ZANESVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 6 – Eighty thousand pounds of free food, a job fair, children’s activities, a high-energy worship service and a Gospel message from Pastor Rod Parsley blessed Muskingum County residents today, when Reformation Ohio, an evangelistic association of churches and businesses, came to the Muskingum County Fairgrounds on Pershing Road.

"We’re excited about bringing the Gospel and a compassionate outreach to Eastern Ohio," said Pastor Parsley, Reformation Ohio’s founder and spokesman. "Our mission is to bring God’s love to cities across Ohio – which we’ve done through the distribution of 2 million pounds of food in our events. Our records indicate that more than 28,000 people have entered new relationships with Jesus Christ since we started nearly two years ago, and we are anticipating 1,000 or more local residents to join them as a result of today’s activities.

"Through strategic partnerships with some of the area’s outstanding churches, we’re working together to help meet area residents’ physical and spiritual needs. We believe Ohio is truly being transformed one city at a time through the power of God’s love."

More than 60 churches and other organizations are helping to organize the event, including Cornerstone Full Gospel, Zanesville Family Harvest Church, New Covenant Church, The Worship Center and The Salvation Army. This is the sixth large-scale outreach event Reformation Ohio has held since its founding in October 2005.

The event began with children’s games and activities at 2 p.m., followed by a main program including high-energy music, dance and a Gospel message from Pastor Parsley. After the event, 80,000 pounds of groceries and gift baskets, including toiletries and personal-care items, were given to Zanesville-area families.

Reformation Ohio has previously completed outreaches in Toledo, Dayton, Chillicothe, Lima and Youngstown. Reformation Ohio’s goals are to proclaim the Gospel to at least 1 million people so at least 100,000 accept Jesus Christ, complete acts of compassion throughout the state and empower communities and individuals through non-partisan voter registration.

Parsley, the senior pastor of World Harvest Church in Columbus and founder and president of the Center for Moral Clarity, founded Reformation Ohio as a way for churches to unite across denominational and racial lines to proclaim the Gospel in cities throughout the state. It’s expected that Reformation Ohio will serve as a model to similarly bring about spiritual revival and moral reformation in other states.

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