Camp Mohaven is more than a beautiful nature retreat center. As 2022 has unfolded, this scenic 700 acre plot of land nestled in the geographic heart of the state has become the Ohio Conference’s largest resource for evangelistic ministry.

The Ohio Conference's 2023 Initiative to reach 2,023 baptisms by the year 2023 has become more than a number or catchy rallying cry across the Ohio Conference. Mohaven ministry leaders, inspired by this challenge, spent last year’s camp offseason reimagining what evangelism could look like at the camp.  

Summer 2022 at Mohaven began with the first ever Welcome to the Family Retreat. The conference hosted this free event, inviting newly baptized Seventh-day Adventists from across the territory to gather at camp to meet their new Adventist church community. For the majority, this was their first visit to Mohaven and first time meeting the conference leadership team. That weekend, there were even 2 new baptisms with members from the Worthington Adventist church. The energy in the air was incredible, as new members welcomed newer believers into the family of God!

Attendees at the 2022 Welcome to the Family Retreat pose for group photo.

Then for the first time ever, the Ohio Conference combined English and Spanish camp meeting sessions into back-to-back weekends. For two weeks, thousands of members from across the state worshipped together under the “big tent.” During Spanish camp meeting, numerous pastors entered the Mohaven pool and baptized 155 precious souls. The following Sabbath during English camp meeting, 23 showed their love for Jesus by being baptized.

155 baptized in one day during Spanish Camp Meeting.

The Ohio Conference's summer camp season began the day after camp meeting ended, starting with the youngest children at Cub Camp. The life-changing, evangelistic ministries of Mohaven came under attack that week as severe storms rolled through the campus of Mohaven late Monday night. The storm brought tornadoes and/or derechos to the entire region, destroying trees, buildings, and totaling the camp pastor’s car.

The tent that had just a day before sat thousands of worshipping members was ripped to pieces by a derecho during the Cub Camp storm.

Camp staff were not deterred by derechos, tornadoes, loss of electricity or a blistering heat wave that week. With the help of the local community and church members from across the state, they cleaned up the main areas of Mohaven and started Junior Camp on time. Seventeen campers and one parent chose to be baptized at Mohaven that week! In following weeks, twelve more young people gave their hearts to Jesus.

Youth Director, Edward Marton baptizing Andon Gruia during 2022 Summer Camp.

Summer Camp Director, Edward Marton praises, “It seems the enemy of all souls is angry that Camp Mohaven has become a place of giving hearts to Jesus through baptism. But our God is greater! What a way to glorify God after such a major storm!”

In total this year, 210 precious souls were baptized at Camp Mohaven. Over fifty young people went home with the decision to study with a pastor, beginning their journey to be baptized in the future.

“This year, we have seen a shift in how we utilize our conference retreat facilities,” reports Bob Cundiff, Ohio Conference President. “Camp Mohaven has become the premier piece of real estate within the territory for evangelism. To date, more people have been baptized here this year than at any other single facility in the conference!”

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To support the ongoing storm recovery efforts at Camp Mohaven and to watch video testimonies of survival thru the storm, click this video link:

937-741-0236 | information@ohioadventist.org | www.ohioadventist.org

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