Who We Are

A Personal Message from Pastor Rob


Thanks for stopping by our church website friend! We hope that you will come to visit us this Sunday and we look forward to meeting you. We trust that you will be blessed, uplifted, and encouraged at the services of Rose Park Baptist Church. If we could answer any questions for you about our church or ministry don’t hesitate to call the church office or contact us via our email link.


May the Lord Richly Bless You,

Pastor Rob & Tawni

Pastor Rob & Tawni Pophal

The Lord brought Pastor Rob and Tawni Pophal together through their corporate work environment and they were married in the summer of 1998. They have been privileged to serve the Lord together for over twenty five years. Pastor Rob graduated from the Massillon Baptist College with a Divinity degree, and Tawni graduated from a leading Northeast Ohio university with a degree in education. Pastor Rob was ordained to the gospel ministry at the Bethel Baptist Church of Ravenna, Ohio in 1996.


Pastor Rob and Tawni were both blessed to be raised in Christian homes and in good, Bible preaching and Bible-believing churches. They both were both saved at a young age and were blessed to attend several years of Christian school in their formative years.


Pastor Rob served as the Assistant Pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Ravenna, Ohio for ten years. They served together as the children’s ministry directors, VBS coordinators, Sunday school teachers, and in many other ministries of the church.


In 2007 the Lord allowed them to step into full-time service at the Open Door Baptist Church of Lima, Ohio where Pastor Rob served as the Associate and Youth Pastor. He and Tawni both served in the youth ministry, church administration, and in many other church ministries and outreaches.


Pastor Rob accepted the call to become the Senior Pastor of Rose Park Baptist in August of 2017 with Tawni assisting him as a part of the church administrative staff. 


In addition to his pastoral ministry, Pastor Rob preaches often in conferences, camps, and revivals.  He is a longtime contributing writer to several youth devotions that are distributed around the country. He and Tawni also co-write a marriage building devotion that is shared around the world. 

Our Team

The leadership team of Rose Park Baptist Church is far more than just the Senior Pastor or even the Pastoral staff. The Pastoral staff is merely one part of a larger body working together for the cause of Christ. We are a team, a family of faith, made up of dedicated, serving men and women all doing our part. I want to thank the Deacons, Office Staff, Custodial Care, and the many ministry volunteers who make the work of the ministry possible here at Rose Park Baptist Church.

Our Story

Rose Park Baptist Church was organized in May of 1958. Thirty-two people attended the first service which was held in Beechwood School. The church was incorporated on June 24, 1958, as an independent Baptist church under the leadership of Reverend Garland Cofield as founding pastor.


During the spring of 1959, the church began searching for a site on which to construct its first building. In the summer, the church purchased 5 ½ acres of land on Butternut Drive and construction began as the congregation met in a tent. The new facility was fully constructed with volunteer labor from the church membership.


Pastor David Smith became the pastor in March of 1987 and faithfully pastored the church until his retirement in the fall of 2016 serving twenty-nine years, the longest of any pastoral tenure in the history of the church.


The Lord has continued to bless the church in growth and membership throughout the years. We have added a new sanctuary, education wing, and many other updates to the property.


In 2017 the church called Pastor Robert Pophal to become its new pastor. Pastor Pophal along with his wife Tawni came to Rose Park having served the Lord for over twenty years in the ministry. The church is currently undergoing a season of rebuilding and revitalization across its campus and in every area of ministry.

Our Services

We trust that you will find Rose Park Baptist Church has a warm, receptive atmosphere. You will find people from all walks of life and backgrounds attend here. It is our desire to honor God with biblical preaching, practical teaching, God-honoring music, and a friendly atmosphere. There is no dress code or expectation that you give in an offering during our services.

Statement of Unity

At Rose Park Baptist Church we desire to be united around the truth of Scripture. The Word of God is our guide for all matters of doctrine and practice. As a result, you will find our members are from many different walks of life and backgrounds. We are united around Christ and His Word and welcome all regardless of race, ethnicity, or background.