Today was an exciting and bittersweet day for us at First Baptist Church of Jackson (Stark County) as we “sent out” a new church plant to Dover, Ohio.
Pastor Doug Kilchenman was officially ordained as Pastor and our church members from the Tuscarawas County area who want to transfer to the new Bible Baptist Church of Dover came forward to be “sent out” as a group. I think about 60 people will be leaving our church in this transition 🙂 .
They’ve been meeting in one of our Sunday school rooms for the past several weeks as their own church. Beginning the first Sunday in September though, they will be meeting in their new location:
In the former Monroe Mall, 1260 Monroe Ave., Dover, Ohio (near the Dover YMCA).
Bible Baptist Church of Dover is actually the second church we have planted (Bible Baptist on Facebook).
The first couple we sent out to start a church was Michael and Pamela Williams who have started the Selah Mountain Baptist Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico (Selah on Facebook).
Because we live in a day that sees churches extending their reach into other areas via connected campuses, I feel like I need to clarify that when we (FBCJ) start a new church – that church is independent of us. They have their own pastors, schedules, plans – we don’t manage them, they are a separate entity.
We send them out to start churches where there is a need for the gospel (not the prosperity false gospel that is so prevalent today!) and a need for biblical discipleship. Salvation isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning and discipleship is how we grow in our faith.
“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
 -II Timothy 2:1-2
Discipleship and the Local Church are God’s methods of reaching the lost and maturing believers. Â If you live in Tuscarawas County, Ohio and haven’t found the right church yet I’d like to encourage you to visit Bible Baptist Church of Dover. I’ve known Doug and his wife for years and I’ve seen Doug grow in his passion for the word of God.
If you hunger for God’s truth, hunger to grow in your faith? Â You will be fed there.
