Reformation Ohio
 



Reformation Ohio Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Reformation Ohio?
Reformation Ohio is a coalition of denominational and independent churches, ministries, businesses and other organizations committed to making a permanent impact on the state of Ohio by preaching the Gospel, performing acts of compassion throughout the state and empowering individuals and communities through non-partisan voter registration. A diverse, independent board of directors, consisting of pastors, business leaders and other concerned individuals, governs Reformation Ohio’s operations.
Reformation Ohio is an independent 501(c)3 organization. It is not an arm of any church or ministry.

How did Reformation Ohio begin?
Rod Parsley received the vision for Reformation Ohio in 2005.  Parsley is the senior pastor at World Harvest Church in Columbus, Ohio and leads eight other associated ministries – including a national grassroots organization, a television program seen around the world, a missions outreach, a Christian school, a Bible college, a fellowship of pastors from across the world, an inner-city outreach and a ministry for the Hispanic community. He saw the need for Reformation Ohio to function independently from his ministries, and recruited an ecumenical board to carry out the vision. Pastor Parsley is a member of Reformation Ohio’s board and is the organization’s spokesman, but has no formal leadership role in the ministry.
Reformation Ohio was launched at the Ohio Statehouse on Oct. 14, 2005.

What are Reformation Ohio’s goals?
Since its inception, Reformation Ohio’s goals have been:

  • To preach the Gospel in person to 1 million people, so at least 100,000 will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
  • To perform acts of compassion throughout the state. The compassion projects always involve distribution of food, and often include other items such as winter coats, blankets, school supplies and various household products. A public school system has even been the recipient of a truck full of school desks and other office furniture.
  • To empower communities and individuals through non-partisan voter registration. Politics aren’t discussed at Reformation Ohio events, but participants are encouraged to register to vote at the event and to vote in upcoming elections.

I’m confused – I thought Reformation Ohio was a political organization?
Liberal policy organizations and some Ohio media outlets have consistently misrepresented Reformation Ohio in that regard. This type of criticism is proof that opponents either misunderstand the purpose of Reformation Ohio or choose to disseminate inaccurate information.
The truth is that Reformation Ohio has never been a political organization. Its focus is preaching the Gospel, feeding the poor and encouraging voter participation – something any Christian organization, regardless of its politics or values concerning moral issues, should be able to support.
At a Reformation Ohio evangelistic event, you will never hear participants encouraged to vote for or against a particular candidate. You will hear exhortations to participate in the political process, guided by one’s own values.

Who is in the leadership of Reformation Ohio?
Reformation Ohio’s board of directors consists of ministers, business leaders and other individuals who support Reformation Ohio’s goals. The organization’s founder, Pastor Rod Parsley, is a voting member of the Reformation Ohio board just like the other members.
Each Reformation Ohio evangelistic event is planned by the organization’s staff and a network of volunteers – especially churches who serve the area where the event is held.

Where has Reformation Ohio carried out its mission?
Reformation Ohio’s major evangelistic events have occurred in:

  • Toledo, October 2005
  • Dayton/Miami Valley, November 2005
  • Chillicothe, April 2006
  • Van Wert, April 2006
  • Lima/Botkins, June 2006
  • Youngstown, October 2006
  • Zanesville, October 2007

Through 2006, more than 2 million pounds of food have been given away.

What happens at a Reformation Ohio event?
The centerpiece of a Reformation Ohio event is an outdoor worship service, held under a large tent in a city park or on the grounds of a school or community center. The service features uplifting music, inspirational speakers, dance and other forms of the arts to communicate the Gospel. 
In the weeks before the service, volunteers canvass neighborhoods surrounding the event site, inviting area residents and offering to pray for their needs. Before the worship service, the event site takes on the appearance of a community festival, with children’s activities and community-service stations (these services have included free haircuts, blood-pressure checks, job fairs and bicycle-repair clinics).
Following the worship service, those attending are given the opportunity to receive the free food and other materials being distributed. 
Also, in conjunction with each evangelistic event, a team of Reformation Ohio volunteers conducts a worship service inside at least one area prison or jail.

What happens after a Reformation Ohio event?
Participating area churches are charged with following up with families who attend the evangelistic event. Follow-up efforts have resulted in numerous testimonies of family salvation, as parents and children, many of whom previously had no church home, begin worshipping God on a regular basis as part of a local congregation. In Toledo, for example, churches serving neighborhoods previously wracked by racial rioting attribute their expansion to new facilities directly to new families who began attending their church following the Reformation Ohio evangelistic event there.

Do you do means-testing to determine who receives food assistance?
No! Anyone is welcome to attend a Reformation Ohio event, and to receive groceries following the event with no questions asked. Publicity for each event focuses on attracting the residents who can most use assistance, such as: door-to-door canvassing in selected neighborhoods, flyers at unemployment offices and community centers and advance media coverage.
Contact information collected at Reformation Ohio events is not used for fundraising, but rather is shared with participating area churches, so they can disciple the men and women who become Christians at the event.

How is Reformation Ohio financed?
As a not-for-profit organization, Reformation Ohio is dependent on donations from churches, businesses and individuals to finance its vision. 

How can I learn more about Reformation Ohio?
For more information, call or click: (614) 382-1196 or (866) 973-3676; www.reformationohio.org