The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 1:3-5, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (CSB)Paul expressed gratitude for the ongoing gospel partnership he shared with the Philippian believers. His words resonate with me as I reflect on the special partner...  Read More

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – This year, March 16 falls on a Sunday, and the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) evangelism team is urging Southern Baptist churches to plan a special outreach on that day with a campaign: “3:16 on 3/16.”“John 3:16 has been referred to as the gospel in a nutshell. It’s probably the most widely known Bible verse in the world,” said Tim Dowdy, NAMB’s president of evangelism. “S...  Read More

At least fifty SCBO churches have participated in the 21 Days of Prayer. As churches begin to pray in unity, great reports are coming in. So, what’s next?In the fall, a pilot group of a dozen churches participated in a Prayer, Care, Share initiative that ended with a Friend Day.Pastor David Haarmeyer, East River Road Baptist Church, Fairfield, reports, “21 days of prayer and Prayer Care Share had ...  Read More

This year, I’ve had the privilege of meeting Southern Baptist worship consultants across our beautiful country. I happened to notice that our sister convention in North Carolina (NC) was offering communications training for their churches. I attended with my two part-time staff that create graphics, and we all agreed it was phenomenal.NC Baptists have agreed to offer SBCO churches the same graphic...  Read More

The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio recently welcomed two new team members.AJ Frasure and Jess Shoup have joined SCBO and are already busy working to serve Ohio churches and pastors.AJ Frasure - Director of ITFrasure is the new Director of IT and will oversee the technology needs of SCBO including IT support, network maintenance, and staff training on key software.“My responsibilities also ex...  Read More

Cove City Church, Cleveland, Merry Mart Store OutreachThank you for supporting us and partnering with us in our 4th annual Merry Mart Store. I wanted to share an update with you on some of the key things that came out of this event.222 kids served, (283 signed up).100 Bibles given to families, some for the first time.Praying for families and inviting them back to be a part of our church family.Two...  Read More

Covenant Church, Grove City, has quite literally been a church on the move.Since launching in 2010, the church plant has been portable, meeting in various rented facilities over the years.All that changed on Sunday, January 5, 2025, when Covenant Church gathered in its new building which is right where they wanted to be – in the middle of their target area.“It’s good to be home,” said Lead Pastor ...  Read More

Hey Northeast Region family,I pray that 2025 has started well for you.A new year brings new opportunities and challenges but with the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to seize some of those opportunities and stand strong against the challenges we may face.One of those opportunities is for us to build on our partnership with southeast Florida.On January 8-10, several N...  Read More

It’s been a long day. You get home from work, grab some dinner and sit in your chair to watch the national news.For the last few weeks, all you’ve seen are pictures of the devastating fires burning in California. The losses are overwhelming. After a while, it seems to be too much but your heart goes out to the victims.For the believer, the images of so much suffering spark feelings of compassion t...  Read More

Amidst all the attention on college football players and coaches openly expressing their faith, let’s talk about a PENALTY.TreVeyon Henderson, an outspoken Christian and leader in Ohio State football’s Bible studies and baptism services, is an example of faith in action.During OSU’s semi-final game against Texas, he wore Romans 3:22 eye black—a bold display of his beliefs—while also receiving a 15...  Read More

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a fellowship of nearly 47,000 Baptist churches scattered across the United States and its territories.These 47,000 churches have organized themselves to accomplish a specific set of missions and ministry initiatives all to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people everywhere.The Annual Church Profile (ACP) is part of the organization of our SBC chur...  Read More

Let’s Make Disciples of Jesus Christ 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Jn 11:2...  Read More

The harvest is here in Ohio, and laborers are needed.With over ninety percent of Ohio’s twelve million people unchurched, we need more planters, pastors, and churches here in the Buckeye state! The Scriptures not only provide an exhortation but also an encouragement to help us reach more with the Gospel of Christ. Jesus told us in Luke 10:2, “And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the...  Read More

By John Heading, Ohio Disaster Relief directorEconomists have determined that the work of Disaster Relief (DR) volunteers is worth $28 per hour.This is important because each county can include DR hours into their total loss for reimbursement from government emergency declaration grants. Ohio DR does not receive any of the grant money.However, the value of Disaster Relief is worth much more to the...  Read More

Stephen Spurgin is the 2024 recipient of the Darty and Dot Stowe Award which was presented on November 12, during the SCBO Annual Celebration at Jersey Church, New Albany. Spurgin is the 30th recipient of the award.Each year, the 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, never recog...  Read More

By Scott Barkley, chief national correspondent, Baptist Press.NEW LEXINGTON, Ohio (BP) — When it comes to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the physical nature of the work calls for strong bodies. However, it also calls for experience and maturity useful in ministering to those days or even hours removed from a natural disaster. And as said natural disasters don’t schedule their arrival, you need ...  Read More

By Stephanie Heading, managing editorThe 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 worshi...  Read More

By Stephanie Heading, Ohio Baptist Messenger, managing editorOver 330 messengers, guests, and exhibitors from across Ohio gathered at Jersey Church in New Albany, Ohio for the 2024 State Convention of Baptists in Ohio (SCBO) Annual Celebration, November 11-12.The Annual Meeting celebrated God’s work in Ohio as well as cast vision for the future as SCBO Executive Director-Treasurer Dr. Jeremy Westb...  Read More