GOD STILL SAVES

GOD STILL SAVES!!!!!

Congratulations are in order. No,
not to me or the other members of your state resource team, rather,
congratulations are in order for you, the leaders and members of our Ohio
Southern Baptist churches. What for you ask? The State Convention of Baptists
in Ohio
recently received the Excellence in
Evangelism Award, given annually by the North American Mission Board in
recognition of those states which led the nation in the percentage of baptism
increase in 2009. Praise the Lord that our convention was recognized for having
an 18% increase in baptisms in 2009.

In 2009, Ohio Southern Baptist
churches reported 4,511 baptisms, up from 3,817 in 2008. This was mainly due to
an increased evangelistic effort in our churches and the ongoing evangelism
partnerships between churches, associations, and our state convention. In
addition, in 2009 our state staff made a more concerted effort in asking Ohio churches to report
church statistics through the Annual Church Profile. Praise the Lord that our churches
responded and an increase was reported!!

Let me say in conclusion that it
was nice to be recognized and a privilege to accept the award on your behalf.
However, there is still much more evangelistic work to be done in our state and
in our churches. Currently there are more than 7.5 million people in Ohio that profess to
have no religious affiliation of any kind. I’m sure you would agree with me
that indeed the harvest is plentiful.
Now what we need is more workers. Would you pray and ask God for your church to
consider hosting or participating in an evangelistic event or training? Would
you prayerfully think about partnering with another church, your association,
or our state convention to reach people for Christ? If so, contact the
Evangelism Resource Group today so we can pray for it, plan it, participate in
it, and ask God’s power to be revealed through it.

To God Be The Glory for each soul
that came to a saving knowledge of Him in 2009, and I pray when all the
evangelistic efforts and events are tallied for 2010, Ohio will once again show
an increase in baptisms because of the faithful
workers who work God’s harvest field for His glory!

There Is Victory in Jesus……………....Jack Helton, Evangelism
Resource Group Leader

2009 BAPTISM LEADERS BY ASSOCIATION

1. Buckeye-Central-Erie
Baptist Association: Northside
Baptist Church
- 23
2. Baptist Association of Greater Cincinnati:
Fellowship Baptist Church
- 73
3. Cleveland Hope
Association: Cuyahoga
Valley Church
- 184
4. Greater Dayton Association
of Baptists: Moraine
City Baptist
Church - 78
5. Metro Columbus Baptist
Association: Jersey
Baptist Church
- 131
6. Miami Valley Baptist Association: Calvary and Springboro Baptist Churches
- 43
7. Muskingum Valley Baptist Association – Spring Hills
Baptist Church
- 56
8. Northcoast Baptist Association: Chestnut Ridge
Baptist Church
- 32
9. Northwest Ohio Baptist
Association: New Heights Fellowship - 21
10. Ohio Valley Baptist Association: New Bethel Baptist
Church - 16
11. Scioto Valley Baptist Association: Chillicothe Baptist
Church - 29
12. Southern Hills Baptist Association: Urbancrest Baptist
Church - 84
13. Southwestern Baptist Association: First
Baptist Church,
Camden - 42
14. Steel Valley Baptist
Church: First Baptist
Church, Garrettsville -
14
15. Summit Baptist
Association: Broadman
Baptist Church
- 28
16. West Central Baptist Association: Hillcrest Baptist
Church – 32

For evangelistic resources, information, funding, or
training, please contact jackhelton@scbo.org,
bfrye@scbo.org, tbinns@scbo.org, dfloro@scbo.org, suesligh@scbo.org, or skelley@scbo.org.