Our History

The City Church - Reynoldsburg originated in June 2000 as Agape Outreach Ministries under our founder, Pastor Renee Green- Russell. Agape Outreach Ministries launched in the home of founding Pastor, Renee and Bro. Walter Russell. In March 2001, Pastor Renee was ordained as an “Elder” by Bishop A.S. Yancy, and by May of the same year, the ministry moved into our first facility on Refugee Rd (Columbus, OH). Pastor Renee, sensed that the Holy Spirit was leading the ministry out of the inner-city and into the suburbs for a greater work. As a result, in 2002 the ministry moved into our second location at 1054 Hill Rd. N (Pickerington, OH). During that same year, Elder Russell was ordained as “Pastor” by Bishop Larry Davis and Bishop Chris Hardy. In 2005, by now, Pastor Renee having retired from Corporate America and being a full-time Pastor, also became a full-time caretaker for her mother who became terminally ill. With this new added (personal) ministry element, a decision was made to return the ministry back into the home of Pastor Renee & Bro. Walter Russell. At which time, Agape Outreach Ministries positioned itself to become a para-church ministry . In January 2011, the ministry transitioned into the hands of Pastor Renee’s son, and our current Senior Pastor, Erick Miles, affectionately known as “Pastor E.”

Pastor E was installed as the Senior Pastor of Agape Outreach Ministries on January 8, 2011 by Bishop Howard Tillman. The ministry reignited with worship services being offered initially on Saturday and shared a location at 1159 Clinton Ave (Columbus, OH) for the next six months until transitioning in July into the Kings Arts Center on Mt. Vernon Ave. (Columbus, OH). Unknowingly at the time, this move put the ministry within less than two miles from what would be their home for the next five years. In October 2011, the church moved into 899 St. Clair Ave (Columbus, OH) and it was at this point that the ministry began to develop a greater heart for Outreach. By the grace of God, the ministry was able to purchase our first building and relocated to 9733 Taylor Rd SW (Reynoldsburg, OH) in September 2016 where the church remains to this day.

From from the beginning The City Church - Reynoldsburg has been a multicultural, multiethnic and multigenerational Church where the Love of God is our DNA! Since relocating in 2016, God has fulfilled His promise to us, membership has soared, hundreds have been led to Christ, and many have experienced both Water and the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. In 2018, Pastor E knew the Lord had spoken to him about changing the name of the ministry . While the narrative of who we’ve become as a Church through the strength’s of our Love for people, stance in the Word and sincerity of our Worship toward the Father, wouldn’t change, Pastor E knew that God wanted to establish and position the ministry as a Church for the City. From this, in January 2019, Agape Outreach Ministries became The City Church – Reynoldsburg.