Who We Are
Rev. Dr. Lawrence O. Swain, Executive Minister
A native of Glendale, California, Dr. Swain attended the First Baptist Church of Glendale. He received Jesus Christ as his personal savior while attending an Easter Bible camp with the church in April 1962. He was baptized November 11th that year. During his senior year of high school, Larry received a very clear call to the pastoral ministry. He attended college and graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the California State University, Northridge, California. After college he married Linda M. Fuller and began his seminary education. He graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 1975 from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Upon completing seminary the Chevy Chase Baptist Church in Glendale called Larry to become the pastor, where he served for six years. In 1981 he answered the call to serve as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of El Segundo, California. In 1989 he moved to Washington, Pennsylvania and became the pastor of the Allison Avenue Baptist Church. In 1993 he completed studies at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and received the Doctor of Ministry degree specializing in congregational worship. In 1998 he received the Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia.
Dr. Swain served the American Baptist Churches of Ohio from 1995-1998 as the South Area Minister, and in 1998 he assumed the position of Executive Minister of the Pittsburgh Baptist Association. Following a successful merger of the Pittsburgh Association with the American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware, Dr. Swain answered the call of the American Baptist Churches of Ohio to become the Executive Minister October 1, 2004.
Dr. Swain’s ministry experience includes twenty years of pastoral ministry, promotion of American Baptist missions, leadership training, conflict management, and vision development and congregation transformation. Dr. Swain is currently leading the American Baptist Churches of Ohio in the vision “Rise Up and Build” that seeks to transform churches into healthy missional congregations.
Dr. Swain and his wife, Linda recently celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. They have adult children, Matthew and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is married and is a registered nurse working in Pittsburgh. Matthew will be married in July 2007, is the Minister of Worship at Briarwood Baptist Church in GA. Dr. and Mrs. Swain enjoy serving together providing encouragement and spiritual nurture to the American Baptist Churches in Ohio.
Rev. Robert M. Cassady, Regional Minister
Rev. Robert M. Cassady
Regional Minister
Rev. Jane Gibbons, Regional Minister
Rev. Jane Gibbons
Regional Minister
Rev. Mark E. Click, Regional Minister
Rev. Mark E. Click
Regional Minister
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Subcategories
- ABC Ohio Staff
- Associations & Churches
- Purpose & Vision
- Constitution & Bylaws
- Rise Up and Build
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Contact Us
American Baptist Churches of Ohio
American Baptist Churches of Ohio
136 Galway Drive North
Granville, OH 43023-9577740.587.0804
740.587.0807 (Fax)
