Rousculp Church of Christ sits along Amherst Road on the northern edge of Cridersville, Ohio, in the rolling farmland of Auglaize County. The independent congregation traces its roots to a revival held in a one-room schoolhouse in 1897, and more than a century later it still gathers each Sunday for worship, teaching, and fellowship on the same stretch of country road. The congregation's motto, serving, teaching, nurturing, and developing disciples, shapes everything from the blended Sunday morning service to the children's wing, the student ministry, and the missions program that reaches from the Lima area to Mexico, Haiti, and beyond.
Worship and Sunday School on Amherst Road
Worship at Rousculp Church of Christ follows a simple and unhurried rhythm that has welcomed families for generations. Sunday School begins at 9:00 a.m. in classrooms spread across the building, and the morning is sweetened by coffee and doughnuts in the gathering areas. At 10:00 a.m. the congregation moves into the sanctuary for the blended service, with coffee and snacks continuing to be available throughout the hour.
Nursery care is provided during the service for the youngest children, and Jr. Church is offered for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, allowing parents to remain in worship while their children receive age-appropriate teaching. Visitors who cannot attend in person can join through the church's livestream each Sunday morning. After the service, recordings remain available through Sermon Media, and sermon notes are often posted in advance so congregants can prepare for the coming message. First-time guests are greeted with a free welcome gift and an offer to connect further with the church's leadership team.
A Revival That Began in a Schoolhouse
Rousculp Church of Christ came into being on June 21, 1897, when a restoration preacher named Clarence Mitchell opened a series of revival meetings in the Butler School in Perry Township, Allen County. The meetings were held over two consecutive Lord's Days and brought forty-five additions to the young congregation.
The church grew slowly through its first half-century. In 1948 a Cincinnati Bible Seminary student named Jack Hanna was invited by the ladies of the church to come and preach. What began as a modest speaking engagement kindled a wider revival at Rousculp. Attendance climbed, and through the decades that followed the church was shepherded by a succession of ministers that included Delmar Rodgers, Ronald Harshe, Bruce Smith, Darrel Dearth, Verle Libby, Allen Fehl, and Ivan LaVallee, who was called to return to the ministry a second time.
The congregation approved its first building program on July 22, 1951. By the spring of 1952 the basement was finished enough to host Resurrection Sunday services, and the present sanctuary was completed just in time for Resurrection Sunday a decade later in 1962. The original building was torn down that same spring. A second building program, approved in the summer of 1992, added new classrooms and a fellowship hall that was dedicated on May 1, 1994, and today the structure includes a gymnasium that doubles as space for classes, connection groups, and special events.
After a combined ministry of more than thirty years at Rousculp, Ivan LaVallee announced his retirement on December 8, 1994. In the summer of 1995 the church called Mark Vernik to serve as Senior Minister. Vernik led the congregation for nearly sixteen years until February 28, 2011, when he was asked to serve on the Allen County Board of Elections. Kenny Rader was selected to serve the congregation by the summer of 2011, and he shepherded the church through more than a decade of growth and teaching before his passing in May 2025.
The Restoration Movement's Reach
Rousculp Church of Christ identifies with the Restoration Movement, a tradition that seeks to pattern the contemporary church after the New Testament example rather than align with any of the historic denominations. The congregation describes itself as an independent church within the broader family of evangelical Christianity, and the distinctives of the Restoration Movement are central to its identity.
The church's What We Believe statement is built on four pillars: Jesus Christ, the Church, the Bible, and the People. The congregation confesses Jesus Christ as God's only begotten Son, who died for our sins and rose again, and who will one day return to earth to reign forever as King of kings and Lord of lords. The Church is understood as the body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit and existing to reach the lost and edify the saved. Terms of membership in the church are the same as terms of salvation: faith in Christ, confession of Christ as Lord, repentance of sins, and immersion into Christ.
The Bible is held to be the inspired Word of God and the sole guide for faith and practice, and the congregation has resolved to pattern itself after the example of the New Testament church. Those accepting Christ are called to repent of their sins, confess their faith, and be baptized into him; forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are available to all who trust Christ as Savior and Lord. The statement also affirms that every person has worth as a creation of God, even though all have sinned and fall short of that glory.
These distinctives, including baptism by immersion as the biblical mode and the rejection of human creeds in favor of Scripture alone, are what set the Restoration Movement apart from other evangelical bodies. The church teaches that faith without works is dead, that the Christian life is more than belief alone, and that disciples are to become as much like Jesus as possible in every area of life. As the former senior minister wrote in introducing a What We Believe class, the Restoration Movement is what separates Rousculp from the denominational evangelical world and shapes how the congregation reads the Bible, organizes its ministries, and practices baptism and the Lord's Supper.
RCC Kids and the Next Generation
RCC Kids is the church's ministry to children from birth through sixth grade, and it meets both during the Sunday morning service and at special events throughout the year. The program exists to show the love of God to children in a safe environment and to teach them about Jesus in a way that connects with their everyday lives. Volunteers walk children through the truth of the Gospel each week, helping them grasp God's great love for them and for those around them.
Children's programming begins in the nursery, which is staffed by Penny Gray and Mary Snider for children from birth through four years of age using a monthly rotation of teachers. Ashley Courtney teaches the Beginner Classroom for kindergarten through third grade, also on a monthly rotation, while Cindy Kaufman leads the Junior Classroom for fourth and fifth graders on a weekly rotation. Jr. Church is available during the 10:00 a.m. service for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade.
RCC Kids hosts several annual events that draw families from across the area. Trunk or Treat fills the church parking lot with decorated vehicles, an inflatable, hot dogs, and visits from the Perry Fire and Police departments. The Christmas party marks the birth of Jesus with pizza, games, and gifts for the children. A dedicated RCC Kids calendar keeps families up to date with the full schedule, and the ministry also shares updates and announcements on its Facebook page.
RCC Students: Disciples in Middle and High School
RCC Students is the church's ministry to young people in sixth through twelfth grade, and it carries the conviction that youth is the future of the church. The ministry's mission is to equip, empower, and encourage students to be lifelong followers of Christ, and it gathers for two regular touchpoints each week.
Sunday School meets in the youth room at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday morning and is taught by Senior Pastor Marty Rind. The class digs into God's word and considers how he wants students to live in their everyday lives. Youth Group meets on Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and combines games, fellowship, food, and Bible study into a relaxed weekly gathering.
Throughout the year the students participate in a calendar of events that goes beyond the church walls. Recent and upcoming activities have included trips to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, a Christmas party with a gift exchange, summer outings to Eldora and Cedar Point, paintball, and youth mission trips. Mission trips are a particular focus for the ministry, and a group of six from RCC traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, in June through Next Step Ministries to help build a new shed at Camp Bayoca, a Christian camp that has served inner-city Knoxville since 1952. During that week three students each made the decision to be baptized.
RCC Students maintains an active presence on social media, with both a Facebook page and an Instagram account where devotionals, event announcements, and encouragement are posted regularly.
Sunday School for Every Generation
Sunday School at Rousculp Church of Christ meets before the main service and offers classes for every age and stage. The morning begins with coffee and doughnuts in the gathering areas as adults and teens find their classrooms and children are welcomed into the nursery and beginner rooms.
For adults, Mark Blasiman leads a class in the big room and Craig Lavallee leads a second class in the library. Teen students gather in the youth room with Marty Rind for a Bible-focused lesson, while the children's wing runs its three rotating classes for nursery through fifth grade.
These classes give the congregation a way to dig deeper into Scripture in smaller groups before gathering together for worship. Whether someone is new to the Bible or has studied it for decades, there is a place to belong and learn. Beyond Sunday morning, the church has also hosted connection groups, small groups that meet in homes for food, prayer, Bible study, and shared life, and six-week topical studies such as the What We Believe class that walk through the congregation's core doctrines.
A Heart for Missions Beyond Lima
Missions is central to Rousculp's identity. The church maintains a Missions Ministry team that meets quarterly to discuss how to support partner organizations and address local needs. The team also considers how to equip Christians for the mission field, and anyone interested in joining is invited to contact the church office.
Rousculp supports five mission partners that span Ohio, the United States, and the world. Christian Children's Home of Ohio provides residential care for children and families in need. FAME sends medical teams, shares the gospel, and supports ministry projects around the world. Hippo Valley Christian Mission works in Zimbabwe and surrounding areas. Master Provisions distributes humanitarian aid and shares the gospel with those in need. Bethlehem Living Water ministers in Bethlehem and other regions.
In addition to financial support, RCC members participate in short-term mission trips. A team traveled to Mexico in July with Western Hills Church of Christ from the Cincinnati area to partner with a local church and host a Vacation Bible School. About 120 children attended on the first three days and roughly 180 on the final day. Marty Rind has also taken a trip to Israel that he says transformed his understanding of discipleship, shifting his view of a disciple from someone who keeps Jesus at the center of every life role to someone who becomes as much like Jesus as possible in everything they do. The church's giving platform makes it easy to direct donations specifically to RCC Missions.
Sermon Notes, Marty's Muses, and Online Giving
In addition to weekly worship, Rousculp sustains an ongoing ministry of writing that encourages the congregation between Sundays. Sermon Notes provides an outline and discussion questions for the upcoming Sunday's message, and Sermon Media archives recordings of recent series, including the Desire for a King series and The Perfect Couple. Marty's Muses, written by Senior Pastor Marty Rind, posts reflections on topics ranging from global Christianity and the universal language of love to what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. A collection of devotionals remains available for encouragement in any season.
These written resources give the congregation a way to keep growing throughout the week, and they serve as a virtual fellowship for those who cannot always be present on a Sunday morning. Online giving is available, with options for one-time gifts, recurring donations, and direct support of RCC Missions. Visitors can fill out a connect card to receive a free welcome gift and learn more about the church.
Pastoral Leadership: From Kenny Rader to Marty Rind
Senior Pastor Marty Rind grew up in Aledo, a small town in western Illinois, and started following Jesus at fifteen through the influence of his own youth pastor. After high school he served in numerous youth ministries, both as a volunteer and on paid staff, before earning a Bachelor's in Youth and Family Ministry from Lincoln Christian University in 2018. He moved to Lima and joined the staff at RCC shortly after graduation, and he has been part of the congregation's life ever since.
In 2022 Rind launched RCC Kids, the church's children's ministry, even though children's ministry was not part of his formal training. He describes the early days as challenging but rewarding, and he credits the volunteers who stepped up to help lead the program. As he wrote later, Wednesday nights usually drain him, but it is so worth it to see these young kids learn about Jesus.
When Kenny Rader passed away in May 2025, Marty Rind began filling the pulpit on Sundays. The congregation voted in October 2025 to make him the new Senior Pastor, and he now leads the preaching and vision of the church while continuing to oversee the children's and youth ministries alongside a strong team of volunteers. Rind feels blessed by the opportunity and has said that he never thought at this point in his life that he would be a senior pastor. However, as he has learned, our plans are not always God's plans. He continues to write weekly reflections through Marty's Muses, preach through sermon series such as The Perfect Couple and The Making of a King, and walk alongside students as they take their first steps of faith.
Office Administrator Nancy Butler, a member of Rousculp since April 12, 1968, has served in the office since 2008 after a thirty-year career with the Lima City Schools. She considers her position a true blessing because of her love for God and her church family.
A Congregation That Keeps Growing
From a revival in a Perry Township schoolhouse in 1897 to a blended Sunday service that streams to living rooms across the region today, Rousculp Church of Christ has spent more than a century serving, teaching, nurturing, and developing disciples in and around Cridersville. The building at 890 Amherst Road remains open for worship each Sunday and as a hub for ministry throughout the week. Whether someone comes for the first time as a guest, brings a child to RCC Kids, joins a youth mission trip, or simply stays for a second slice of coffee after the sermon, there is room at the table and a place to belong.