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Prayer Requests Add Prayer Requests Here at Vertical, we believe in the power of prayer and one of our Pillars is Relentless Prayer. Click either of the buttons below to share a prayer request with the Prayer Team or a private prayer request that shared only with the pastors and elders. Share Your Prayer Request Share Private Prayer Request Sign Up for Weekly Prayer Email Mark K. May 29, 2024 My mom has been admitted to Grant Hospital again. She has been coughing up. Blood is the bad news, the good news is she doesn't have pneumonia. They want to look at her lungs a little closer to see if they can't break it up. My dad is still in Riverside Hospital. We have to make some hard decisions tomorrow night. My mom's name is Rita, My dad's name is John. Brothers Terry, Johnny, and sister Joanie. Please keep all of us in your prayers! Cee D. May 27, 2024 Special Prayer For First Lady Regina and her upcoming ultrasound test. Prayer for Sister Edna healing in Jesus Name. Prayer for Ecclesia Church and Live Oak Church. Deborah B. May 26, 2024 Single mom needing comfort as my boy is heading to college. Thank u Joel S. May 26, 2024 My girlfriend really wants to get baptized I just pray that she would better understand why we do baptism first Kay H. May 26, 2024 Would you please pray for my friend Kathryn who suffers from depression and anxiety? Pray God would draw her to Himself and away from her mental anguish. Also would you please pray that she would find friends with whom she can communicate? Mark K. May 25, 2024 I need prayer for my family. My mom, Rita, was in and out of the hospital for COPD, emphysema, and afib. She was in for one week, came out less than 24 hours. She went back in with pneumonia. Mom who had never been on oxygen, suddenly went on oxygen. She needs 24-hour care, my sister, thank God, is able to spend the nights with her. Mom has been out of the hospital for One week today. She is showing great signs of progress. My dad, John, had a complete mental breakdown. He is in Riverside Hospital. Will hopefully be transferred to the psychiatric ward within the next day or so. We need prayer for the following: 1. Discernment on where dad should go, which memory Care facility. 2. How to best obtain 24-hour care for my mom. 3. Comfort and peace as we go through this season of life. In the midst of all these challenges we have seen God do multiple things. We know he's in control! Thank you, Shari K. May 22, 2024 Praise! The trach was successfully placed and Denwood is doing better. He is very alert, hands no longer bound and has been weaned off all IV meds. They will start weaning him from the vent. Please pray that his kidneys would heal and work without the assistance of dialysis. Thank you! Shari K. May 20, 2024 Doctor will be putting a trach in Denwood today. Please pray the procedure is successful and temporary. Kay H. May 13, 2024 Please pray for my brother Jim. He is critically ill. No sleep in several days. Has pneumonia and blood clots in his arm. Delirium from lack of sleep and desperately needs rest to heal. Hospitalized. Cardiologist, Neurosurgeon and Hospitalist involved. Thank you Art D. May 12, 2024 Asking for Special Prayer For Rev Leigh who has been faithful to The Lord and Her current Job...She has a disrespectful difficult boss who does not appreciate her years of dedication. She needs God to move on her behalf in Jesus Name! Prayer for Sister Brittanya for healing. Prayer for Sister Danicka's mom healing. Prayer for Sister Edna Continued healing. Prayer for Ecclesia Church. Prayer for Luz Maria Chavez - Favor at work Her sister Laura Patricia Chavez for continued healing from Cancer. Prayer for sister Regina healing and deliverance in Jesus Name! Shari K. May 4, 2024 Please continue to pray for Denwood who is back on the ventilator with a resistant infection. Thank you Shari K. April 29, 2024 Please pray that Denwood's heart would resume normal function and that the confusion and shaking will resolve quickly. Thank you!

Do you ever feel like you’re a pretty decent person, always trying to do the right thing and be your best self? Even though you’re doing well, do you still feel like something is missing? Perhaps you are feeling lost, uncertain, or searching for meaning and purpose. ​ The good news is that God desires to know you and have a personal relationship with you through His Son, Jesus Christ. So, how do you start a relationship with God? How to Know God Follow Jesus Christ Following Jesus means living a life that reflects His love, grace, and truth. Read the Bible, pray, attend a local church, and surround yourself with other believers who can encourage and support you in your faith. Knowing God is a personal relationship that begins with acknowledging our need for Him, believing in Jesus Christ, confessing our faith, and following Him. If you have taken these steps or have questions about starting a relationship with God, please reach out below. Contact Us May you experience the joy and peace that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Receive Jesus Christ into Your Life Confess your faith in Jesus Christ. Confessing means to openly declare that you believe in Jesus Christ and that you want to follow Him as your Lord and Savior. The Bible Says “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.” If you would like to have a relationship with Christ, simply pray this prayer and mean it in your heart: “Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and Savior of the world. I believe that You died for my sins and rose from the grave so that I might have eternal life in heaven with You. I believe that through Your sacrifice, I am a new person. Forgive me for my sin and fill me with Your Spirit. I accept You as my Lord and Savior, and Your free gift of eternal life. Amen.” Turn Away From Your Sins The Bible instructs us to “Repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” To repent means to change the direction of our lives. Rather than running from God, we should run toward Him. Believe That Jesus Died On The Cross For You The Bible tells us that “God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” This is the gospel — or “good news” — that God’s love for us is so great that He sent His only Son to die for us, even though we didn’t deserve it. Acknowledge Your Need For God The first step in knowing God is to acknowledge your need for Him. You were created by God for a purpose, and your life has meaning and value. However, sin has separated us from God, and we need to acknowledge our need for His forgiveness and restoration. The Bible says, “no one is good — not even one.” Recognize that you are a sinner and fall short of God’s perfect standard. If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, congratulations! The next step is to declare your faith through baptism. Learn more about baptism at Vertical Church so we can celebrate with you and encourage your walk with Jesus. Learn More About Baptism

Walking with Christ is not a journey to take alone, but with others in community. Grace Groups "God led me to Vertical Church back in 2017 as I was going through one of the most difficult times in my life. Over time, several members of the Winkler Grace group invited me to attend their Grace Group, so I finally went. Everyone was so open and friendly. I could not help but be encouraged and drawn into this caring group of people who were so dedicated to loving others and growing deeper in their relationship with Jesus. Over the next 3 years, these same people supported me through my trials and helped to meet my physical, emotional, and spiritual needs in so many ways. I cannot imagine how I would have been able to endure if it had not been for the wonderful people God put in my life through my Grace group." John "Some of our most meaningful friendships and deepest sense of community at Vertical have come through our involvement in a Grace Group. We recently had our second child at 29 weeks and had a lengthy stay in the NICU with her. Our grace group surrounded and supported us through setting up a meal train, childcare for our toddler while we went to the NICU, painting our daughter’s nursery, taking our puppy to the dog park, and so many prayers and words of encouragement. It is even clearer to us why God designed believers to live in community. We were already doing life with this group and when circumstances got challenging for our family, they were some of the first to step in. God has used them over and over again in both of our lives to keep us grounded in Truth and walking faithfully with Him. It is a blessing to walk alongside them!" Megan “I love our small group. Not only do we get to dive into the word, but we have intentional prayer time, deep conversation, accountability, and sweet fellowship. We are able to serve each other in the ways each of us need the most because we’ve really grown to know each other. Community is powerful, and it’s a gift to follow Jesus TOGETHER.” Morgan Testimonials Participation in a Grace Group is the very best way to know others — and be known — at Vertical Church. It could be said that we are a church made up of Grace Groups. Our Grace Groups offer the opportunity for regular life-on-life engagement within the family of God. We strongly encourage everyone who attends Vertical Church to join a small group. We have Men’s Groups, Women’s Groups, and Mixed Groups that meet on different nights of the week throughout the city. If you’re interested in seeing a full list of our Grace Groups, check out our “Groups” on our Church Center App. Click Below to see a list of our current groups. Current Groups Bringing our Community Closer We strive to follow the example set for us by the early church: And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42–47

Vertical Students The student ministry at Vertical Church is focused on encouraging and discipling our junior high and high school students as they grow in passionately following Jesus Christ and also in building relationships with each other. Discipling the Next Generation We would love for your student in middle school or high school to join us every Sunday evening from 6:00–8:00 pm. Each meeting is led by our Pastor of Student Ministry and ministry volunteers; students enjoy relevant Bible teaching, small groups, food, and a chance to hang out with other great students! For more in-depth information, please reach out to Pastor Luke Ahrens or check out upcoming special events on our church’s events registration page. Click Here for Church Events Parent Email Opt-in Make sure you're up to date with what is going on with your students. On average we’ll send less than one email a week, so you don’t have to worry about spam.

Men’s Ministry Click Here for Church Events Living as Men of God It is our desire for the men of Vertical Church to glorify God and be conformed into the image of Christ. With this in mind, we seek to equip men to serve, love, and lead their own families and our local church. We offer men’s grace groups, sessions for deeper study, and special events (like our annual retreat) in order to build up the men of Vertical Church and create a culture where men can grow in their love for Jesus Christ while pursuing Him together in friendship with other men. For upcoming men’s ministry events, check out our church’s events registration page by clicking the link. Join us every other month for a Men's Breakfast and every fall for our Men's Retreat. “For those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13–14

About Vertical Church Mission & Purpose The mission of Vertical Church is to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment by making disciples of Jesus Christ. ​ Matthew 28:19–20 — “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ​ John 13:34–35 — “A new command I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Our History Vertical Church began in the Spring of 2010 when Pastor Luke & Jensine Ahrens and a group of believers began praying about starting a new church in Columbus. Vertical Church launched their first service on October 10, 2010. Over the next ten years, Vertical Church met in various schools and continued to develop. In the fall of 2021, God blessed the Vertical Church family with a permanent church home near OH-315 and Henderson Road. “Our vision is to be a church that is faithfully committed to making more disciples and stronger disciples of Jesus Christ with an effective witness and mutual ministry.” — Pastor Luke Ahrens Grace Groups Worship Service Children’s Ministry Student Ministry Our Principles The focus of ministry at Vertical Church is to glorify God by fulfilling the mission that Jesus gave His followers to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to follow His ways (Matthew 28:19–20). Vertical Church makes disciples of Jesus by encouraging them to worship Christ, walk with Christ, work for Christ, and witness for Christ. WHO WE ARE Witness for Christ Sharing the Good News about Jesus Christ is a vital aspect in the life of a growing disciple. At Vertical Church we encourage believers to share the Gospel with those around us in loving and intentional ways. Find Outreach Opportunities Work for Christ One of the great joys of being a disciple of Christ is by serving Christ and one another. We encourage all those in the Vertical Church family to use their time, energy, and talents to build the Kingdom of God and care for one another. Work on a Service Team Walk with Christ Growing in your walk with Christ is best achieved in rich community. The Vertical Church family encourages everyone to join a Grace Group where you experience fellowship, applicational study in God’s Word, and mutual ministry. Vertical Grace Groups are a warm, relational setting where you can get to know other believers and grow as a disciple. Join a Grace Group Worship Christ God’s Word admonishes us to worship together regularly. We worship together as a community through music, prayer, and the preaching of God’s Word every weekend. Visit a Worship Service Relentless Prayer Followers of Jesus have special access to our Heavenly Father — we are invited to come boldly before God to ask for grace and mercy at any time (Hebrews 4:15–16). Jesus encouraged us, His disciples, to boldly and relentlessly petition our Heavenly Father for our needs (John 15:7–8, Luke 18:1–8). Life in the Spirit The Holy Spirit is our redemptive Advocate (Romans 8), giving us spiritual life, indwelling us, and sealing our salvation and adoption into the family of God. The Spirit leads and empowers us to grow as faithful disciples of Jesus as we worship, walk, work, and witness for Christ (Philippians 3:3; Galatians 5:16, 25; 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11; Acts 1:8). The Gospel of Jesus The Gospel is the Good News of reconciliation with God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:34–43)! We believe this reconciliation comes not by our good works, but by God’s grace (undeserved favor) through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1–10) — our only hope for salvation. We celebrate the Gospel and seek to share this Good News with other people around us (Romans 6:23; Acts 1:8). The Word of God We believe the Bible is the critical foundation that we must build our lives upon. The inspiration, sufficiency, authority, and inerrancy of Scripture are critical to experiencing the life transformation God intends (Hebrews 4:12). We love God’s Word and seek to study (Psalm 119), meditate (Psalm 1), and apply (Luke 6:46–49) the Bible to every area of our lives. Our Pillars More About Our Theology WHAT WE BELIEVE Our Leadership Luke Ahrens Senior Pastor & Lead Elder Matt Rickly Worship & Administrative Pastor Claire Bauer Administrative Assistant Megan Winkler Children's Ministry Director Staff Andy Gilbert Elder Luke Ahrens Senior Pastor & Lead Elder Tom Heyl Elder Elders Deacons John Buk Deacon — Ushers Mark Knore Deacon — Benevolence Rick Howard Deacon — Facilities Ron Townsend Deacon — Finance Travis Vulich Deacon — Finance Amber Bernal Coffee Cart Jensine Ahrens Women's Ministry Director Kristen Martin Outreach Revonne Hammond Greeting Team Lead Rick Ross Security Team Ministry Leaders We seek to glorify God by fulfilling the mission the Lord Jesus gave His followers to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to follow His ways.

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