New ARMs Introduced

ABC Ohio introduces two new ABC Ohio Associate Regional Ministers (ARMs). Rev. Clay Self serves the Clinton Baptist Association and Rev. Dr. Jason Hentschel of the Miami Baptist Association.

Rev. Dr. Jason Hentschel

Rev. Dr. Jason Hentschel

Rev. Dr. Jason Hentschel in addition to serving as the Senior Pastor at the Wyoming Baptist Church in Cincinnati serves as the ABC Ohio Associate Regional Minister (ARM) for the Miami Baptist Association.

Jason will be making regular contacts with association pastors, organizing regular Clergy Fellowship meetings (as the pandemic allows), and supporting the work of the association.

The focus of his ARM ministry will be that of pastoral care and support. He will be working closely with Region Staff and other ARMs serving throughout the Region.

Rev. Dr. Jason A. Hentschel is Senior Pastor at Wyoming Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and (occasionally) Adjunct Professor of Theology at Baylor’s Truett Seminary. When not preaching, teaching, or writing, he’s creating LEGO masterpieces with his two kids, Emma and Marty, watching murder mysteries with his wife, Sara, or fly fishing in the middle of a river somewhere. Social media frightens him, so he’s sworn it off and would rather grab coffee or lunch anyway.

Rev. Clay Self

Rev. Clay Self and his wife Kacy

Rev. Clay Self is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Hillsboro and will serve the Clinton Baptist Association. In his own words:

"My conversion to Christ happened when I was a youth at Ashland Ave Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio at an Ohio Baptist Youth Convention held at First Baptist Church of Dayton, Ohio. After that I served two terms on the Ohio Baptist Youth State Board. Between high school and college, I worked at Judson Hills Baptist Camp in Loudonville, Ohio. 

While attending Eastern College (now Eastern University) I pursued many ministry opportunities including prison ministry, developing and initiating a campus wide small group ministry, serving as an assistant to the campus chaplain and occasional pulpit supply to nearby churches. 

After earning a psychology degree with an emphasis in youth I was blessed with the opportunity to serve under my mentor/pastor at the First Baptist Church in Des Moines, IA.From there I attended and graduated from Midwestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City before accepting a call to First Baptist Church or Urbana, IL. 

After seven years there my family packed up and moved to the Seattle, WA area where I served a church for fourteen years before taking a two year break from pastoring by swinging a hammer as a lead carpenter for a remodeling company in the Seattle area. While serving the Seattle area church I was part of one of the region’s first Leadership Learning Communities designed to support pastors serving in the local church. That allowed me to participate and help lead several churches in assessment and beyond processes.

By the way, being a carpenter not only made me a literal follower of Jesus, was a great way to heal and find out how to better connect my faith in Jesus to people who didn’t value the church the way I do.
In September of 2018 I accepted the call of First Baptist Church of Hillsboro, Ohio. My first experience in southern Ohio and smaller town ministry. An adventure I continue to enjoy! 

In early 2021 after many pandemic and other delays I robbed the Seattle area of its greatest beauty, Kacy (now!) Self. Her faith in Jesus and actualization of grace amazes me every day. Our blended family consist of three adult children, my son who is a mechanical engineer, my daughter who just started law school and Kacy’s son who will happily sell you a Honda vehicle. Added to that is her son who lives with us and is in sixth grade, a Cockatiel (I rescued about 20 years ago), and a Netherland Dwarf rabbit.

I am looking forward helping pastors and churches connect, challenge and care for each other in mission focused healthy ways. I desire and need that and firmly believe I am not alone."

THANK YOU!

Thank you for your support of the mission and ministry of the American Baptist Churches of Ohio as we seek to “Equip the People of God to Impact the World for Christ.”

Rev. Bryan J. Manary Passes into the Arms of Jesus

Rev. Mr. Bryan J. Manary, age 62, of Madison, Ohio passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 2, 2021 at UH Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood. He was born on December 6, 1958 the son of John and Jean (Courtright) Manary. He was a graduate of Lake Catholic High School and also of Northern Seminary in Lisle, IL.

Pastor Bryan was the minister at the United Church of Geneva. He was well loved and respected by his congregation as well as his friends and colleagues. He was active at Camp Koinonia and served on the Board for the American Baptist Churches of Ohio.

He is survived by his sister, Colleen (Fred) Berg; brother, Michael (Theresa) Manary; nieces and nephews, Shain Berg, Brittany (DaWayne) Watkins, Patrick Manary, Ryan (Laura) Manary, Brad (Faith) Manary and Sarah Manary. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, Kevin.

Please keep the Manary family in your prayers.

Rev. Dennis Karl McDonald Enters Eternal Paradise

Rev. Dennis Karl McDonald, 71, was escorted by Jesus to his eternal paradise that has been prepared for him on December 1, 2021.

He was born on October 1, 1950 in Philadelphia, PA to Dr. Khlar and Helen (Hind) McDonald.

Dennis was a graduate of Ohio Northern University (BS Civil Engineering), Akron University (MS Civil Engineering) and Ashland Theological Seminary (MS). He was employed by Babcock and Wilcox for 42 years where he worked as a Technical Fellow. He was the former Pastor of Newman Baptist Church and a current Associate Pastor at First Baptist of Massillon. He was also active with Impact Massillon and Camp Koinonia.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Catharine (Boyer) McDonald; their children, Scott L. (Meghan) McDonald and Melanie (Nick Vitalbo) Westfall; grandchildren, Brooke, Jordan, Devin, Madison, MacKenna and Macy; great-grandchildren, Caidyn, Oliver, Norah, Brett and Iris; and siblings, Khlare Bracken, Kathy (Bob) Meley and Kerry (Dottie) McDonald.

Please keep the McDonald family in your prayers.

View the Multi-Region Webinar with Tod Bolsinger

We are inviting pastors and church leaders to view the Multi-Region Webinar with author Tod Bolsinger from  Thursday, November 18, 2021. Tod unpacks his book “Canoeing the Mountains” to give vision to how we can be adaptive leaders in times of change. This was a FREE webinar sponsored by ABC Ohio and ABC partner regions. The recording of the webinar can be found by CLICKING THIS LINK.

Drawing from his extensive experience as a pastor and consultant, Tod Bolsinger brings decades of expertise in guiding churches and organizations through uncharted territory. He offers a combination of illuminating insights and practical tools to help you reimagine what effective leadership looks like in our rapidly changing world.

Explorers Lewis and Clark had to adapt. While they had prepared to find a waterway to the Pacific Ocean, instead they found themselves in the Rocky Mountains. You too may feel that you are leading in a cultural context you were not expecting. You may even feel that your training holds you back more often than it carries you along. Drawing from his extensive experience as a pastor and consultant, Tod Bolsinger brings decades of expertise in guiding churches and organizations through uncharted territory. He offers a combination of illuminating insights and practical tools to help you reimagine what effective leadership looks like in our rapidly changing world. If you’re going to scale the mountains of ministry, you need to leave behind canoes and find new navigational tools.