WARSAW − Evangelist Ron Davis said Gospel Hill Ministry, approaching its 50th anniversary next year, and lighthouse, which will be 20 years old in 2023, is not the work of him or the congregation. It's the work of God.

Since being erected in 2003, an estimated 10,000 people have visited the lighthouse from 45 states and 23 countries. About 100 to 120 people attend Sunday service regularly, which Davis said is down from close to 200 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry sits atop a hill on Bethlehem Township Road 45 in Warsaw that was once part of the Davis family farm. The 79-year-old said as a teen he would walk to the top of the hill and talk with God about building a church there. As he got older, Davis realized it was a vision from the Lord and not just an idle dream.

"I had in my mind a place where different denominations could get together. In my day, in the 1950s, if you were Baptist, you want to the Baptist church. If you were Pentecostal, you went to the Pentecostal church. If you were Methodist, and I was Methodist, you went to the Methodist church," Davis said. "We went to school together, we played together, but when we went to church we all went separate. There wasn't much mixing back in the '50s. You were what you were. I always felt that was wrong, that we needed to be together."

A second vision came to him in 1976 of a lighthouse standing on top of the hill while attending a revival in Ashton, Illinois. Davis said the idea was to draw people to Gospel Hill with a tower of prayer that served as a symbol of Jesus Christ as the lighthouse of the world.

"I saw the vision of the lighthouse. It just wasn't in my mind, I actually saw it. I saw this lighthouse that looks just like that," Davis said as he pointed to the structure standing today.

It was built by Mast-Lepley Silo of Orrville. Davis clearly remembers when he first called the company and spoke to a receptionist. She asked if he was calling on a silo or corn bin. He said it was a special construction, not able to make himself say lighthouse, because he knew it would sound crazy.

While owner Claire Nussbaum, who had heard Davis speak, was excited for the project, nothing happened with it for more than 25 years. Davis said it was as if God pressed the pause button.

"In 2001, I was sitting at a gospel sing and the Lord just spoke to my inner being. I heard him say, 'Hey, it's time to build the lighthouse,'" Davis said.

The lighthouse cost about $490,000 to construct, with a 20-year loan paid off early in 2017 through church donations. There's no charge to tour the structure, but donations can be made and the church sells merchandise like keychains and DVDs of the construction. Davis also donates any offerings he receives from doing speaking engagements and revivals.

The working lighthouse 74 feet high has 76 steps from the ground floor to the viewing level. People can walk out onto a deck to view the county for miles around. Davis said helicopter pilots report seeing the light from 15 to 20 miles out. The location light shines at night and sits on top of a rotisserie motor that rotates it. The light was donated by Richard Downing Airport.

Visitors can take guided tours of the lighthouse and also watch videos relating to the vision and construction. As one ascends to the top, they pass a prayer room featuring prayer warriors praying for those who have requested it. Visitors can submit their own prayer requests and pray themselves too. Gospel Hills has received 632 prayer requests through the end of July this year alone, with many coming from those who have never been to Gospel Hill. Davis said his goal would be to have the prayer room staffed around the clock.

"When I first saw the vision and God spoke to my heart, the first thing He said was it would drive people to Gospel Hill, which it's done. The second thing is it will be a prayer tower. The third thing is to tell everyone how it represents Jesus as the light or lighthouse to the world," Davis said. "This is what God showed me in the beginning and we've tried to carry all three things as part of it."

The lighthouse isn't the only attraction. There's a prayer path for people to walk and an outdoor music stage with a metal sculpture of the Last Supper, donated to the church by the late Paul Crozier. There are gospel sings and other musical events regularly on site and Davis hosts a daily gospel radio show on WTNS Radio just before the noon news, which has been going since 1975. He feels music is a powerful way to bring people into the ministry, especially the younger generation. That's an area he would like to see Gospel Hill grow in.

"There are people who will be touched by the Word of God, more people, through the singing of the gospel than through preaching. They've got to come into the church and the music has got to go out to them," Davis said.

Davis doesn't plan on retiring anytime soon. With everything else, he knows God will tell him what to do and when. While Gospel Hill has a good staff and board, Davis said what he most wants to find is someone who can take over the preaching from him.

"I have no intentions on retiring until God brings somebody into preach," Davis said. "I'm waiting on a preacher to come so I can step back a little bit."

The lighthouse is open for visitors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Call 740-824-330 or email info@gospelhillministry.org or go to gospelhill.org for more information.

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst.