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NORTH CENTRAL OHIO– Biblical faith grabbed headlines for the Buckeye Bible Belt in 2019. Just one day after the newly-elected Governor Mike DeWine was sworn in on nine Bibles, area clergymen from one hundred and fifty congregations held a press conference at BibleWalk Museum to declare the “Year of the Bible.”
(Photo courtesy of
Mike DeWine Twitter)
Spokesman Pastor Randy Raynes explained the joint statement was given because “Bible illiteracy is plaguing our politically-correct society, the Bible is being censored by governments and cultural institutions, and that the authority of both the Old and New Testament Scriptures of the Bible are being subverted by some religious circles.”
The proclamation appears to have been a part of a greater movement with statewide implications. In 2019 Governor DeWine established a first-of-its kind Evangelical Advisory Council and signed the Heartbeat Bill into law. With the Governor’s advocacy for pregnancy centers, Ohio saw an all-time low in abortions performed since recording first began.
In fact, after the proclamation, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that the State of Ohio saw influenza thwarted during the flu season in days following the proclamation. Bible reading became contagious later in the summer when a significant increase of Ohio students was reported preparing for the National Bible Bee.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
The biggest story of the year for Frontlines Ohio in terms of readership involved Knox County clergy coming to the defense of the East Knox varsity football coach for praying with his team after games. According to Pastor J.C. Church, he believes the nation is “going through a spiritual awakening.” With so many people praying with the team after each game, one pastor said it was a weekly “community prayer meeting.”
The second biggest story of the year was in December when Madison clergy donated over two hundred-fifty framed posters with mottos “In GOD We Trust,” and “With GOD all things are possible” for display in every classroom. That same month the area saw an influx of nativity scenes light up public squares including Mansfield, which had its first recorded nativity scene on the square since 1962. Undoubtedly religious displays on public grounds saw an increase due to the 7-2 Supreme Court victory preserving the Bladensburg Peace Cross Memorial.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Corporate clergy statements abounded later in the year. One hundred clergy in the area made national news in August inviting Chick fil A to build a restaurant in town. The next month clergy from over a hundred congregations encouraged the community to thank the law enforcement for their faithful service. During local elections, Reverend El Akuchie pointed out that “Pastors have a civic duty to not only engage their congregation but also their government.” Twenty-four clergy followed up by endorsing victorious conservative incumbents for Mayor and Council.
Clergy also took the Holy Land to heart. A discovery was made leading to the purchase of Israeli bonds by the Richland County Treasurer, and an Israeli General visited the area. In response to area clergy from four counties confronting the anti-Semitism of Rep. Ilhan Omar, Congressman Troy Balderson authored a request to the Department of Justice to track cases of anti-Semitism.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
Prevailing prayer blew into the Ohio heartland like a mighty rushing wind in 2019. In May the National Day of Prayer in Mansfield went viral, commemorating the one-hundred-seventieth anniversary of a historic account of answered prayer when a national epidemic of cholera was brought to a halt. Earlier in the Spring, the month of March came into local churches “like a lion” with a unique “March of Prayer” prayer movement taking place involving forty-seven congregations partnering for corporate daily prayer.
Last but not least, on Palm Sunday an area from Bethlehem to Olivesburg, saw a half-mile wide tornado touch down bringing significant property damage but taking no life. A pastor and his wife were both caught in the tornado but both survived to tell of the miracle of their survival to a national audience.
That is the recap of a whirlwind year in the Buckeye Bible Belt: when clergy proclaimed the power of the LORD’s awesome deeds and declared His greatness.
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