The Ohio Baptist Education Society is an independent, not for profit, corporation. Its roots go back to the Baptist pioneers of Ohio, and to dedicated men and women who have served through the years to keep their dream a reality. This small devoted Society has served the churches of Ohio, the nation, and mission fields around the world. Scores of prominent denominational and professional church leaders have been rewarded by the courage and foresight of these pioneers.

The Ohio Baptist Education Society is the oldest, continuous education movement among Ohio Baptists. It’s history is the story of fifteen years of dedication and struggle to form a Society “to establish a school for the education of individuals of the Baptist Denomination, who are approved by the churches of which they may be members, and who have been examined and approved by this society as suitable candidates for the gospel ministry.”

OBES Scholarships

The OBES exists to provide financial Assistance in the way of scholarships to prepare American Baptist Professional Ministers for tomorrow. There are Four Scholarship funds available to apply for per Calendar year:

• The Ohio Baptist Education Society Scholarship - Established in 1831
• The Faye and Robert Lett (African-American) Scholarship – Established in 1990
• The Rev. Dr. Ralph And Joyce Lamb Memorial Scholarship – Established in 2002
• The Rev. Robert E. And Gladys Ernst Scholarship – Established in 2007 (see below for more information)

Applications must be received by April 1st for consideration of a Scholarship for the upcoming academic year. Scholarships are awarded in July.

The Rev. Robert E. and Gladys G. Ernst Scholarship (Ernst Scholarship)

The Ohio Baptist Educational Society (OBES) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Rev. Robert E. and Gladys G. Ernst Scholarship (Ernst Scholarship). The Ernst Scholarship will be endowed by the family and friends of Rev. and Mrs. Robert E. Ernst in honor of their fifty-plus years of service to Baptist churches throughout Ohio.

Since 1953, Rev. Ernst has served in almost forty Ohio Baptist churches not only in full-time and interim ministerial capacities, but also as an evangelist and as a guest pastor for shorter time periods. In addition to individual churches, Rev. Ernst was very active at all levels of the Ohio Baptist Convention, holding numerous management positions including Trustee and Executive Committee member. Other areas of community service include three decades of activities with the Boy Scouts of America, Director of the Erie Bible Club summer camps for approximately ten years, several years as Chaplain of the Ohio Defense Corps in Ashtabula and participation in public education and local hospitals as a PTA board member and Chaplain, respectively.

The Ernsts’ ministry has been a true “team effort”. Mrs. Ernst has been a vital part of her husband’s ministry through her companionship and musical talent. They ministered together to congregations and communities through church activities and a strong commitment to home and hospital visitation programs. Together they have brought the word of God to their congregations through the spoken word, piano and organ music and songs of praise throughout their married life.

The Ernst Scholarship, in the amount of $1,000 to $1,500, will be offered annually, funded by the Ernst family and awarded by the OBES according to guidelines set forth in Article II of the OBES By-Laws, with one exception. The scholarship will be awarded to current ABC/Ordained pastors of American Baptist Churches in Ohio who are pursuing post-graduate ministry degrees such as Master or Doctor of Divinity either at accredited institutions or through a college or seminary extension program.

Inquiries regarding the application process for an Ernst Scholarship should be directed to:
The Ohio Baptist Education Society
647 South Diamond St.
Mansfield, Oh 44907
or pastorchris@prodigy.net

All contributions to the Ernst Scholarship will be added to the OBES endowment fund. Contributions should be made payable to The Ohio Baptist Education Society, designated for the “Ernst Scholarship” and mailed to:

The Ohio Baptist Education Society
P.O. Box 0288
Granville, Oh 43023

Scholarship donations are tax deductible to the extent the law allows.

About the Rev. & Mrs. Ernst

Rev. Robert E. Ernst, an Ohio native, was born in Madison in 1919.  He began his ministerial career in 1941 as an American Sunday School Union missionary based in Chillicothe and serving six counties.  He met Mrs. Ernst while both were attending the Practical Bible Training School (presently Davis College) in Johnson City, New York.  After graduation, they married in 1942 and commenced their lifetime of service by continuing the missionary work in Chillicothe until 1945. 

Returning to New York, Rev. Ernst continued his education, earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1948 from Houghton College, his Bachelor of Divinity from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1958 and, in 1973, his Master of Divinity from the same institution.  In 1981, Florida Bible College awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Divinity.

After serving as pastor of two churches in New York from 1945 through 1952, Rev. & Mrs. Ernst returned to Ohio in 1953 to the First Baptist Church in Kingsville.  They moved to the First Baptist Church of Zanesville in 1963, remaining there for twelve years.  After serving at the Union Baptist Church in Troy for ten years, they retired from full-time pastoral work in 1984 and moved to Westerville.

Less than five months after retiring, they were persuaded to accept an interim ministry position at the First Baptist Church in Grove City.  Although they did not realize it at the time, this became a second career.  Through 2001, they served in ten different churches for periods ranging from three to seventeen months.  Their interim ministry actually returned them to the First Baptist churches in both Kingsville and Zanesville where they renewed many friendships.  They also returned by request to the First Baptist Church in Fredericktown for interim ministry on three separate occasions.

Rev. Ernst was very active at all levels of the Ohio Baptist Convention.  He held numerous management positions at the state level including Trustee and Executive Committee member.  Other positions held ranged from Chairman of the Department of Ministry, and President of the Minister’s Council, to President of the Ministers Credit Union and board member of the Christian Board of Higher Education.

Rev. Ernst was involved in activities with the Boy Scouts of America for three decades and is himself an Eagle Scout with three Palms.  During this time, he served as Chaplain and Counselor at two national Jamborees.  Other areas of community service include Director of the Erie Bible Club summer camps for approximately ten years, Chaplain of the Ohio Defense Corps in Ashtabula for several years and participation in public education and local hospitals as a PTA board member and Chaplain, respectively. 

Rev. & Mrs. Ernst traveled on missionary work tours to Haiti, Puerto Rico and Alaska, and have toured Egypt and the Holy Land.  They have four children, eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.