2024 Annual Celebration 8 | December 2024
SCBO Pastor’s Conference Features Ohio Speakers
By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
“My primary hope was that it would deepen existing relationships among Ohio pastors and even create new friendships among our leaders,” Pursel said. “Ohio has amazing leaders and we all benefit when we actually know each other!” Participants enjoyed the interactive experience. “The feedback I received was incredibly positive,” Pur- sel noted. “Many asked for the document we used to run it. Even more said it was a refreshing break from three hours of sitting in a chair and listening. It allowed them to stand up and enjoy engaging with friends and meeting leaders from around the state.” After the group project, Pastors Aaron Taylor and Kirk Kirkland exhorted their fellow pastors to persist in min- istry and remember the mission. Pastor Aaron Taylor, Living Hope Church, Columbus, encouraged pastors to endure during the ups and downs of ministry from I Corinthians 1:26-31; 2:1-5. “When ministry is good, stay humble,” Taylor noted. “When ministry is challenging, stay humble and de- pend on Jesus. We get to devote our lives to serving King Jesus. We have nothing to boast about except Jesus. Without Jesus we are nothing.” Pastor Kirk Kirkland, Revive City Church, Cincinna- ti, reminded pastors of the mission—bringing the lost home to Jesus. Using Luke 15, Kirkland said, “Jesus is eating with the tax collectors and sinners. Some in the crowd didn’t understand what Jesus was doing with ‘those people,’” Recalling the moment he truly understood the call to share the gospel with all people, Kirkland said, “Ev- ery person in Cincinnati, Ohio, is someone’s son and someone’s daughter and God has called me to care about them. It’s right that lost people come home to the Father and we celebrate their arrival. Pastors are being called home to have the heart of the Father.” SCBO President Pursel was pleased with the 2024 Pastor’s Conference. “I thought the Pastors Confer- ence was a homerun! Our four Ohio speakers knocked it out of the park. The musical worship was fantastic,” he said. “The goal was to worship Christ and to en- courage and edify those who came, and I think we did both well!” The Pastor’s Conference will kick off the 2025 Annu - al Celebration, November 10-11, at Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon.
The Pastor’s Conference kicked off the 2024 SCBO Annual Celebration at Jersey Church, New Albany, on Monday, November 11, featuring messages from four Ohio pastors. SCBO President Adam Pursel invited the pastors to challenge and encourage their counterparts from across the state. The Worship Team from Lifepoint Church, Mount Vernon, led vibrant praise and worship throughout the conference. Pastors Karlie Hale and Mark Glenn urged pastors to lead when called while holding on to their first love. Pastor Karlie Hale, One Love Community Church, Cleveland, preached from Joshua 1:1-11 focusing on Joshua’s call to lead. “There’s no mistake when God calls you in His timing. Say yes!” Hale proclaimed. He called leaders to practice immediate obedience to the Lord. “No excuses! Always be ready to go when He calls you. When God calls you to lead—Go!” Pastor Mark Glenn, Summit Baptist Church, Pataska- la, challenged pastors to reclaim their first love using Revelation 2:1-7. “Doing all the right things in ministry didn’t impress Jesus,” Glenn said. “According to this text, the measure of the success of one’s ministry is found in his affections for Christ. The church at Ephe - sus apparently abandoned their affections.” Following Glenn’s message, Pursel had the crowd out of their seats during a group project designed to give pastors time to engage with each other. Pastor Karlie Hale, One Love Community Church, Cleveland was one of four Ohio speakers at the 2024 Pastor’s Conference during the SCBO Annual Celebration.
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