NEWARK, Ohio—The church family at Bible Baptist Church is rejoicing in the Lord that a ten-year-old, nearly 12,000-square-foot dream began in September of this year. When Phase 1 is completed (target date is March 1, 2011), the post frame building will add restrooms, offices, class/conference room, and a large foyer. Phase 2 of the construction, which includes classrooms and a gym/fellowship hall, will also be roughed in and ready for completion in the near future.
When reporting on the project, the Newark Advocate interviewed Pastor Paul Reimer about the church’s decision to use local contractors.
“We feel it’s important,” Reimer said to the newspaper. “The church is in this community; we didn’t want to bring in someone from out of state to do the work. That was an important factor for us.”
Several ministry factors brought the church to the decision to build now: classrooms filled to capacity, fellowship hall too small for dinners and other events, lack of adequate restrooms, offices separated and sharing classroom space, and a teen class meeting offsite. Resource factors that motivated the project are members of the church whose occupations include draftsmen, civil engineer, master plumber, mortgage broker, heating and cooling contractor, and a university building supervisor. When these factors are added along with a local contractor who is very accommodating to churches, it seemed that the Lord’s timing was to build. As funds become available, Phase 2 will be completed by volunteers from the church and the teachers and students at the adjacent vocational high school. As a testimony to the community and to help stimulate the local economy, the church chose a builder and a bank located in Newark.
In 2011 the church will reach their Fiftieth Anniversary, and it is their hope that through the expansion of the building, the development of the ministries, and the celebration of the anniversary, they will be able to reach out more effectively to the community and county of 140,000 people. The congregation of Bible Baptist Church and their pastor, Paul Reimer, covet the prayer support of the GARBC family.
- Read more about the project in the Newark Advocate.
