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The Ohio Baptist State Convention, Inc. is an organized body of Baptist Churches seeking a common ground for fellowship, missions, Christian Education, evangelism and social welfare.

We ascribe to the belief that every church body has the right to autonomy in rules of policy, polity and discipline, so long as such regulations are in keeping with New Testament teaching.

We therefore, in the fear of God, enter into covenant with one another to accomplish together the causes herein embraced.

The object of this convention shall be to promote and maintain state unity, Home and Foreign Mission and Christian Education.

Pastor Michael H. Harrison, Sr. was born to the late Pastor John H. and Rosa Harrison on December 25, 1956. Pastor Harrison graduated from Central High School in 1975 and attended U.S.I.T. where he received  a degree in Electronics. Pastor Harrison attended  International Bible Institute and Seminary, graduating  with a BA in Theology and attends Geneva College  pursuing a degree in Counseling.
Pastor Harrison is married to Sylvia and has three children: LaTonya, James, and Michael Jr. and grandchildren.

Pastor Harrison worked in Computer Operations and the Help and Information Centers of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. in Akron from 1977 to 1985. His responsibilities included Data Processing on the mainframe computer; assisting company personnel with computer processing problems and helping employees improve productivity.

In 1985, upon leaving the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Pastor Harrison went into full-time ministry at the United Baptist Church in Akron, Ohio. There, he coordinated the church’s Christian Education program. His other responsibilities included Children’s Church, Teens Ministry, Singles and Marriage classes, the Help Ministry, Evangelism, Revival promotions and the Transportation Ministry.

In 1989, Pastor Harrison was called to the Pastorate of the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Midland, Pa., where he founded the Pastor’s Council of Beaver Valley and vicinity. He served as President of this council. Under his pastorate, the church was remodeled and the Ministries of the church were broadened in the community. He also served as Treasurer of the Allegheny Union Baptist Association.

In 1995, Pastor Harrison was called to the Pastorate of the Union Baptist Church, Youngstown, Ohio. Under his leadership, a new sanctuary with seating capacity of over 800 was built and occupied in 1997. The congregation grew from 125 to over 650 in four years. A new van was purchased and paid for in six months; the parking lot was excavated and paved, and a $60,000.00 loan for a balcony in the sanctuary was paid off. The old sanctuary has been stabilized and was refurbished as the J.D. Jones Family Life Center and the Fellowship Hall was dedicated as the J.H. Maiden Fellowship Hall. Under the leadership of Pastor Harrison, Union Baptist has been blessed with many new ministries to meet the needs of the congregation and community. The Sanctuary Mortgage was paid off and burned on May 21st 2006, eight years in advance!

Pastor Harrison is Past National Chairperson of the Oasis Network African American Leadership Commission and is the former National Clergy Caucus representative of AALC to the National Leadership Assembly of the Gamaliel Foundation.  Pastor Harrison is the current President of the Ohio Baptist State Convention and is Chair of MVOC (Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative), a community based collaboration of Churches and Block Clubs for the betterment of the Youngstown/Warren Regional Area.

He is currently the 1st Vice Moderator of the Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Northern West Virginia Baptist Association and is the past president of the Baptist Pastor’s Council of Youngstown and vicinity.  Pastor Harrison is on the Advisory Board of the A.B.T. Extension School, which started in the fall of 1999.

In April of 2008, Pastor Harrison became a member of the Mahoning County Juvenile Court Citizens Advisory Board.  Pastor Harrison was selected as an honored member of The Heritage Registry of Who’s Who.  Pastor Harrison was also chosen as “One of the World’s Most Loved Pastors” by the Gospel Today Magazine.

The Ohio Baptist State Convention was organized and chartered on January 21, 1918. The first annual session was held in Cleveland, Ohio with Dr. J. Franklin Walker presiding as the first President. The Zion Hill Baptist Church, Reverend C. C. Ailers, Pastor was the host church.

The Ohio Baptist State Convention is the oldest Baptist State Convention in the state of Ohio. The Convention was established out of the need and mandate of the Church to reach out and encompass a larger diverse segment of people who needed to know the goodness of God in spite of what was going on at that present age (War Time, Gross Civil Rights Violations, etc.} The Convention’s aim was to impact the local church community, the state and nation with the Word and Teachings of God.

The Convention’s primary focus for establishment was based on the Word of God as recorded in Matthew 28: 19-20, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

The Ohio Baptist State Convention has been a leading Christian Organization that has given strength, and support to the Church, the greatest and most important institution affecting the sustained life of mankind.

The objective of the Ohio Baptist State Convention is to be an organized body of Missionary Baptist Churches seeking a common ground for State Unity, Fellowship, Home and Foreign Missions, Christian Education/ Training, Evangelism and Social Welfare.

The Ohio Baptist State Convention has contributed thousands of dollars towards Christian Training and created a Department of Christian Training in 1958. This department, presently known as The Congress of Christian Education, has provided ongoing teaching and training in the area of Christian Education and Spiritual Development. The Convention has given out numerous scholarships to our members through out the eighty-four (99) year history.

Evangelism is an ongoing Convention effort. Preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and gathering lost souls for the Kingdom is a major arm of the Convention.

The Ohio Baptist State Convention, during its inception has had over 300,000 members and 18 District Associations. The Convention is affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

The Ohio Baptist State Convention has remained strong and withstood two declared wars and the great depression. It has transited through the Agriculture Age; the Industrial Age; the Technological Age: The Scientific Age and the Computer Age.

The Women’s Auxiliary was organized and approved to become an auxiliary to the Ohio Baptist State Convention in 1920.

The leadership of the Ohio Baptist State Convention is still forging ahead “God Is Doing a New Thing” with new concepts but continuing to promote the sound biblical principles as well as maintaining the dignity and integrity exemplified by the stalwarts and trailblazers of the past.