Providence Baptist Church has anchored Cleveland's Kinsman Road for more than a century, growing from a small group of Tennesseans with a burning desire to worship into a two-campus congregation that today reaches across the city into Euclid. Founded in 1921 and incorporated the following year, the church has been shepherded by four pastors across four generations, the longest tenure belonging to the current pastor, Rev. Rodney Maiden, who arrived with his wife Henrietta in 1980. The church's motto, captured in a quote from Pastor Maiden, captures its tone: "We cannot pray in love and live in hate and still think we are worshipping God."
From Tennessee Migrants to a Cleveland Institution
The Providence story began when a group of Tennesseans in Cleveland organized what they called the Tennessee Mission. They invited Rev. John Wesley Ribbins from Memphis to help. On January 21, 1921, a council met at Zion Hill Baptist Church and organized the new congregation, electing Rev. Ribbins as pastor. As Rev. Ribbins wrote at the time, "The name Providence was chosen because it was through the Providence of God that this new work has begun." The church was incorporated by the State of Ohio on March 17, 1922.
Providence moved several times in its early decades - first to East 35th Street, then to 4309 Broadway in May of 1921, then to 2344 East 30th Street in 1929. During Rev. Ribbins' tenure, the Sunday School, Baptist Young People's Union, Missionary Society, Senior Choir, and Usher Board were all organized. The church gave birth to one new congregation, Mt. Olive Baptist Church of Twinsburg, Ohio, formed by members who had settled too far from the East 30th Street location to make the drive.
Rev. Ribbins went home to be with the Lord on April 6, 1950. The congregation then called Rev. James Henry Pugh, who assumed the pastorate the first Sunday in November 1950. Under his leadership the Leadership Training Institute, Vacation Bible School, Junior Usher Board, Mother's Board, and Ribbins Memorial Chorus were formed. When the Metropolitan Housing Authority took the East 30th Street property for a housing development, Providence purchased a building at 11918 Kinsman Road. The congregation worshipped at Beulah Baptist Church on East 61st Street during renovations, then formed a motorcade on the third Sunday of July 1953 to process to its new home.
Rev. John Edward Dobbins of East St. Louis, Illinois, was called as the third pastor in September 1959 and presented to the church on October 25 of that year. Under his leadership the Federal Credit Union was established, the Leadership Training School was accredited, and the Board of Christian Education and the Young Adult Ensemble were organized. The congregation moved again, this time from 11918 Kinsman Road to its current location a short distance down the road. Rev. Dobbins retired in 1979 and returned to East St. Louis.
Pastor Maiden and the Modern Era
Rev. Rodney Maiden and his wife Henrietta came to Providence from Youngstown, Ohio, in 1980. Within two years he had guided the congregation in paying off its mortgage. Under his leadership the church reorganized the Mission Department, renamed all auxiliaries as ministries, and launched an extensive list of new programs: two Bible classes, a Leadership Training Class, a Tape Ministry, an Evangelism Team, a Singles Ministry, a Married Couples Ministry, a "We Care" Ministry, an Annual Tent Crusade, a Pre-Membership Orientation Class, a Radio Ministry, a Senior Citizen Ministry, a Men's Ministry, JAM Youth Ministry, a Scholarship Fund, a Church Growth Conference, March for Jesus, and many more. Additional properties were purchased, and all are now debt free. The church has looked ahead to building a new facility that would include administrative offices, a new worship center, thirty classrooms, a chapel, a nursery, and a Family Life Center.
Two Sunday Services, Two Locations
Providence worships on Sunday mornings at two sites. The Kinsman Campus meets at 12712 Kinsman Road in Cleveland at 9:00 a.m. for what the church calls the "Hour of Power" worship service, running until 10:15 a.m. The Euclid Campus gathers at 11:00 a.m. at the Providence Life Development Center at 24111 Rockwell Drive in Euclid. The Euclid service is currently meeting at the Euclid High School Auditorium at 711 East 222nd Street, Euclid, Ohio, while renovations proceed at the Rockwell Drive facility.
Both services are livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and worshippers can also follow along through the church's Facebook page (Providence Baptist Church of Cleveland and Euclid) and Instagram account (pbc.church). Weekly bulletins for the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services are posted online so members and visitors can review the order of worship and follow the sermon in advance.
The Five Purposes of Providence
The church organizes its ministry around five biblical purposes summarized in a single mission statement: "To bring glory and honor to God by leading people to Christ to become a Member of His household, by developing them to become Mature in their walk with Christ, their service in Ministry to our church family, their personal life Mission to their fellow man and Magnify God's name in the process."
Each purpose corresponds to a ministry team. The Magnification Team, led by Elder Pastor John Malone, celebrates God's presence in worship and oversees the Worship Coordinator (Debra Thornton), Music Ministry (David McWilliams), Usher Ministry (Nikki Williams), Children's Church (Rev. Jeff Thompson, Sr., and Aaron Lee), Greeters and Hospitality (Alisha Evans), Multi-Media (Terry Banks), Drama (Pauline Averyheart), and PBC Creative Arts (Antoinette Hicks).
The Maturity Team, led by Elder Waymon Crump and Executive Team Leader Dr. Brenda Smith, promotes Christ-like maturity through biblically sound doctrine in classes, conferences, workshops, seminars, publications, videos, and proclamations. Its ministries include Daily Vacation Bible School (Yolanda Lawson), Christian Life and Service Seminars (Class 101-201-301-401), and the Scholarship Committee (Kelli McCorvey).
The Membership Team, led by Elder John Edwards and Executive Team Leader Debra Thornton, helps members build friendships inside the church. Because of the congregation's growth, the church requires a pre-membership class, C.L.A.S.S. 101, before joining. The team's ministries include Altar Counselors (Aaron McKinney), Care Callers (Yvonne Coman), Prayer Partners (Mary Groves), Comfort and Care Ministry (Marlene Tripp), Small Groups (Felix and Wanda Smith), Family Counseling (Dr. Julius Averyheart), Celebrate Recovery (Andre Williams), and Refuge, a caregiver support group led by Randy Campbell.
The Mission Team communicates God's Word through evangelism in the community and throughout the world. Its ministries include Prison Ministry (Pastor Cliff Watson), Evangelism Team (Rev. Jeff Doggett), Mission on the Go (Cathy Tarver), Medical Ministry, the missionaries the church supports (Marilyn Teasley), Adopt-A-School under the Bertha Strong Mission Outreach (Catrice Sims), and City Mission.
The Administration Team oversees the financial and operational aspects of the church. It includes the Director of Finance and Clerk (Julius Averyheart), Security Ministry (Antonio Stitt), Economic Development Ministry, Event Coordinator (Laurian Render), Marketing Ministry (Bobby Shepherd), and a Community Development Corporation.
Bible Study, Sunday School, and Prayer
Wednesday is the day of formation at Providence. Bible Study meets at noon at the Kinsman campus, taught by Cathy Tarver, with a follow-up Music Ministry rehearsal in the evening. Bible Study is also offered by Assistant Pastor John Malone at the Providence Life Development Center. The Sunday School, led by Dr. Brenda Smith, meets every Sunday at 2 p.m. via Zoom, with the account 952 6177 1272 and passcode 998135.
Prayer shapes the rhythm of the week. Noon Prayer is held Monday through Friday at noon by phone (call 508-924-2827) and lasts about ten minutes. On Friday mornings at 11 a.m., the Prayer Partner Ministry takes calls at 978-990-5000 with access number 112972#. Members can also submit prayer requests online.
Vacation Bible School and Special Events
Each summer the church runs a Vacation Bible School at the Providence Life Development Center, with separate registrations for youth and adults. The church has also organized conferences such as the Power Walk Rekindle Conference, hosted at the PLDC and featuring guest speakers on topics ranging from leadership and evangelism to marriage counseling and youth ministry.
What the Church Believes
Providence has published a detailed doctrinal statement in twelve sections. The church holds that the original autographs of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament were verbally inspired by God and are infallible and without error, making Scripture the supreme standard for human conduct and creeds. Providence affirms one true God in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - equal in every divine perfection. The church teaches that Jesus Christ was begotten by God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and offered as a full and substitutionary sacrifice for sin. The Holy Spirit is understood as a divine Person who convicts, regenerates, seals, empowers, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and helps the believer.
Providence teaches that mankind was created in God's image, that sin brought both physical and spiritual death, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature. Salvation is by the new birth - a new creation in Christ Jesus, instantaneous and brought about by the Holy Spirit - with its proper evidence seen in repentance, faith, and newness of life. The church believes in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost, in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ, and in the local church as a body of believers observing baptism and the Lord's Supper, governed by Scripture and exercising the gifts of the Spirit. Civil government is seen as of divine design and worthy of honor and obedience except where it contradicts the will of Christ. The church affirms the existence of a personal devil who opposes God's purposes and will perish eternally with all who do not receive Christ.
Office, Giving, and Practical Details
The church office sits at 26250 Euclid Avenue, Suite 435, in Euclid, Ohio, and is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The office number is (216) 991-5315 and the fax is (216) 991-6534. The general email address is info@pbcoc.org.
Giving is available in four ways: online through Givelify, in person, and by mail to the office address. Members can also give by text through the same Givelify platform.
Providence is, in the words of its founder, named for the providence of God. A century after a small group of Tennesseans first gathered, the church continues to gather twice on Sunday and through the week to pray, to study, and to serve Cleveland and Euclid.