our history

Redeeming Grace Baptist Church was organized in 1949 with a membership of 40. A new sanctuary was completed in December 1956. By 1959, the church had grown to 450 members.

Through the years the church bought adjoining properties and continued to expand. The sanctuary and educational space were destroyed by fire on December 16, 1969. The church rallied to the challenge and the men quickly remodeled the original building, which had been used as an educational building, into a sanctuary.

After a 10-month building period, the new sanctuary and educational building were completed. The first service was held there in August of 1970 and the first Vacation Bible School in 1971.

Highlights of the following years include the purchase of a new Chevrolet van in 1972 for Sunday morning transportation and other church activities. In 1973, the church voted to have its first pictorial directory. In 1974 the double-faced, changeable letter sign was purchased. It was decided in 1975 to tear down the old church building, where we now have a paved parking area. The first part of the church constitution was adopted in 1976. Our ministries continued to increase and in 1977 we began our bus ministry and in 1978 our puppet ministry. Also in 1978 we voted to begin “Old Forest Road Christian School” and a Day Care, which opened in August 28 with 31 pupils enrolled in the school and continued until June 1985. On November 7, 1979, we voted to adopt the Jericho Baptist Missionary Chapel on Fifth Street in Lynchburg as a mission effort for our church. We led the state in baptisms with 123 baptized in 1980. In 1981 some of our members went to England in a concerted effort to win lost souls to Christ. Our Continuing Witness Training Process was begun in 1982. In 1984 a second educational building was completed and on April 14, 1985 was dedicated to Mr. Claude Wilson and Mr. George McGuire, both charter members who had major parts in establishing Old Forest Road Baptist Church. Also in 1985 the Intercessory Prayer Room was opened for 24-hour prayer vigil. The church facilities were repainted and new carpet was installed in 1986.

Redeeming Grace Baptist Church is a conservative Southern Baptist congregation. We believe in the inerrancy of God’s Word, the Bible; in the power of prayer; and in salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.