Welcome to our website! My name is Joshua and I live with my wife Rachael and our two children Isaiah and Lydia in Belle Center, Ohio. I am under the oversight of Rev. Bill Adams with Sports Fan Outreach Intl. and a licensed Lay Reader for the Anglican Orthodox Church under the oversight of Bishop Roy Morales-Kuhn. With their help and by God's grace I am pursuing ordination to begin a new Anglican evangelistic mission in Northwestern Ohio. I am a homeschool graduate as well as a graduate of Ray Comfort's School of Biblical Evangelism and I have over 12 years of evangelistic experience.
Local Ministry
Anglican Mission:
With the oversight of the Anglican Orthodox Church, we are in the process of developing an Evangelistic Anglican Mission in Northwestern Ohio to disciple and equip those to know Jesus Christ through His Word, the 39 Articles of the Church of England, and the historic 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Join us!
Intentional Evangelism:
We also share the Gospel at local Courthouses, festivals, sporting events, busy intersections, abortion mills, and anywhere there are people. We use open air preaching, tracts, Gospel signs, banners, crosses, music, prayer, and other ways to share Christ. We are always looking for more evangelists to join us. Contact us today to find out how you can serve!
Blessing Box:
We have a Blessing Box at our residence, which allows us to collect donated items and deliver them to those in need (fires, natural distasters, rescue missions, etc.). Due to the size of our operation we are unable to ship any items at this time. If the Lord is leading you to donate any unused household items (canned food, clothing, household items etc.) for our ministry, please let us know in the "contact us" form!
Itinerant Ministry
Sports Fan Outreach:
We are actively involved in preaching Christ with Bill Adams of SFOI at various sporting events.
Family Bicycling Outreaches:
Lord willing, we will be traveling via bicycle with our two children to share Christ this spring/summer and camp overnight.
Prayer Ministry
Prayer Requests:
If you have any prayer needs, please send them to us in the contact form on this page.
Prayer Stand:
At some outreaches we will set up a Prayer Stand that will encourage people to walk over to us and share their prayer requests.
Prayer Walks:
Prayer walking involves intentionally looking for people and asking them if they have any prayer requests. We make it a point to try to offer prayer for people wherever we go, and share the Gospel in the prayer. It was using this method that Joshua met his wife Rachael!
Prayer Conference Call
Are you an evangelist in Ohio? Join our group prayer conference call for Ohio evangelists.
Where: http://www.freeconferencecall.com/
Men's Prayer Meeting:
Wednesday Nights @ 8:30 PM EST
Women's Prayer Meeting:
Thursday Nights @ 8:00 PM EST
Dial-in number (US): (425) 436-6347
Access code: 303707#
International dial-in numbers: https://fccdl.in/i/therichardsfamily
Online meeting ID: therichardsfamily
Join the online meeting: https://join.freeconferencecall.com/therichardsfamily
For additional assistance connecting to the meeting text 'Call Me' to the Dial-In number above and you will be called into the conference. Message and data rates may apply.
2021 Richards Family Ministry Schedule
Training Opportunities:
Preaching Practicum
Where: https://www.sfoi.org/openairpreacherhermeneutic
When: March 16-April 24 & April 27-June 12
Contact: Heath Pucel
George Whitefield Program TrainingWhere: Chattanooga, TN
When: June 14-18
Contact: Bill Adams
Multi-Day Evangelism Opportunities
(To sign up for multi-day events, register
here)
Super Bowl Outreach
Where: Tampa, Florida
When: Jan 27-Feb 7
Contact: Bill Adams or Jason McGough of SFOI
NBA Final Four Outreach
Where: Indianapolis, Indiana
When: Apr 2-6
Contact: Bill Adams of SFOI
NFL Draft
Where: Cleveland, OH
When: Apr 29-May 1
Contact: Bill Adams of SFOI
Ohio Bicycling Missions Trip
Where: TBD, OH
When: May 15-16
Contact: Joshua Richards
One-Day Evangelism Opportunities(Click the "Sign Up" button below if you can commit to help!)
SFOI 1,000 Bluejackets NHL Outreaches
Where: Columbus, OH
When: Mar 2, 9, 11, 13, 15, 22, 25
Apr 6, 8, 10, 12, 27
May 3, 5, 7, 8
Contact: Joshua Richards
Indian Lake Boat Show Outreach
Where: Indian Lake, OH
When: Mar 6
Contact: Joshua Richards
Strawberry Festival Outreach
Where: Troy, OH
When: June 5
Contact: Joshua Richards
Rail Festival
Where: Dayton, OH
When: June 26
Contact: Joshua Richards
Red White & Boom Outreach
Where: Columbus, OH
When: July 3
Contact: Joshua Richards
Lighthouse Waterfront Festival Outreach
Where: Toledo, OH
When: July 10
Contact: Joshua Richards
Three Rivers Festival Outreach
Where: Ft. Wayne, IN
When: July 18
Contact: Joshua Richards
Celina Lake Festival Outreach
Where: Celina, OH
When: July 24
Contact: Joshua Richards
Rock The Lake
Where: Indian Lake, OH
When: Aug 7
Contact: Joshua Richards
Flag City Balloon Festival Outreach
Where: Findlay, OH
When: Aug 14
Contact: Joshua Richards
Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival Outreach
Where: Bucyrus, OH
When: Aug 21
Contact: Joshua Richards
Black Swamp Arts Festival Outreach
Where: Bowling Green, OH
When: September 11
Contact: Joshua Richards
SFOI 1,000 BGSU Falcons Football Outreach
Where: Bowling Green, OH
When: September 11 & 18
Contact: Joshua Richards
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati Outreach
Where: Cincinnati, OH
When: Oct 2
Contact: Joshua Richards
Street Fair Outreach
Where: Yellow Springs, OH
When: Oct 9
Contact: Joshua Richards
Pumpkin Show Outreach
Where: Circleville, OH
When: Oct 23
Contact: Joshua Richards
Ohio University Block Party Outreach
Where: Athens, OH
When: Oct 30
Contact: Joshua Richards
SIGN UP TODAY!!
EVANGELISTS NEEDED
We are looking for a team of 10 men that want to commit to joining our team to share Christ in the state of Ohio for 2021 and beyond.
Will
you
respond to the call?
To be an evangelist on our team please indicate you can commit to the following expectations:
1. Pray for at least (1) hour daily.
2. Commit to (or already be doing) weekly evangelism at least once per week in one town or city in one of the (5) geographical locations in Ohio (Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southwest, or Southeast).
3. Commit to participate in at least (2) of the following yearly outreaches with our team: (Red, White & Boom in Columbus, OH; Flag City Balloon Festival in Findlay, OH; or the Pumpkin Show in Circleville, OH)
4. Submit a weekly ministry report containing the following: locations, highlights, participants, responses, ministry photos, etc.
5. Participate in a weekly team prayer conference call on the phone.
Please also respond to us with the following information:
1. The historic confession and/or creed you agree with.
2. At least (2) references; one from your pastor or elder and one from a Christian (non-family) who can vouch for your character.
3. Your preferred method of contact (Phone, email, Facebook, other)
4. Your weekly availability to do evangelism (morning, afternoon, evening & day(s) of week)
5. Distance you are willing to commit to drive (in terms of hour radius) from your home to share the Gospel.
We can equip you to get an outreach started in your town or city! Already have an outreach ministry in Ohio? Please consider "merging" with ours! Let us know if you have any questions, and I will follow up with you.
Rachael at the Minneapolis Super Bowl Outreach
Roger, Ricky, Mark, & Joshua at the SFOI 1000 Blue Jackets Outreach in Columbus, OH
Our team at the 2019 Red, White & Boom outreach in Columbus, OH
Joshua preaching open air at the Super Bowl Outreach in Minneapolis
Joshua on the subway to downtown, New York City
Joshua with his cross at a Pro Life rally in Columbus, OH
Joshua playing Christmas carols inside Kroger in Columbus, OH
Joshua with his Prayer Stand at a block party outreach near Ft. Wayne, IN
Joshua with the construction team with the LBC missions trip to Honduras
Joshua preaching to hecklers at the Jazz & Rib Festival Outreach in Columbus, OH
Praise & Worship at the 2019 Red, White, & Boom outreach in Columbus, OH
Joshua sharing the Gospel to a pro-choice pedestrian in Columbus, OH
Rachael holding a sign at the 2019 Celina Lake Festival Outreach in Celina, OH
Joshua holding the cross at a Pro Life rally in Columbus, OH
Our team at the 2019 Red, White, & Boom outreach in Columbus, OH
Thank you for contacting the Richards family!
We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Ohio Ministry Team Bios
I was saved at age 9 when the Sunday school superintendent gave an alter call on the Romans Road. I was raised by a bible believing Christian mom and a good but unsaved dad and we always attended church. Mom also required us to do daily devotions with her and paid her tithes over dads' strenuous vocal objections.
The last 51 years has been a lot of going from place to place sharing my faith with others and attending different churches. Changing jobs a lot to meet new people. Learning that I really am an evangelist and how much God blessed me and keeps me alive spiritually by preaching to the lost. Learning to avoid the pitfalls of depression, suicidal thoughts, porn, the get rich quick gospel, legalism and numerous other tools the devil has tried to use to destroy my life and family. I have been slightly more Armenian than Calvananist although that may be changing. Have also greatly benefited and enjoy attending church almost everday. I love worshipping the Lord in Pentecostal fashion. God has certainly kept and blessed me even though my road has been far from straight although very narrow.
Praise the Lord
Roger McKinley
John Rataczak was born in Columbia, Missouri and raised in the St. Louis area.
He was saved at an early age through the ministry of the Chatham Bible Church of Wellston, MO (now located in Hazelwood, MO).
His father was a chemical engineer, and his mother was a housewife. Both were saved during John's childhood years. Surely the words of Acts 16:31 apply to the household!
God led John to the ministry during his freshman year at Bob Jones University. While there he earned a B.A. in Bible, an M.A. in Pastoral Studies, and a Ph.D. in New Testament Text (Greek).
His teaching experience is in Greek, Hebrew, Apologetics, Theology, English Bible, Biblical Backgrounds, and Church History at three Christian colleges and two graduate schools.
His pastoral experience includes ministries in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Presently John is the sole proprietor of Eleutheros Books and is an adjunct professor at a seminary in Liberia.
He is the father of two sons and lives in Ohio.
John's heart in serious Bible study and evangelism. He also has an interest in current events and sports.
John is currently teaching an online Greek class through Zoom Tuesday nights. For more information please call (419) 917-8199
I have several decades of open-air preaching experience. I did open air while a student at OhioUniversity in the Eighties. I started back up in earnest in 2012. I have been doing open air at OhioState, Ohio University, and downtown Columbus streets. I have been working regularly with Sports FansOutreach Internatonal and with Josh Richards and company at the Columbus Blue Jackets game. Ihave worked in Indianapolis at the Colts games. I had an opportunity to solo open air in Cincinnai atthe Bengals game last fall when the lead had a family emergency. I have been blessed to have thefellowship of Bill Adams and Heath Putel providing graduate level preaching classes. I grew up in an atheist family who actually had an intense hatred toward religion. I grew in both the Unitarian Universalist Association and in liberal Quaker Meetngs. My first major exposure to the gospel was through the evangelistic outreach of Jed and Cindy Smock. A Christian student at Ohio University, the Wesley Choir, and her rural Methodist church in Meigs County helped me with an appreciation of scripture and godly service to others. Today I am actively attending Hilliard Church ofthe Nazarene. The church has been amazingly supportive of my efforts. My other ministry is to adult women with Turner Syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder affecting only women. The has blessed me with an ability to understand and minister to my struggles. Other interests include support to John Carroll University, AA, an inveterate love for cats, especiallythe Chartreux and Turkish Van breeds, classical music, and following the Saint Louis Cardinals.