PORTSMOUTH, Ohio—Shawnee Hills Baptist Church celebrated 20 years of ministry, as members remembered the death of one church that had brought on the birth of their own.
On May 28, 1990, First Baptist Church in Eden Park, Ohio, sadly closed its doors. Declining membership and resources had made it apparent that the church that had started in 1956 would not survive. Pastor David Gose recommended that the church turn over ownership to Temple Baptist Church in Portsmouth, pastored by John Gowdy, which had agreed to start a new church in the old building.
- Find out how the GARBC can help churches and church planters
Renovations to the church building began immediately after the doors closed. Volunteers cleaned, painted, and fixed anything that was needed, often at their own expense.
Two years later, a new church with a new name and a new pastor arose from the ashes of the previous church. On May 27, 1992, Jim Collingsworth joined Temple Baptist Church as associate pastor of church planting, with the sole responsibility of starting a new church in the old Eden Park building, now clean and ready for believers to take over. After more labor and planning meetings, Shawnee Hills Baptist Church became an independent entity on Sept. 13, 1992, with Jim Collingsworth as pastor and 12 charter members.
Shawnee Hills Baptist says, “None of them could possibly have suspected what that little church would become, but filled with faith and anticipation, they prayed and yielded to the Holy Spirit for His guidance. Today, 20 years later, there stands here a thriving and productive church, in awe of what God has done but still seeking ways to expand our ministry. The road from 1992 to has not always been easy but it has been blessed.”
Since that auspicious beginning, Shawnee Hills Baptist Church has held many worship services and revivals, and many people have been saved, baptized, and made commitments to the Lord.
In addition, the church has purchased the elementary school across the road from the church for the use of Sunday School, VBS, Awana, church events, and church dinners; it has also provided much-needed parking space. The church has purchased additional property with a house suitable to be used as the pastor’s residence and acreage for developing a church camp. The independently functioning Son Rise Bible Camp has already been used (free of charge) for church gatherings and a five-day camp.
In the church itself, the platform has been remodeled, with the baptismal pool relocated to the lower floor and the stage area enlarged. Men in the church worked on these additions and improvements themselves, enabling the church to be debt-free.
Three men have been pastor of Shawnee Hills Baptist Church after Jim Collingsworth ended his role in 1993: Clifford Marquardt (1993–1995), who was simultaneously president of Tri-State Bible College, South Point, Ohio; Dave Frazie (1995–2004); and Ken Estep, current pastor since 2004.
“God has seen us through some perilous times,” says Shawnee Hills Baptist, “but always has been faithful to His Word when we continue to show ourselves faithful to Him. Commitment is strong within the church as well as the love of the brethren. As always, we are optimistic that God will do great things in and through Shawnee Hills Church.”
- “About 3,700 churches in America dissolve every year. Many others struggle with declining attendance and inadequate leadership,” says Ken Davis in his Baptist Bulletin article “Church Rescue.” He says, “I strongly believe that God’s heart is for the revival of many of His churches. Though turning dying congregations around may be difficult, many could be successfully salvaged.” Read this and other Baptist Bulletin articles about church-planting.
