A young man’s decision to follow Christ in baptism became a vivid illustration of the importance of sharing the gospel generationally in both families and churches.
This full-circle moment began in 1987 when pastor Rick Duncan and his wife, Maryanne, felt called to relocate to northeast Ohio near Cleveland to plant Cuyahoga Valley Church (CVC) in Broadview Heights, bringing the gospel to the unchurched.
A few years later, 7-year-old Clay Myatt began attending CVC with his parents. His family stayed and he grew up at CVC where the ministry was impactful in his life.
“Through CVC I knew how a group of Christians worshiped, lived in community and went on mission together,” he said.
‘First exposure’
As he grew, Myatt was active in the CVC youth ministry. “The youth ministry was formative.” He even interned at CVC as a seminary student. “CVC was part of my life. It was my first exposure to what a church is supposed to be.”
During his college years at Vanderbilt University, Myatt felt called to plant a church, and he connected with the North American Mission Board’s Send Network Cleveland.
Chris Warszawski, current city missionary for Send Network Cleveland, said “CVC has really been an impactful church in northeast Ohio. Clay was poured into at CVC, and it helped raise him up as a church planter.”
In March 2023, 36 years after Duncan planted CVC, Myatt planted King’s Cross in the fastest growing neighborhood in downtown Cleveland. Housing in the area is apartments and condominiums with few churches in the downtown area.
“I looked at the churches available,” Myatt noted. “There’s a lot of need here.” Residents in the neighborhood are in their 20s and 30s. “They are very much my peers.” His heart is to provide a church community for the people downtown. “I have a personal connection. I grew up in Greater Cleveland. I’m fit for a role like this.”
As King’s Cross was getting ready to launch, Myatt met with Alan and Joanna Duncan, the son and daughter-in-law of pastor Rick Duncan, and discussed the plans for the church plant. The Duncan’s live on the outskirts of Cleveland but were interested in being a part of the new work. “It’s been great having them in our church,” said Myatt.
Full-circle moment
Recently their son Ethan expressed a desire to follow the Lord in baptism, setting the scene for the full-circle moment to come to fruition. “Ethan was already a believer,” Myatt said. “This was a step toward him making a move on his own.”
Ethan’s baptism brought together his grandfather, pastor Rick Duncan, Myatt, and his father, Alan, in the historic 1920’s swimming pool at Myatt’s apartment building to baptize Ethan and celebrate his obedience in following the Lord.
“It was such a wonderful day,” Myatt said. “It was a beautiful picture of how the gospel was passed from generation to generation. It was very special for Rick Duncan. I can see it from his angle. Wow! It’s neat to pass the gospel on to the next generation.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Stephanie Heading and originally published by the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.
