Mission Ohio: Moving Forward with Your Head Up

With the sound of the “Ray Roberts Gavel,” President David Starry, pastor of Vandalia First Baptist Church, called the 64th annual meeting of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio to order November 8, 2017 hosted by the Chillicothe Baptist Church whose pastor Timothy Cline welcomed the 260 plus participants.  President Starry chose the theme “Mission Ohio: Moving Forward with Your Head Up” to guide the one-day meeting in historic Chillicothe, Ohio the first capitol of Ohio.

During the morning session, messengers approved without opposition the proposed 2017 Mission Ohio budget which maintains the 2016 total budget amount without an increase or decrease and the 50/50 ratio distribution of Cooperative Mission Program receipts between Mission Ohio and SBC worldwide missions even though receipts are forecasted to be approximately 5% below the 2016 adopted budget.  The total Cooperative Mission Program receipts required for the 2016 budget was $4,416,152.74.  If the 2016 budget were to be subscribed this 50/50 ratio would have directed $2,208,076.37 to the Mission Ohio and $2,208,076.37 to SBC worldwide missions as would the 2017 budget.

This move to the 50/50 ratio distribution in one year required a decrease of $78,059 in personnel costs and an increase of 16.65% (an additional $630,447) in contributions from the SCBO churches.  This additional decrease in SCBO staffing, brought the total to a 52% reduction in positions implemented over several past years in order to continue supporting missions from Ohio to the ends of the earth.

“Moving Forward with Your Head Up” captures the commitment of Ohio Southern Baptists to share the Gospel from Ohio to the ends of the earth.  “Moving Forward” requires sacrifice and involves challenges.  Ohio Southern Baptists recognize this and desire to move forward with our heads up in faith and commitment to the Great Commission.  Supporting missions from Ohio to the ends of the earth is the heartbeat of Ohio Southern Baptists.  The State Convention of Baptists in Ohio exists to assist Southern Baptist churches and associations in Ohio obey the Great Commission.

Messengers to the 64th annual meeting reelected David Starry as President of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio; he is the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Vandalia, Ohio.  They elected Ryan Strother, pastor of Central Baptist Church in Marion, Ohio, as the First Vice President; he served as second vice president during 2016.  For second vice president, messengers cast ballots for nominees either Reginald Hayes, pastor of United Faith International Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio, or Chad Keck, pastor of Kettering First Baptist Church in Beavercreek, Ohio.  Hayes received 131 votes, and Keck received 80 votes.  Messengers reelected Faye Rodgers, member of Northside Baptist Church in Springfield, Ohio as Recording Secretary and Annette Dessecker, member of Lincoln Heights Baptist Church in Mansfield, Ohio, as Assistant Recording Secretary.

The SCBO Mission Council recommended a 3-year extension of the Tennessee-Ohio partnership.  Messengers approved this without any opposition.  During the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, messengers to the Tennessee Baptist Convention approved the extension as well.  The Tennessee-Ohio Partnership has blessed Mission Ohio significantly for which Ohio Southern Baptists are very grateful.

In response to a motion from the 2016 annual meeting, the Mission Council presented a proposed revision to the SCBO Constitution and By-Laws.  The SCBO Constitution requires the presentation of a written proposal of any revisions to the messengers at an annual meeting and a vote on the proposal at the following annual meeting.  Executive Director Jack Kwok presented the proposed revisions.  They are posted ConstitutionRevision-IntroAndText.pdf on the SCBO website.

The Resolutions Committee, chaired by Jeff Woolum, presented eight resolutions to the messengers.  Messengers approved all eight resolutions which are posted 2017AdoptedResolutions.pdf on the SCBO website.  They also received reports from all SBC Agencies & Entities. 

James Risner, pastor of Brantwood Baptist Church in Dayton, Ohio and chair of the Nominating Committee, presented the nominees for 2018-20 Mission Council vacancies: a list of nominees 2018MissionCouncilApprovedNominees.pdf is on the SCBO Website.  Messengers approved all nominations.

Messengers approved without opposition the recommendation from Dennis Betts, chair of the Time, Place, and Preacher Committee, to hold the 65th Annual Meeting of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio November 7, 2018 at the Kalahari Convention Center 7000 Kalahari Drive Sandusky, Ohio. 44870.  They also approved the recommendation of David Frasure, pastor of First Baptist Church in South Lebanon, Ohio to preach the annual sermon and Paul Daulton, pastor of Parma Baptist Church in Parma, Ohio, to be the alternate.

Auxiliary Meetings included a Pastor’s Conference and Luncheon, New Beginnings Banquet for Church Planters and Sponsors, Mission Support and Mobilization Breakfast, and Women in Ministry Luncheon.  The SCBO Disaster Relief Child Care Unity provided nursery and child care for registered messengers.

Appalachian Regional Ministries and Mission Support and Mobilization Resource Group coordinated the collection of backpacks to be given to children in the Appalachia area.  Messengers and guests brought 410 backpacks to the annual meeting.  Many SCBO churches have sent their collection directly.

SCBO Constitution and By-Laws required the transaction of business and engagement in worship.  The Carl Cartee Worship Band led the music.  Executive Director Jack Kwok, President David Starry, and Pastor Connie Hancock preached from different texts emphasizing the theme of Mission Ohio: Moving Forward with Our Heads Up.”

President David Starry preached on “Living Life with Our Heads Up” from Luke 21:20-28.  He stressed the need to face reality with the assurance that Jesus is coming again and to be ready at all times.  Believers are living in difficult and challenging days.  Yet, Jesus is coming again, and He shall defeat the enemy Satan and sin.  The imminent return of Christ must motivate Ohio believers to reach Ohio for Jesus.  Believers must focus on today and be on guard while watching for the Return of Jesus.

Connie Hancock, pastor of Springboro Baptist Church in Springboro, Ohio, delivered the annual sermon from the text Exodus25.  His message targeted primarily pastors with appropriate applications for church staff and church members.  He exhorted the attendees to be content in the ministry to which God has called them.  Notwithstanding, he acknowledged that ministry is hard.  Thus, he encouraged leaders not only to avoid neglecting their families, but to protect them and include them as partners in ministry.  He emphasized protecting yourself as the leader by setting boundaries in time, responsibilities, and interpersonal relationships.  Pastor Hancock concluded by affirming ministry is worth it all.

Executive Director Jack Kwok addressed the theme of “Moving Forward with Your Head Up” from Acts 1:8.  He cited the text instructing Christ’s disciples to provide the Evidence of Our Witness to Jesus and His Life-Changing Gospel Message in faithful communication and conduct.  From the text, he applied the Extent of Our Witness to Jesus and His Life-Changing Gospel Message in our Southern Baptist context. 

Through the local witness/ministries of churches who cooperative with local associations and the Cooperative Mission Program, Sothern Baptists can obey the Great Commission simultaneously rather than sequentially.  Going to a 50/50 ratios for the distribution of Cooperative Mission Program receipts from SCBO churches has severely impacted the resources and personnel of the Mission Ohio Resource team.  However, we are called to keep moving forward.  Moving forward as a good witness to Jesus requires that we keep our heads up by looking to Jesus who is with us all the way.  This is Mission Ohio: Moving Forward with Heads up from Ohio to the Ends of the Earth.

President Starry gaveled the 64th annual meeting of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio to a close.  Registered messengers numbered 231 from 108 churches which included all 15 associations.  Annual Church profile numbers have become less dependable for accuracy due to the lack of reporting.  The best reports available indicated that about 745 congregations with approximately 100,000 members cooperate with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.