Our History
Our Story
While watching the 700 Club, five-year-old Nicole Doseck heard Ben Kinslow give a salvation message. He instructed anyone who wanted to accept Jesus into their lives to reach their hands and pray with him. Nicole prayed this prayer, then excitedly went to her mother to share her good news and to ask what she was supposed to do now. Pastor Phillis Doseck heard her daughter, but did not think much of it, she instructed a young Pastor Nicole to go on and play. Shortly after, the family housekeeper came to Pastor Phyllis to complain about her daughter. Five-year-old Pastor Nicole had informed the lady that she was going to hell because she was living with her boyfriend. Hearing this story, Pastor Phyllis realized that her daughter was living a different life and had truly given her heart to the Lord. While this is happening, a coworker is also witnessing Pastor Phyllis at work. Pastor Phyllis had grown up a Christian with pastor parents and was done with the whole lifestyle. She didn’t want to go back. After a few months of listening to her daughter and coworker, she rededicates her life to Christ. She and Pastor Nicole begin to pray together for the salvation of their dad and husband, Pastor Peter Doseck.
While his wife and daughter are praying and believing for his salvation, Pastor Doseck is being witnessed by a coworker in his machinist job. Becoming frustrated one evening and believing it would not result in anything, Pastor Doseck instructs his daughter and wife to ask all of their Christian friends to pray for his salvation and to see what happens. As those around her continue to pray, he eventually walks into his closet at his home and speaks to God. He tells the Lord that if he is going to give his life to Him, He will have to change him. Pastor Doseck knew with the strongholds in his life that he would not be able to be saved and stay in a relationship with the Lord like his family on his own; he needed Jesus to do a work within him. Later on, at his workplace, a machine press comes down on Pastor Doseck’s hand. In the midst of the pain, he cries out to Jesus. All of his coworkers immediately recognized a difference in him because he didn’t immediately begin cursing. From that point forward, Pastor Doseck feels a call on his life and quits his job to jump head first into full-time ministry.
On Palm Sunday, 1982, the family held their first Only Believe Church service with another couple in their living room. They later moved to a storefront building on State Street in downtown Botkins on Mother’s Day that year. The church began to grow in this building and then moved to a location on East Lynn Street in Botkins two years later. Only Believe continued to grow, and the building on Lynn Street was renovated to hold the expanding congregation. In 1988, 9 acres were bought for the church on Botkins Road on the other side of the interstate. On October 30th, 1988, Only Believe held its first service in its new sanctuary. Only Believe had huge growth within those six years, and it all started with a five-year-old listening to the call for salvation on TV.
In 1990, Pastor Nicole began dating Pastor Randy. They fell in love and married in September 1991, five days after she turned 18. The church continues to grow during this time, and the building has been expanded to hold more office space and children’s church classrooms. In 1994, the church built a new main sanctuary, and the growing youth and children’s ministries shared the old building. Then, in 2006, the church held its first service in the building we are in today, with all three buildings being interconnected and in use within the ministry. During all of this time, Pastor Nicole helped her family grow Only Believe Church; she has worked in every position the church has; she has been in the children’s ministry, was a part of the new member’s team, cleaned toilets, was the financial director, and for ten years was the church’s worship leader. Pastor Randy joined as the Children’s Church Pastor in 2007 and held that role for 18 years.
In 2023, Pastor Doseck finished his race here on earth. Pastor Nicole and Pastor Randy became the Only Believe Church’s Senior Pastors. They continue to honor the past while also looking forward to the future and growth of Only Believe Church.
