Stacks Image 1862
Name:
Lisa Burrell

Hometown:
Apple Creek, Ohio
Stacks Image 1868
Name:
Lloyd Crilow

Hometown:
Sugarcreek, Ohio
Family:
Married to David

Where’d you go to college?
Anderson University

Favorite Bible verse:
Isaiah 40:31

What do you do for a living?
Third Grade Teacher

Favorite sports team:
Ohio State Buckeye football; Arizona Cardinals

Favorite restaurant:
Olive Garden

Favorite hobby:
Playing piano; horseback riding

What is your testimony?
I was raised in a Christian home. At age 6, I went to the altar at VBS and asked Jesus in my heart. I did my best to be a good person, but didn’t fully understand what being surrendered to Christ meant until my 20’s. At that time, my life was transformed completely. I gave God everything including myself and asked Him to fill me with His spirit. I didn’t then and still don’t want to do anything displeasing to Him. What an awesome journey life is with Jesus.
Family:
Married to Becky with two adult sons and two grandchildren

Favorite hobby:
Fishing and projects helping others

What do you do for a living?
Operations Manager - Andreas Furniture

Favorite Bible verse:
Matthew 6:25

Favorite Food:
Mexican

Favorite vacation spot:
Anywhere with family and friends

Favorite type of music:
Country, Oldies and Gospel

Favorite sports team:
Browns and Indians

What is your testimony?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19
Stacks Image 1902
Name:
Dewey Gerber

Hometown:
Sugarcreek, Ohio
Stacks Image 1821
Name:
Carl Swartzentruber

Hometown:
Berlin, Ohio
Family:
I’m married to Cheryl and have two sons and four grandchildren

Where’d you go to college?
Malone College

What do you do for a living?
Insurance Agent

Favorite Bible verse:
Philippians 2:14-16

Favorite vacation spot:
The beach or Montana

Favorite food:
Pork chops

Favorite hobby:
Watching hockey or baseball

Favorite sports team:
Pittsburgh Penguins

What is your testimony?
I accepted Christ as my savior at age 13. Over the years, I have learned that God’s spirit is all around us and very real. I need to trust Him, listening and only moving when He directs me through prayer and His word.
Family:
Married to Judi and I have one daughter.

What do you do for a living?
Sales for Winesburg Hardwood and Pallet

Favorite Bible verse:
Hebrews 11:1

Favorite read (outside the Bible):
Anything about sports

Favorite sports team:
Cleveland Indians

Favorite restaurant:
Olive Garden

Favorite way to spend free time:
Golfing

What is your testimony?
I was born and raised in a Christian home by Christian parents. I gave my life to Jesus at age 19, redirected my life at age 32 and started attending Church of God in 1984. It has been a wonderful and exciting journey ever since.
Stacks Image 1896
Name:
April Elliot

Hometown:
Strasburg, Ohio
Stacks Image 1798
Name:
Dave Sweat

Hometown:
Coshocton, Ohio
Family:
Single. Proud Aunt and Sunday School Teacher

Where’d you go to college?
Malone College and the American Institute for Paralegal Studies

What do you do for a living?
Litigation Paralegal

Favorite Bible verse:
James 1:2-4 and Jeremiah 29:11

Favorite read (outside the Bible):
Anything by Karen Kingsbury

Favorite vacation spot:
Pigeon Forge, TN

Favorite way to spend free time:
Watching movies

What is your testimony?
I began attending Church with my Aunt and Uncle at a young age and later with my Mom beginning at age 8 at Barrs Mill Church of God. I have been blessed to have several youth leaders and Sunday School teachers who taught me what it means to be a Christian and who have inspired a life long hunger for learning about God and serving him.
I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior at age 12 during a Sunday evening service preached by Pastor Bill Jeffress and was baptized a few months later. In my late teens and early twenties though, I was not able to attend Church as much as I had as a child due to working on Sundays and being away at college, and my close relationship with Jesus suffered until we were little more than acquaintances.
In my mid twenties, it became clear that something was missing, and I re-dedicated my life to Jesus. Since that time, He has challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and serve in areas that I never would have thought possible and I am continually blessed beyond measure for doing so. When I feel like there is no way I can do what he is asking, He reminds me of all the people in the Bible who He used (Moses, the stutterer; David, the Shepherd and baby of the family; and Gideon who was outnumbered by thousands to name a few). He has proven over and over again that His grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Thank You Lord because I am really weak without you.
Family:
Married to Kristi, two sons Cameron and Nolan and one daughter Rachael

What do you do for a living?
I design and build oil processing equipment for use on electrical transformers.

Favorite Bible verse:
Matthew 6:20

Favorite hobby:
Tinkering with my 1982 Camaro

Favorite restaurant:
Texas Roadhouse for a nice sirloin steak medium rare

Favorite way to spend free time:
Relax with family watch a movie or go fishing

What is your testimony?
I was raised in a Catholic family by a single parent. I attended Catholic grade school for a few years. My mother raised me to be at church every Sunday. Once I was old enough to make the choice for myself, I quit attending church all together.

Throughout my life, God has placed special people in my path. One of my best friends growing up worked weekends for his mother at a Christian book store. On a couple of occasions I helped him. While attending a high school prom with my then girlfriend, I met a young Christian man who we double dated with us at the prom. Once I left school and entered the workforce, I met a Christian man who influenced me through his actions. I could never understand what it was that he had, but I knew that I wanted the peace that he exhibited.

In late 1987, I met my wife Kristi. She had been raised in the Church Of God by her mother and father. She, much like me, had quit attending church. We were married in June of 1988 in a Methodist church. Kristi started attending The Church of God in Coshocton after our son Cameron was born in 1990. She began to ask me to attend with her and invited me many times. Kristi began to praying for me as well as having the other ladies at the church pray. Kristi finally convinced me to attend church with her one Sunday. After Sunday school and an hour and a half church service, she began to stand around and talk with everyone she saw. I did see one somewhat familiar face. Bill, the young Christian man I had met when attend the prom some eight years earlier, remembered me and asked how I was. He also asked about the old car that I had driven to the prom. Once we were outside the church she asked me "so are you coming back with me tonight?” My answer was an emphatic "NO!"

I then began to attend church once again with my mother to appease my wife’s desire that I be in church. My wife continued to ask me to attend with her and my son. Through her persistence and the fact that she wanted me to attend the Labor Day picnic and I knew there would be food, I agreed. The food was good, but the guys at the church also started a game of softball and asked me to participate. I had always loved playing sports. During that day, Bill came up to me and said "you know, we could really use you on our softball team next year. Think about that, but the one requirement to be eligible is you must attend one service a week." The winter of 1990-91, I began to attend Wednesday night services.

Bill continued to be a good friend. He came up to me and talked every chance he was given. There were other guys from the team that began to become friends. Larry continued to talk to me at work and I began asking some questions of him. The church pastor took an interest in me also. He began to visit Kristi and I at home and answer questions I had about the Christian faith.

In March of 1991 the church was to have a revival. That was something totally new to me - church for an entire week. By Wednesday, I had given my heart to the Lord and my life had been changed forever. Our daughter was born in December of 1992.

In 1998 my family began to attend Barrs Mill Church of God. One of the first questions I asked of our pastor at that time was “do you have a softball team?” his reply was “no, but if you would like to start one, I’m sure others would enjoy that”. I still play softball, but have blessed to have other capable hands to grow that ministry.