide real, tangible, meaningful, developmental opportunities.” David Kinnamon noted, “They want the church to be a laboratory for leadership development, not just a place for spirituality.” The report “Inside the Urban Church” says, “In gener- al, there is a sense that churches in metro areas offer a chance for connection, have a positive influence, and are valuable members of the community.” Owens commented, “The local church must be a place that disciples new believers, raises future leaders, and empowers current leadership teams, if we want to make an impact within our local community for the name and fame of Jesus. Having these processes in place is cru- cial if the church is going to attract and retain Millennials and Gen Z.” For more information about the Antioch Perspective workshops, reach out to Owens at sowens@scbo.org.
Stephen Owens, pastor, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Bedford, and SCBO Northeast Region catalyst, led the workshops, based on his book, “The Next Leader.“ He led workshops in Ohio’s urban centers – Cincinnati, Co- lumbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton, and Youngstown. After carefully documenting and applying each step of the biblical techniques used by the Antioch church in the book of Acts, as well as the growth and success at Mt Calvary Baptist Church, he believes every urban church can use his material to intentionally connect with its di- verse community and develop successful leaders and churches. The Antioch Perspective workshop covers three phases of ministry - discipleship culture, intentional apprentice- ship, and leadership development. “Each phase is necessary in developing a holistic disci- pleship process that moves believers to deeper levels of commitment to Christ and his church,” he explained. By supporting and encouraging pastors, the Antioch Per- spective approach helps urban churches increase the
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Why Your Church Should Send At Least One Person to Worship 4:24 On January 30-31, 2026, the SCBO will be partnering again with Cedarville University to host Worship 4:24 on cam- pus at Cedarville. I’m bringing people from my worship team, and encouraging all of our churches to send at least one person from their worship team. Here’s why: By Zac James, worship consultant Paul Baloche and Meredith Andrews -
Exposure to new things to broaden your horizons - If it’s your first time, Worship 4:24 will expose you to new ideas. I am confident that you will find one or two that you can use to move ministry forward in your local context. Lead pastors: Understand your worship leader and speak their language - If you want to start learning what makes a great wor- ship ministry tick, join us at Worship 4:24. It will help you lead your staff and coach your worship leader better. We have breakouts specifically for pastors and worship leaders to learn how to work well to- gether. Vendors who can enhance the ministry of your church - You’ll meet a ton of vendors who can sell your church what you need, but just as important, they can pro- vide the expertise to guide you through the process of what to purchase, how to integrate it into your ex- isting setup, and best practices for using it. Affordable compared to most national conferences - SCBO churches can use the code “SCBO2026” to get 10% off their tickets this year! Worship 4:24 is supported by your Cooperative Program giving. Worth it, even if you can only come on Saturday - Come both days if you can, but you will still get a ton of value because all of the breakout sessions are available on Saturday! It’s worth the $70 + gas to come for one day. You’ll be done by 4 pm and home in time to put the kids to bed. God might call one of your students into worship ministry - The cost for students is ($35-45/student), so if you have students who are on your worship team or are trying to join the worship team, bring them with you. Consider encouraging your high school students to attend Weekend of Worship on Thursday evening, January 25, right before the full conference! What are you waiting for? Register your team at worship424.com today, and I’ll see you there!
This year, we will be led in worship by Paul Baloche, Meredith Andrews, and his team! Paul is a worship ministry legend, with a long legacy of training, pasto-
ral leadership, and songwriting. Sing in the choir, if you want! -
All attendees have the option of joining the Friday Night of Worship choir. It’s an incredible experience to share the platform with 100+ other vocalists and these incredible artists. Excellent worship modeled – catch the vision for your church - Without a vision of excellence, worship teams often struggle to know what to strive for. When you take your team to Worship 4:24, they will see an incredible example of what worship looks like when it’s done with musical excellence, technical proficiency, spiri - tual maturity, and passion in the Holy Spirit. Worshipping with other worship leaders and teams - Do you feel burnt out or empty? Sometimes, worship leaders burn out in churches where worship is dry and people barely sing, let alone engage physically in worship. Worship leaders need to experience the joy of genuine worship so they can bring renewed passion to worship every Sunday. Opportunities to receive counseling - This year, we are offering a new opportunity at Wor - ship 4:24. Registered attendees will receive an email in January to register for a free counseling session on a first-come, first-served basis. Those in worship ministry struggling with significant church hurt, family issues, painful loss, and more, will be able to sched- ule a 45-minute session with biblical counselors who can start the journey to healing. Space will be limited this year as we gauge interest. 100 breakout sessions from world-class trainers - On Saturday, you’ll get to pick four breakout ses- sions to attend. Think of it as a customized training schedule to fit your unique needs as a leader and as a church. No matter what style of worship your church has, we have a breakout for you. You can see the list of breakout sessions at worship424.com.
16 | December 2025
Evangelism Grants Enable Local Churches to Share the Gospel
Community Outreach, First Baptist Church, Gahanna Our church used the evangelism grant funds for our outreach efforts at the community-wide Great Gahanna Goblin Fest, a family-friendly event that pro- vided a valuable opportunity to connect with our neighbors. The grant cov- ered the cost of outreach materials, including gospel tracts, church invita- tion cards, 2500 pieces of candy, required for event participation, and the event registration fees. Throughout the event, our outreach team distributed over 1,025 gospel tracts and engaged in numerous meaningful conversations about God, faith, and worship with community members. This event not only allowed us to share the message of hope found in Christ, but also strength- ened our presence and relationships within the Gahanna community. Remain- ing candies and materials from the event were distributed by congregants and ministry partners during beggars night. – Pastor Wally Contreras, First Baptist Church Revival Service, Grace Community Church, Napoleon We had three conversions, and many received help from the Lord. Our church was tremendously strengthened as the spirit of revival continues to be among us. Our church seems to be moving forward to being what would please our Lord. We had a baptism service after revival. We have a few more candidates as we are sharing with those who are considering baptism. As I said, our church seems to be moving forward for his glory. Thank you so much for your faithfulness in helping churches reach their full potential. – Pastor Jeff Wallen, Grace Community Church Fall Harvest Party, First Baptist Church of Auburn, Hamilton We had 45 people who attended our Fall Harvest Party. We passed out t-shirts, water bottles and candy! We also had chili, hot dogs and all the fixings. We ended the evening with s’mores! It was a great time of community and fellow- ship. We are grateful to the SCBO for the funds that helped us purchase the water bottles with our church logo on them. We will continue to pass these out during some door-knocking evangelism. – Pastor Jacob Wysong, FBC of Auburn
Stories continue on the next page...
December 2025 | 17
Fall Fest, CityLight Church, Dayton We had a great time! We hosted our largest community event to date with an estimated 500–600 in attendance at this year’s Fall Fest. The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather, an incredible turnout, and dozens of meaningful gospel conversations. Every guest began at our welcome booth, where they received a “You Are Loved” bracelet with Romans 5:8 on it, along with an invitation card explaining the gospel: Bad News, Worse News, Good News, Best News. Volunteers from CityLight and our partner church, Gospel Heights, engaged guests throughout the evening, praying with families and sharing Christ. The Fall Fest included Trunk or Treat with 38 decorated cars, face painting, goats and a tractor ride, bounce houses, yard games, free pumpkins, and plenty of food and candy. We also distributed Crossway kids’ tracts to families and provided opportunities for follow-up conversations. We’re praising God for his provision and for the generous support that made this possible. – Pastor Dallas Works, CityLight Church Fall Fest, Trinity Baptist Church, Cambridge For our first Fall Fest of this size, we were incredibly pleased by how every - thing went. We have a lot of ideas for how to make it more gospel-centered next year, including a live gospel drama during the hay ride around our prop- erty. This year, we had 135 kids and over 200 in total attendance. We believe that we can potentially double that by next year through greater planning and marketing. Our prayer table was one of the greatest points of excitement for our outreach team. We had many people come to receive prayer and be en- couraged by the word of God. The other really refreshing thing that we dis- cussed throughout the event was that most of our guests were unchurched! We are hoping this new annual outreach ministry will just be one big part of increasing our gospel footprint in Cambridge and Guernsey County! Thank you for partnering with us! – Pastor Adam Hall, Trinity Baptist Church Trunk or Treat - Community Meal, Grace Point Fellowship, Franklin Grace Point fed over 1,800 hot dogs and hamburgers to families, and reg- istered over 500 people who said they wanted more information about our church! We got to invite over 2,000 people who came through to join us in worshipping Jesus on Sundays! Great turnout, and we had 14 new visitor cards (30-40 new people) at Grace Point the following week for church! – Lead Pastor, Reagan Wagoner, Grace Point Fellowship
Stories continue on the next page...
18 | December 2025
Pastor Training, Northside BC, Youngstown and Arabic BC, Cleveland We want to thank you for the evangelism grant made possible through the North American Mission Board and your Cooperative Program giving. It helped make it possible to train 100 elders and their wives in Cairo, Egypt. Thirty-three churches from the evangelical church were represented. The training helped bring them closer together and gave them a better understanding of their role as leaders in the church. – Pastor Brian Picard, Northside Baptist Church, Youngstown and Pastor Evan, Arabic Baptist Church, Cleveland
Ray Roberts Funds Help Dayton-area Church Resolve Roof Issue The Church At Eastmont, a campus of First Baptist Kettering, recently com- pleted a much-needed roofing project, resolving long-standing issues with roof leaks and securing the facility for future ministry. This significant improve - ment not only enhances the safety and comfort of the church building, but also marks a renewed season of growth and outreach. With the roof restored, The Church At Eastmont is now better positioned to invite people in the City of Riverside and the Eastmont community to be transformed by Jesus. We are deeply grateful to the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio and the Ray Roberts Offering for their generous support, which helped make this project possible. Their partnership has empowered our church to continue creating a welcoming space where lives are changed and the gospel flourishes. Our Youth Evangelism Bash was a great time of fellowship, Bible study, and discussion. We had several teenagers from the community join us and partic- ipate in a relevant conversation about the scriptures. We fed them and gave them rides home. During the rides home, they expressed how impactful their time was and how they felt connected to the church. We plan on purchasing Bibles for all of those who attended. – Pastor Fredrick Clement, One Family Church Fall Festival and Youth Evangelism Bash, One Family Church, Dayton Our Fall Festival turned out better than expected. We had a constant stream of visitors come to our event. We strategically positioned our registration team at the front door to give every visitor a gospel tract and church pamphlet. The kids did a scavenger hunt, and the clues contained elements of the gospel message. If they completed the hunt, they received a gift card and experi- enced the full gospel story. We also had some one-on-one conversations with visitors. After the event, we followed up with each visitor and helped them plan their visit to an upcoming Sunday service.
December 2025 | 19
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. BI-VOCATIONAL PASTOR | Ridgewood Baptist Church, Wadsworth Ridgewood Baptist Church, Wadsworth (https://ridgewoodbaptistch.org), is seeking a bi-vocational pastor. We are a congre- gation of 40-50 in attendance in a community of approximately 25,000, with fifty percent of the population lost without Christ. We are seeking someone willing to preach from the King James Bible and love and lead us in engaging our community with the gospel. We do not desire someone with a reformed persuasion. If you are interested in becoming our next pastor, please send your resume to: Ridgewood Baptist Church, c/o Search Team, 7891 Ridge Rd., Wadsworth, OH 44281, or email our AMS at summitassociationams@gmail.com. SENIOR PASTOR | First Baptist Church, West Jefferson First Baptist Church, West Jefferson, is prayerfully seeking a full-time senior pastor. Please send your resume with references to Lwellsgto10@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. 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.
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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