Grab your clubs and get ready to tee it up at the Ohio Baptist Foundation Invitational Golf Tournament on Monday, September 15. It will be a great day of golf full of putting and purpose!The OBF Invitational Golf Tournament combines a fun round of golf, great gifts, and a delicious dinner—all while supporting a kingdom cause.Golfers will gather at The Lakes Golf & Country Club, 6740 Worthington Rd...  Read More

On May 13, 1925, nearly 5,000 Southern Baptists gathered at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, Tennessee and adopted The Cooperative Program as the way to partner in missions funding.A century later, on May 13, 2025, Southern Baptist leaders once again gathered in Memphis, Tennessee just a few steps from where Ellis Auditorium once stood to commemorate 100 years of cooperation.Using the same pulpit from...  Read More

First Baptist Church of Newtown, Easter Egg Hunt-Community Outreach  We had a fantastic crowd of people from the community and church! We had a bounce house, pictures, eggs, and lots of giveaways. We also had designated people talking and sharing the gospel with others. This was a wonderful event with a huge impact on the community!Pastor James Trascritti, First Baptist Church of Newtown Refuge Co...  Read More

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? The Holy Bible: English Standard Version ...  Read More

While I am a planter at heart, I also love seeing dead or dying things come back to life. I love doing what I do as a pastor, an AMS, and a coach/consultant in church health and revitalization for SCBO.This month, I wanted to share a testimony of how God has moved through my life pastoring churches in need of revitalization. I am currently the pastor of Freedom Hill Community Church in Stow. Befor...  Read More

Church Planters and Wives RetreatThe planters and wives retreat was a life-giving experience. Each and every detail was prepared with care and a desire to communicate that we were seen, understood, and valued. The message was received loud and clear.Thank you Dr. Westbrook and SCBO staff for loving us well. Let’s win Ohio!”Jonathan Howard, church planter, Bridge City Church, CincinnatiEaster Outre...  Read More

While patrolling the streets of Monroe, Ohio, Officer Drew White regularly stopped to make sure the doors of First Baptist Church, now Life Church, were locked.Frequently the doors were open, so Drew and his sergeant, also a believer, entered the building.“It was pretty often we would come into that old chapel when it would slow down at night, and we would be able to take a break, and we would jus...  Read More

On a chilly day in late October 2024, I received a phone call from James Risner,  associational mission strategist, Greater Dayton Association of Baptists. James asked if I’d be willing to meet with Adam Chanin, pastor of North Central Baptist Church (NCBC) in Riverside.He shared that NCBC was facing serious challenges and wondered if perhaps the state convention, or even my church, might be able ...  Read More

Our series kicks off in the Northeast Region of Ohio. Pastor Darrell Deer, College Heights BC, Elyria, is an Ohio Baptist through and through. His salvation, ministry calling, and 35 years in the pastorate have been in SCBO churches. Through the triumphs and the challenges of ministry, he remains an ardent supporter of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Program. Hear why in the first episode of our celebration of the Cooperative Program, “CP100: Pastor Darrell Deer.”  Read More

In April, SCBO welcomed Kaitie James to the role of Ministry Assistant for Events.“I wasn’t looking for a job or expecting it, but when I was approached about working for the SCBO, God worked it out perfectly,” she said. “I love doing ministry and being part of kingdom growth, taking care of things behind the scenes so others can focus on the event and what the Lord wants to say. I’m excited to ge...  Read More

In Galatians 6:2, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers,“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”On May 13, pastors and church members can learn how to care for those in crisis  during the Burden Bearing Conference at Lincoln Heights Baptist Church, Mansfield.Buckeye Central/Erie Baptist Association (BCEBA) is sponsoring the one-day conference and Josh Swinehart, BCEBA moderator...  Read More

It’s working.Recently, SCBO held its first-ever SEND Ohio retreat for current church planters, replanters, and their spouses here in the Buckeye State.Dr. Paul Akin, provost at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky traveled to Columbus to both challenge and encourage our planters. Also, his wife Kari, accompanied him to share and have a special gathering with the wives....  Read More

There’s hunting season, vacation season, and even off-season. But in disaster relief, the seasons are a little different.We have spring tornado and flood season which gives way to summer/fall hurricane and flood season. These are followed by random ice storms and man-made disaster seasons.In the southern United States and the Ohio River Valley, April was marred by serious tornadoes and flooding. I...  Read More

If you ever needed a concise resource to explain the Southern Baptist Convention to those who are new to the SBC, that resource is now available for you.SCBO has compiled and printed a new booklet, “Understanding the Southern Baptist Convention,” and it’s available NOW at https://scbo.org/whoweare.Buzz Kocher, SCBO director of strategic initiatives, created the new resource after requests from Ohi...  Read More

The SCBO website has long needed a new design—and now it’s finally here! You deserve a platform that’s easy to navigate and ready to equip you for ministry. This isn’t just a facelift—it’s a whole new way to connect, discover resources, and stay in step with what God is doing across Ohio. Along with cleaner navigation, we’re also producing new content every week to highlight how God is working in ...  Read More

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Fearing the Lord sets us free to pursue lives that glorify the Father in the name of Jesus.But, there are other kinds of fear. These fears don’t set us free, they make our world smaller. They enslave. They limit. They draw our attention away from the Lord towards something else…usually some version of our own comfort, safety, or pleasure.Have you al...  Read More

The results are in...I am thrilled to once again share with you that baptisms are on the rise here in the SCBO. We experienced a 13% increase in 2024 and have seen a 121% increase since 2021...to God be the glory!!I pray that we never get over the Gospel and stay focused on sharing the hope of Christ across the street and around the world. Thank you for your faithful and sacrificial generosity tow...  Read More

PICKERINGTON, Ohio (BP) – A year’s planning had gone into Change City Church in central Ohio before launch day on what was initially a rainy Feb. 16. That’s when the texts started arriving on Pastor Darryl Baker’s phone.“Are you still launching? We are shut down. There’s a snow emergency here,” a Cincinnati pastor texted Baker. But that was 120 miles away. In Pickerington, it was only raining and ...  Read More