We are incredibly blessed to still be led by our founding pastor, Pastor Keith Risner. Since 1982, when Edgewood Baptist Church first gathered in the cafeteria of what is now Edgewood Middle School, Pastor Keith has been a steady and faithful shepherd to our church and community. Under his leadership, EBC has grown through four major building campaigns — all while he and his wife of over 50 years, Debby, raised and homeschooled their seven children.
Now well into their grandparenting years, Pastor Keith and Debby have welcomed over 30 grandchildren into their family — a true testimony to their love for family and legacy of faith. His heart for biblical family values has been at the center of his preaching and leadership for more than four decades. We are deeply grateful for his unwavering dedication, wisdom, and the genuine love he continues to show to our church family and the community we serve.
Pastor Scott began attending EBC in 1997 as a college junior. It was here that he met his future wife, Amy — and the rest is history! They've now been married for over 20 years and are proud parents of two sons, Thomas and Caleb. After many years of faithfully serving in various volunteer roles, Scott responded to God's call to ministry in 2013 and joined the EBC pastoral staff as Youth Pastor the next year. In 2016, he stepped away from his career in the IT field to serve full-time as our Administrative and Next Gen Pastor. Pastor Scott is currently pursuing pastoral studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His steady leadership, love for the church, and heart for the next generation make him an invaluable part of our ministry team.
Jim has been faithfully serving as our Worship Pastor since 2014. With decades of ministry experience, Jim has served in various roles — including Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor, and Worship Pastor — always with a heart to lead others in glorifying God.
He and his wife, Nancy, have been married for nearly 30 years and are proud parents of two children, grandparents to seven, and recently celebrated the arrival of their first great-grandchild! Jim has a deep passion for music ministry and finds great joy in mentoring and discipling young musicians, helping them develop a heart for worship and a love for the Lord. We're incredibly grateful for the spirit of praise and encouragement Jim brings to our church family each week.
Amy has been a member of Edgewood Baptist Church since she was a child, and her deep connection to the church runs through the heart of her faith journey. She cherishes the memories of those who first taught her about Jesus and shared His love with her. Amy began serving on staff at Edgewood in 2012 as the Children's Director. After a brief time away, she returned in 2020 as our Ministry Assistant, bringing her passion for ministry and community back to the team. Amy is married to our Administrative/NextGen Pastor Scott together they have two sons.
We are so blessed to have Cindy Vogt as part of our EBC staff team. She and her husband, Michael, first attended EBC in the 1990s. After spending some time away, they returned — this time with Cindy stepping into the role of Family Biblical Counselor. Together, Cindy and Michael also serve faithfully in our GriefShare Ministry, offering comfort and hope to those walking through grief. Cindy has a deep passion for connecting counseling to the truth of God's Word and helping others discover that the Bible truly offers answers for all of life's challenges. Her wisdom, compassion, and commitment to Christ-centered care make her a cherished part of our church family.
Jake Gibson joined our staff in 2024, but he's no stranger to EBC. He grew up attending the church as a teenager. After high school, Jake went on to study at Boyce College in Louisville, Kentucky, and then returned to serve on our staff team. As our Pastoral Assistant, Young Adults, and Media Director, Jake brings energy, creativity, and a deep love for the church.
Known as our resident coffee connoisseur, he keeps the team well caffeinated — a contribution we all appreciate! Most days, you'll find Jake in the sound booth, where he leads our Media Ministry with excellence and passion. We're thankful to have Jake on staff — and not just for the coffee!
Mike Lenos Jr. has been serving in our youth ministry since 2019, and his passion for helping students grow in their knowledge of God is evident in everything he does. Most evenings, you'll find Mike discipling teenagers — whether through Bible study, mentoring, or just spending time investing in their lives. His energy and excitement for God's Word is contagious, and he consistently passes that enthusiasm on to the teens he serves.
Mike lives in Trenton with his wife, Brandy. Together, they have four children who are nearly grown but still keep them very busy. We are so thankful to have Mike and his family as a vital part of our church and staff team.
Josh Lawson has been a part of our church family since the 1990s — yes, he's been around that long! He grew up in our youth ministry and faithfully served in the youth department for many years before stepping into his current role as Children's Ministry Director. Josh has a deep passion for helping kids come to know and love God. Most Sundays, you'll find him right where he loves to be — with the kids! His energy, heart for ministry, and commitment to sharing the love of Jesus make him an incredible leader. We're so grateful for his calling and the joy he brings to our church community.
We believe that Jesus is God's one and only Son. He was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life. He performed many miracles, so many that the Bible could not contain them all. Jesus gave His life on a cross for our sins. Jesus died that day. Three days later, God raised Jesus from the dead. After 40 days Jesus was taken to Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father waiting to come and get the believers who follow Him. Who are those?
A: Admit to God that you are a sinner and that you can not make it on your own.
B: Believe that Jesus is God's one and only son, who was sent to earth to save us from our sins.
C: Commit yourself to follow God's Way and living by Jesus' example. Love the Lord your God first and then treat others as yourself.
The Bible says that All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" Romans 10:13
A SAMPLE PRAYER: in your own words...
Dear God, Forgive me of my sins (failures or acts against God), I believe that Jesus is Your Son and I am asking Him into my life today. Although I don't understand it all, I believe that You raised Jesus from the dead and I want to follow Him. Please help me today to live for you from now on. Thank You God for saving me! Amen.
Please understand that just saying a prayer like this one does not "save" you. It must be a total transformation of your heart and soul. The Bible says that we become a "new Creation" when we ask Jesus into our hearts. All your sins are forgiven and forgotten by God never to be brought up again. Isn't that wonderful!? You will need to do one more thing. Now wait and please read on. The Bible says that we should not be ashamed of Jesus Christ or the decision that we just made. Jesus says that if we don't confess Him before men, He will not confess to His Father that He knows us. Please don't be embarrassed to admit that you are a new Christian. Tell someone! We would love to be the ones that you tell. We are not looking for new church members and we don't want your money. We just want to rejoice with you. Please find a Bible believing church home and start praying and studying the Bible. If you don't have a Bible, contact us and we will get you one ASAP! If you have a Bible and don't know where to start, try the Gospel of John. It will tell you about Jesus. Then go to the Book of Romans. It will tell you how Christians should live. We also believe that once you have asked Jesus into your heart, if would be impossible for you or anyone else or anything to tear you away from God. Your heart and soul are not revolving doors. Once you ask God into your heart, He stays there. Does that mean you will never sin again or do something wrong? No that means that when you make a mistake, you ask God to forgive you; and He will. Once you are saved, you are always saved. There is a great responsibility that comes with such a great gift. Again, please don't be ashamed of what you have just done. God loves you and so do we!
We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, infallible Word of God. The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. By that, we mean that, "Yes", we take the Bible literally. We do not endorse a translation but rely on the Holy Spirit to lead each person towards what they should study.
We believe that baptism does not "save" anyone, however after asking Jesus into your life, one should be baptized as an outward expression of their faith towards God. Thus showing the world that they are now a follower of Christ. Baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We would love the opportunity to speak with you about any questions that you might have concerning our church or your walk with God. Please don't hesitate to contact a staff member or the church office anytime.
The Office is 513-894-8708 or Pastor Keith Risner at 513-375-2428.
Just so you know, we are a Southern Baptist Church who participates in the Co-Operative Program for missions. We are members of the Miami Valley Baptist Association and the State Convention of Baptist in Ohio, based in Columbus.