Fairhaven Church wins recognition

Fairhaven was begun 52 years ago with 12 families holding service at a local YMCA. Today the church is comprised of three campuses: Centerville, Springboro and Clayton. An 80-person staff serves approximately 7,000 church members.

“It is easy to think or say that a church is healthy. But when you invite an outside group to come in and [do an assessment] and are told that you are in the top 50 healthiest churches in America? I feel humbled that I get to work with our staff and leaders who have made it so,” said David Smith, third lead pastor in the church’s longstanding history. “We believe that team is everything, and the success of other staff members is our individual priority.”

One of those valuable team members is Thomas Ford, who works as part of Fairhaven’s technology team.

“I love working here at Fairhaven because the people are genuine. They’re all very talented at what they do and strive for excellence every day,” said Ford, a ministry arts specialist. “Every week, we pray as a team that we will do a good job, so someone experiences God in a tangible way.”

Fairhaven has been twice listed as one of the Fastest Growing churches in the country by Outreach Magazine. Smith believes there are three qualities of his membership and staff that drive the church’s continued growth.

“We maintain a strong and vibrant ministry for children and families,” says Smith, a Kettering resident. “We encourage our church body to be intentional toward their friends, neighbors, co-workers and family. And we have a clear presence in the community to assist people and address social concerns.”

Smith and his wife, Kathy, have a special needs son. The church has become a community partner for similar families, offering parents the opportunity to go to church together while their children are being cared for by dedicated church staff and volunteers. A recent $10 million expansion campaign included a preschool/nursery building, a new chapel, as well as the launch of a Springboro campus.

Over 25 percent of the church’s budget goes to missions, including a recent $500,000 donation to Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa. The church has recently completed mission trips to Ecuador, Guatemala and Southeast Asia. Fairhaven is in the midst of a “100,000 Hours of Serving” campaign with over 40,000 hours already logged by members and staff.

“Our church wants to go beyond our four walls, and this year, our congregation has made a concerted effort to go out into our community,” said Smith. “The tens of thousands of hours we’ve spent demonstrating our concern for those around us is making an impact. We pray that we may continue to shine a light in our neighborhoods together.”