He became the Pastor of Grace Baptist Church February 4, 1994 where he serves today. They have baptized as high as 85 people per year and have been in the top 25 in the state every year in baptisms. God has done so many great and wonderful things at Grace. They have been able to build a new building and remodel the old one under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Doug went back to school to obtain his masters degree. Doug is currently working toward his Ministries and Divinity master of missions.

God has given Doug the opportunity to participate in mission trips to Indonesia ,  Hong Kong , Malaysia , Singapore and Brazil where he has seen thousands of people come to know the Lord. Though Doug truly loves the mission field, his first love is in pastoring the church. Being a full time pastor enables him to be there to see babies born and to watch dear saints take their last breath before stepping into glory. Doug loves visiting the hospitals and nursing homes and being there to meet the needs of his congregation. Doug truly has the heart of a servant and is ready to serve where ever God leads him. Doug's desire in life is to see souls saved for the kingdom of God and to help others grow in their daily walk with the Father.

Doug Criswell is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Dayton Ohio . He was born and raised in Dayton in the communities of Drexel and Moraine City where he serves today. Doug has been married to his beautiful wife Denise, for twenty eight years. They have two daughters, Michelle and son-in-law Tim, and Stephanie with son-in-law Kip.

Doug was saved in 1985 at Grace Baptist Church . He received his bachelor's degree from Clear Creek Bible College in 1992. He served as Pastor of Newtown Baptist church, Pineville , Ky from 1988-1992. While pastoring there, they were 9 th per capita in growth in the state of Kentucky two years in a row. In 1994 Doug felt God leading him back to his home town of Dayton . His next venture would be in the mission field where a group of people where already meeting and moving in the direction of overseas ministries. In moving back to Dayton , along with the mission work, Doug became the founding Pastor of Unity Baptist Church in the city of West Carrollton.

While pastoring Unity, God allowed them to grow and to buy a wonderful building but most of all, to see many come to know Christ. Doug felt God calling him back to his home town of Drexel and to Grace Baptist Church where he was saved.