The Times: Pastors' Appreciation
Happy Pastor Appreciation Month to all our Pastors!
We are grateful for you!
If you haven’t already, we suggest sharing the Barna Report on Pastoral Flourishing with your church leadership team and discussing what you and your pastor need to fulfill your/their calling to the local church.
Church Ambassador Network Executive Director Chris Lightfoot speaks at a Church Leadership Breakout Session during the 2025 Essential Summit
Cultural Commentaries
Celebrating What Is Good — What the enemy intended for evil, God uses for good. Is Charlie Kirk’s Assassination a Turning Point? This Gospel Coalition article by Brett McCracken highlights just a few ways God is working through the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Creating What Is Missing — In his article for Focus on the Family, Ed Stetzer addresses the question of How to Face the Challenges of Today’s Church, arguing that the “Leadership methods once reliable in addressing issues are now inadequate for dealing with today’s challenges.”
Restoring What Is Broken — The Ohio-based Lifewise Academy released a documentary last week which argues for a return to the original understanding of “separation of church and state.” Bringing Back the Bible, by John Stonestreet and Timothy D. Padgett, mentions a few of the highlights from that documentary.
Ending What Is Evil — The notion that human rights are given by the government and not by God–in direct contradiction to our government's founding documents–is on the rise, and many are increasingly verbal about it. We must not let this become normative. Al Mohler addresses this issue and encourages the church to speak truth in his article, Yes, Sen. Kaine, our rights come from the Creator: The Democratic senator from Virginia openly denies America’s founding vision.
SEEKING THE GOOD OF OUR NEIGHBOR
Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) Legislative Liaison Ryan Folz testifies in favor of SB167 on October 14 at the Ohio Statehouse
The Policy team has been hard at work since the end of event season. Thank you to everyone who joined our Faith in Action breakout track at the Essential Summit and other CCV events in recent weeks.
In October, the CCV Policy team has focused on moving key legislation across the finish line before the legislature’s holiday recess. We applaud the Senate’s passage of SB156 by Senator Al Cutrona to include the Success Sequence in school curricula. This vote shows Ohio’s commitment to preparing the next generation for success by teaching the key steps—education, work, and marriage—that build a strong, flourishing life.
A major priority for us before the year’s end is the App Store Accountability Act, found in both SB167 and HB226. Our Legislative Liaison, Ryan Folz, delivered proponent testimony on SB167 after months of advocacy behind the scenes with the goal of empowering parents to protect their minors from harmful app content. We’re hopeful for a Senate floor vote soon and will continue pushing for its companion bill, HB226, in the House.
In addition, HB485 would introduce a fetal development curriculum, giving students a deeper appreciation for life inside the womb.
Before the legislature heads into the holidays, CCV is focused on advancing these and other priority bills. After the holidays, lawmakers will most likely turn their attention to the upcoming election season, making it essential to advance these bills now.
The Policy team has been reminded daily of God's assurance to remain faithful and courageous, which is captured perfectly through Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Legislative Tracker
Review the October 2025 Legislative Tracker to see where all of the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV)-backed bills currently stand in the 136th General Assembly and pray over the bills that are moving in 2025.
Pray for Ohio
CCV's August 2025 Prayer at the Statehouse
We have partnered with Pray For Ohio to bring you a monthly topical prayer guide that can be shared with your church!
The Prayer Guide for November, along with the accompanying prayer letter, focuses on the sanctity of life.
Prayer Requests
Praise for what God did in and through The Essential Summit in October!
Praise God for the success of the current Minnery Fellowship cohorts in Columbus, Cleveland, and Canton, and for new cohorts starting in Cincinnati and Dayton in February, 2026.
Pray for Minnery Fellowship cohorts to form in Southeastern Ohio.
Pray more churches will start Christian schools through the Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN).
Send prayer requests to Ruth Edmonds at ruthedmonds@ccv.org so our team and intercessors around the state can be praying.
Resources
Listen to Carrying Charlie Kirk’s Torch with Allie Beth Stuckey and Pastor Luke Barnett, a recent episode ofThe Narrative podcast featuring a faith-filled discussion of what standing for truth entails in a world that often seeks to silence or distort truth.
Subscribe to The Pour Over to receive non-partisan news from a Christian perspective every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Is anyone in your congregation looking for employment? Please share this Job Board from the Christian Business Partnership (the Partnership). These Christian employers are looking for employees who will share in their mission.
The Partnership has also created a solution to make quality health insurance coverage more affordable for our members, no matter your organization's size. You have access to this insurance as part of the Church Ambassador Network. Get the details or a quote today!
Apply now for the Spring 2026 semester of The Minnery Fellowship. The theme of the upcoming semester is The Church and the American Republic. Fellows will read "The Magna Carta of Humanity" by Os Guinness, meet once a month to discuss their learnings, and engage with course content that will guide practical application of the semester's major concepts.
If you believe other pastors in your network would benefit from receiving The Times, please forward this to them and encourage them to subscribe!
Rosaria Butterfield's keynote session at CCV's 2025 Essential Summit
Upcoming Events
Tragedy Into Triumph is hosting their annual Simulcast at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) from November 3-5.
Register for Prayer At The Statehouse, coming up on Wednesday, October 29.
Register for one or more of Church Ambassador Network’s (CAN) 2025 Hope and A Future Tour stops, coming to a county near you! Pastors will hear about CAN’s mission to revitalize the state of marriage and families in Ohio and how state legislators are supporting this mission.
Rest and Renewal
Pastors Collective offers Men’s Retreats for pastors and Women’s Retreats for their wives. Several pastors in our network have attended and have expressed great satisfaction with their experience.
If you have other Rest and Renewal suggestions that we should share with the pastors in our network, let us know! We are building out a list of properties/retreats that we will soon begin sharing each month in The Times!
Pastor Testimony
When Israel was faced with an existential threat from their nemesis, the Philistines, God raised up their champion. You know the story well: their champion, David, spoke these words as he proceeded into battle, “Is there not a cause?
Today, Center for Christian Virtue stands as a modern champion, leading in the cultural, political, and spiritual battles alongside the church. They don’t stand apart; they equip, resource, train, and engage right beside us in these crucial causes.
Just as the tribe of Issachar was vital to Israel's success—being warriors who ‘understood the times and knew what Israel should do’—I believe CCV marches under Issachar’s banner to provide timely and critical insight for churches and Christian leaders throughout Ohio.
With full confidence, over the past 25 years, I have referred many pastors to CCV. They have always been a reliable, steadfast partner in advancing the kingdom of God, with their focused mission of promoting faith, family, and freedom. I am honored to call them champions and friends. – Pastor Rodney Lord, Freedom Gate Church
Closing Thoughts
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 - Stand Firm
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."
Serving and Resourcing Pastors in Ohio
A number of churches have decided to support CCV and the Church Ambassador Network financially through their budget. To set up a recurring monthly donation to CCV, please visit CCV.org/Donate and make sure to click the check box at the end of the form, above the comments field, before submitting your gift.
We would be honored if you chose to invest a portion of God’s resources into our effort to serve and support churches in Ohio with resources to help them carry out the Great Commission in the spirit of The Greatest Commandments in our current cultural context.
