One of Ohio’s Own Elected National Associational Missionary of the Year!

     Dennis Holmes, Associational Missionary/Church Starter Strategist for the Baptist Association of Greater Cincinnati (BAGC), was recognized as “National Associational Missionary of the Year” at the North American Mission Board’s annual Church Planting Forum recently in Atlanta, Georgia. Dennis has been the Associational Missionary since 2006.  For approximately ten years, before becoming the Associational Missionary, he served the Association as the Church and Community Missionary.  He was also pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dent in the BAGC for 15 years.
     Dennis is married to Micki, who is a media specialist for the Oak Hills Local Schools.  They have a son, Matthew, who lives in Keller, Texas with his wife and their son. They also have a daughter, Lindsey, who lives in Ventura, California with her husband.
     Dennis has been instrumental in setting the pace for new church plants in the Cincinnati area.  Within the last two or three years, 11 new churches have been planted. These church plants vary in worship style as well as the areas in which they are planted. They symbolize the need to reach all kinds of people in all parts of Cincinnati with the gospel of Christ. Dennis understands that every existing church was once a new church start and that new churches can have a tremendous impact on their community for Christ.  
     Some of these new church starts are:  Christ the King Church (planter, Michael Clary),
Church of the Holy Trinity (a Russian congregation/planter, Sergei Luzginov), Compass Community Church (planter, Dorrien Hinsey), Heritage Church (planter, Jeff Buchold), New Life Chapel (planter, Lonnie Snell), Origins Church (planter, Scotty Neal), Passage Church (planter, Dave Dorr), Red Door Church (planter, Joshua Lenon), Urban Hills Church (planter, Ed Blackledge), Simple Church (A house church network/planter, Eric Shrum), and Axiom Church (a restart/planter, Ray Brock).
     Two Power Plant events have also taken place under Dennis’ ministry (2008 and 2009).  Power Plant is a North American Mission Board church planting emphasis that uses youth from several visiting churches to come and help with the new church plants for a week. This is a major undertaking that involves planning and strategizing as well as the ability to “roll with the flow” when things do not always go as planned.  This church planting emphasis also has the valuable component of exposing and teaching youth the need of starting new churches. The 2008 Power Plant involved the second largest number of participants in the nation, while the 2009 event was the largest.
     Recently, the BAGC agreed to adopt the North American Mission Board’s major evangelistic strategy of “God’s Plan for Sharing” which is more widely known as GPS.  The BAGC has joined forces with other associations in the Southwest corner of the state to distribute the gospel to 110,000 homes.
    Dennis regularly convenes and facilitates Church Planter network meetings for the BAGC Church Planters.  He has also taken the initiative to invite outside groups to enhance training for the Association’s Church Planters.
     Dennis is also an avid biker.  He peddles his bike for many miles throughout the Cincinnati area.  He recently completed a “prayer riding” plan in which he rode his bike to every church in the Association! Not only are the churches of Cincinnati fortunate to have Dennis serving the Lord for them, but the same can be said for all of Ohio. There are millions of people living in Ohio that do not have a church home. Millions do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Dennis Holmes realizes that the more Christ centered churches we have in Ohio, the greater the chances are that these millions of people will have an opportunity to meet our Lord and Savior. Just as many of us have been touched by His mercy and grace, we want to ensure that others have the same opportunity. Thank you, Dennis, for the great example you have set for us in Ohio!