Assistant Pastor

Joe Klawitter

I was born and raised in Greater Cincinnati, which is where I've made my home for most of my life. Being raised in a divorced home, my brother and I moved back and forth between my mom and dad's house many times. At the age of 11, we were living with my dad and visiting my mom on the weekends. At that particular time, my mom was attending Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Harrison, Ohio. The church was showing a movie during a Wednesday evening service called, "A Thief in the Night." It depicted the events that would occur after the rapture. That night, for the first time, I understood what it meant to be "lost." It was then that I realized I needed to accept Christ as my Savior in order to go to Heaven. On February 18th, 1987, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. My brother and I were baptized together a few months later. 

After graduating from Colerain High School in 1994, I attended the University of Cincinnati. Not really knowing what I was going to do with my life, I took general classes hoping that something would interest me. It wasn't until a Marine Corps recruiter came to our house to speak with my brother that I found something which really interested me. Rather than my brother signing up, he got me instead! In January of 1996 I went to boot camp in Parris Island, SC. Upon graduating from Marine Corps boot camp and finishing 4 months of additional training, I moved back to Cincinnati. Two years later I met my wife-to-be (Minde Doyle) at Friendship Baptist Church. Minde was saved on June 25th, 1989 at the age of 9. We were married on September 25th, 1999. 

My time in Youth Ministry started at Friendship Baptist Church in the year 2000. Under the leadership of Brother Wally, Minde and I worked with the Junior High and Senior High bus kids for 4 years. It was a great learning experience for me. We were blessed to see God work as we went from zero High School teens up to an average of over 20; we had high days with over 40 teens. During that same time, I also worked in Children's church, the Bus ministry, and was the coordinator of numerous Back Yard Bible Clubs. 

In July of 2003, God called me to preach. The next year Minde and I moved to Louisville, KY so that I could attend Shawnee Baptist College. While in college, I worked with young people of all ages: teenagers, bus kids, Children's church, teen church, and Back Yard Bible Clubs. Minde and I attended Shawnee for two years until we believed God was calling us back home to the Cincinnati area to help start Bible Baptist Church in Fairfield. I finished my studies with Shawnee Baptist College via correspondence courses in 2010, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies. 

It was in July of 2017 that Minde and I stepped down from Youth Ministry work to begin a new ministry at church. We currently head up the college and career ministry working with young people from 18 to 26. We very much enjoy working with many of the same young people who came through the Bible Baptist Church Youth Group; as well as other young adults that God brings along our path. 

On June 2 of 2010 God richly blessed Minde and me with the birth of a baby girl named Lily. On February 5th, 2014, God further blessed us with our second child named Caleb. Then on February 15th, 2021 God saw fit to bless us again with Abigail.  

Through the years of marriage and ministry, God has been good to us. He has been faithful to us. We count it an honor to serve the Lord at Bible Baptist Church. Please let us know if we can serve you in any way.