Ginghamsburg Church
Location6759 South County Road 25A Tipp City, OH
CountryUnited States
DenominationUnited Methodist
Websitewww.ginghamsburg.org
History
Founded1863
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Pastor Dennis Miller

Ginghamsburg Church is a multi-site United Methodist church located in Tipp City, Ohio, thirteen miles north of Dayton, Ohio.

Dennis Miller became the Senior Pastor in August 2022.

History

Ginghamsburg Church was founded by a Methodist circuit rider, B.W. Day, in 1863 in the village of Ginghamsburg, Ohio. As a small church, until the 1920s it was part of a four-church circuit for a part-time preacher. From the 1920s on, students from a Dayton-based seminary served as part-time pastors for the congregation.

Senior Pastor Michael Slaughter was appointed to Ginghamsburg in 1979 as the church's first full-time pastor.[1] At the time, the church averaged approximately 90 people in attendance. After Slaughter's arrival, the mission of the church has been to "win the lost and set the oppressed free,"[2] By 2012, approximately 5,000 people attended Ginghamsburg's campuses each week. Slaughter became a leading figure in missional church movement and a popular author and speaker, and has been named one of the most influential Christians in America.[3][4][5]

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ginghamsburg gained national recognition as an innovator in small group ministry.[6][7] It was also an early frontrunner of cyberministry, or ministry via the Internet. The church's website and online ministry received early national attention from media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, and The Dallas Morning News.[8][9] A non-profit organization was also formed by members of the Ginghamsburg cyberministry team to help other churches develop their websites and online ministries.[10]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s Ginghamsburg became known as a leader of the church "media reformation," which incorporated video, onscreen graphics, creative lighting, and other audio-visual elements into worship services to create a multisensory worship experience.[11][12] Kim Miller, who oversaw Ginghamsburg's worship design, became a popular speaker and author on multisensory worship, writing several books on the subject.[13][14][15][16] [17] [18]

Charity work

Since 2005, Ginghamsburg Church invested over $6.1 million into sustainable relief projects in Darfur, Sudan through an initiative called The Sudan Project.[19] The church first developed the initiative after Slaughter read about the War in Darfur in the early 2000s and he urged the congregation to get involved. Ginghamsburg partnered with the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which helped the church use the funds to implement sustainable agriculture, safe water, sanitation, child development, and child protection projects in Darfur. The projects have served more than 250,000 Darfuri people and over 200 schools have been built.[20][21]

Every year the church holds a "Christmas is Not Your Birthday" miracle offering during the Christmas season to raise funds for The Sudan Project.[22][23] As a result of the annual miracle offering, Slaughter authored a book calling on Christians to reject self-centered, consumeristic approaches to the holiday season and remember what he perceives as the true meaning of Christmas.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]

The church developed relief efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.[33][34] By March 2012 the church had sent over seventy teams to the city to assist in rebuilding efforts.[35]

In 2006 Ginghamsburg held its first annual Change the World Weekend, a churchwide event in which church members commit to a weekend of community service. The conferences ran for ten years. The idea led to the United Methodist denomination making it a denomination-wide event in which thousands of churches around the world participate in a weekend of community service.[36][37][38] The event corresponded with the release of Slaughter's book Change the World: Recovering the Mission and Message of Jesus.

Campuses

The church's Main Campus sits on 127 acres (0.51 km2) of land just outside Tipp City. Hundreds of teenagers from the Dayton area visit The Avenue youth center weekly for spiritual classes as well as outreach events.

The South Campus houses The Ark, which is the original Ginghamsburg Church building and is now a practicum center for training events. The Discipleship Center, also located on the South Campus, served as the primary church building after the congregation had outgrown The Ark in the mid-1980s until the move to the Main Campus in 1994.[39]

The Fort McKinley Campus became part of Ginghamsburg Church in July 2008. Prior to July 2008, Fort McKinley was a separate United Methodist congregation, located in an economically-challenged Dayton neighborhood. The church had dwindled to approximately 40 people in attendance weekly before voting to merge with Ginghamsburg. In March 2012 Ginghamsburg also started another urban campus, located in Trotwood, Ohio;[40][41] however the campus is now closed.

Non-profit organizations

Ginghamsburg Church houses four 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations founded by Ginghamsburg members.

New Path Outreach operates nineteen separate community service ministries within the Dayton area, including two food pantries and car, furniture, clothing, medical equipment, pet care, rent/utility assistance, two stores and other ministries.[42] New Path currently serves over 40,000 people in the Dayton area.[43][44]

New Creation Counseling Center provides counseling to community members, regardless of their ability to pay.[45]

The Clubhouse (Dreambuilders) After-School Ministry has seven Dayton-area locations. Each year more than 400 trained teenagers tutor, mentor, and play with at-risk children. The Clubhouse program was awarded a Point of Light award from President George H. W. Bush and the Presidential Voluntary Action Award from President Bill Clinton, among other awards.[46]

Web-Empowered Church, helps churches and parachurch organizations develop their websites, improve their online presence, and better utilize online resources by offering software help and consulting, as well as a number of classes, tutorials, and workshops.[47] The non-profit was founded by Mark Stephenson, who was Director of CyberMinistry and Technology at Ginghamsburg from 1998 to 2010.[48]

Conferences and events

In 2009, the church hosted a special event on the War in Darfur with John Prendergast and Omer Ismail. The event was broadcast live on the Christian Communications Network to churches around the country.[49][50][51]

The church also sponsors and hosts a number of other conferences, seminars, and events annually, sometimes in conjunction with United Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary located just outside Dayton.[52][53][54][55]

References

  1. ↑ "The United Methodist Portal". Umportal.org. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  2. ↑ Slaughter, Michael (1996). Miller, Herb (ed.). Spiritual Entrepreneurs: 6 Principles for Risking Renewal. Abingdon Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0-687-00799-8.
  3. ↑ Horizons website
  4. ↑ "The Websites of the 50 Most Influential Christians in America: Church Communications Pro | Church Marketing | Church Web Design". Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Missional vs Attractional". Archived from the original on December 15, 2021 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ "Willow Creek Association | WCA News, Bill Hybels, Jim Mellado". www.willowcreek.com.
  7. ↑ http://www.disciplewalk.com/files/Lecture_Unit_5_Ginghamsburg.pdf
  8. ↑ "Abingdon Press - Web-Empower Your Church". Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Christine D. "The Church in Cyberspace". Ministry Today Magazine.
  10. ↑ "Ginghamsburg.org: CyberMinistry". Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Article - Boys and Their Worship Toys: Christian Worship Technology and Gender Politics | Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture". Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Echo Hub | A site for church communicators, storytellers, designers, and video producers". Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  13. ↑ "[re]designing Worship - creating spaces for connection and community". [re]designing WORSHIP.
  14. ↑ "Events | Baltimore-Washington Conference UMC". www.bwcumc.org.
  15. ↑ "Topography". October 25, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Institute of Sacred Music | Colloquium Journal". Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  17. ↑ E-Commerce: An e-Book Special Report. Simon and Schuster. January 17, 2001. ISBN 978-0-7432-1516-9.
  18. ↑ "FOXNews.com - Churches Worship in the High-Tech World - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts and Entertainment". Fox News. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Press Release: Christians Take Action on Darfur with New Study Guide - The "Not on Our Watch Christian Companion" | Enough". Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  20. ↑ "UMCOR - Sudan". Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Biography". Archived from the original on May 4, 2012. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Christmas is Not Your Birthday: Sermon Series".
  23. ↑ "UMC Megachurch Pastor Makes Case for His Christmas Gift to Jesus". The Christian Post.
  24. ↑ http://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyle/local-pastor-pens-new-book-on-christmas-in-modern-world-1300450.html
  25. ↑ "Christmas is Not Your Birthday 2". Archived from the original on December 15, 2021 – via YouTube.
  26. ↑ "Ginghamsburg Church and Darfur | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly".
  27. ↑ "April 9, 2010 ~ Ginghamsburg Church and Darfur | April 9, 2010 | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | PBS". PBS. April 9, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Christmas Gift Giving". Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. PBS. December 6, 2013.
  29. ↑ Kristof, Nicholas D. (October 9, 2005). "Walking the Talk". The New York Times (opinion).
  30. ↑ "Ohio Church Has Big Heart and Deep Pockets for Sudan". May 14, 2010.
  31. ↑ "Christmas is Not Your Birthday".
  32. ↑ "Methodist megachurch has deep pockets for Darfur: Congregation has given millions".
  33. ↑ "Servants, not volunteers - NOLA.com". www.nola.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  34. ↑ Nolan, Bruce (August 1, 2008). "Ohio megachurch committed to rebuilding Big Easy". Houston Chronicle. Religion News Service.
  35. ↑ Nolan, Bruce (July 5, 2008). "Faithful Servants of New Orleans". The Washington Post. Religion News Service.
  36. ↑ "The United Methodist Church". Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  37. ↑ "Change the world 2012 | Rethink Church". Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Ginghamsburg.org: Join the Movement". Archived from the original on April 30, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Ginghamsburg.org: New Path Outreach". Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
  40. ↑ http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/ginghamsburg-investing-250-00-to-open-new-church-1323810.html
  41. ↑ Church extends faith in Trotwood. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021 – via YouTube.
  42. ↑ "Home". The New Path. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011.
  43. ↑ "Anna's Closet". Archived from the original on January 16, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  44. ↑ "The Gleaning Place". Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  45. ↑ "New Creation Counseling Center - Christian Mental Health Counseling - Home".
  46. ↑ "Dreambuilders.org: Awards". dreambuildersgroup.org.
  47. ↑ "WEC Introduction | Web-Empowered Church". Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  48. ↑ "Church CyberGuy: Church CyberGuy Home". Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
  49. ↑ "Accueil".
  50. ↑ "Tell Your Church: Save the Date, March 29, 2009". January 13, 2009.
  51. ↑ "Blog | MikeSlaughter.com".
  52. ↑ "The West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church". Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  53. ↑ "Change the World: Presenters & schedule". Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  54. ↑ "CrazyHope | Easter at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio". Archived from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  55. ↑ "Easter celebrated in a big way at UD arena". WDTN. Archived from the original on April 10, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.

39°56′24″N 84°11′32″W / 39.94000°N 84.19222°W / 39.94000; -84.19222

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