About Us

Grove History | Past/Present Pastors

Grove Avenue Baptist Church is... A bible believing New Testament Church based in Richmond, Virginia, with an outreach that includes mission projects in the community, the state and around the world. The church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention of Churches and the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.

Grove is well-known throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia as the home for “The Victory Hour” – the live broadcast of the Sunday morning (11 am) worship service of the church. The weekly television broadcast was the first such program in the Southern Baptist Convention of Churches. Today it remains as the longest-running Christian program in America.

The church itself has much to offer today’s family. An outstanding children’s program includes a children’s church for the kids, an active Awana program, and many other special activities geared toward children and family. The facility itself has specially designed rooms for the children that provide a safe and secure environment in rooms and play spaces that foster a child’s imagination and facilitate learning Bible basics. The church also has an outstanding youth program that includes an energetic worship experience called Rush Hour, as well as many other youthful fellowship and bible study opportunities.

College and Career groups provide fellowship and discipleship opportunities to young adults.

Sunday school classes offer a meaningful connection for adults of all ages.

The Keenagers are Grove’s long established group of senior adults. This ministry is an important care group that provides opportunities for fellowship, travel, and bible study.

The church has a longstanding music program that includes children’s choir, youth choirs and the adult choir known as the Celebration Choir. The Music Ministry also has a band and an orchestra that perform every Sunday.

The church collectively called the “Grove family” has something for everyone. You are invited to come see for yourself. Join us for worship, for bible study, or participate in one of many special events throughout the year.

History of Grove Avenue Baptist Church... The church has a long and distinctive history that spans a century and a half of devoted Christians working to reach their community and their world for the cause of Christ. Grove Avenue Baptist Church had its origin in one of Richmond's early suburban developments. In 1817, Benjamin Harris divided into lots the land now generally bordered by Park Avenue and Belvidere, Cutshaw, Roseneath, Cleveland, and Cary Streets, which were then in Henrico County. Mr. Harris named the area Sydney.

Many Baptists of Sydney traveled to Richmond for worship services at the First Baptist Church, then located at Twelfth and Broad Streets. In 1854, prayer meetings were started in the home of William Hendricks on Park Avenue near the former location of Richmond College.

These prayer meetings developed into a Sunday School, which eventually became "Sydney Section." In 1856, a lot was purchased on the southeast corner of Taylor Street and Robinson Street for $228. A wooden chapel was erected on the corner of Robinson Street for $2,500. In 1857, the church was authorized to function and became "The Sydney Section of the First Baptist Church."

In 1865, following the War Between the States, initial work was started to make the "Sydney Section" a fully recognized church. In 1868, a council to officially dissolve the "Sydney Section" assembled at the chapel, with delegates from First, Second, and Grace Street Baptist Churches. Immediately afterward, a resolution was passed and Sydney Baptist Church was born with thirty-two members. At the first service, Dr. J. Lansing Burrows, a pastor of First Church, preached the sermon.

By 1876 the membership was ninety-three members. It was said that the remoteness of the church and the lack of transportation retarded its growth. The West Main Street trolley reportedly played an important role in the decision to move to the northeast corner of West Main Street at Harrison. There they became West Main Street Baptist Church in 1883.

In 1890, the Deacons recommended to the 362 members that "speedy action" be taken to build on their front lot. But in May, the church voted to sell the lot on West Main and to purchase a lot on Grove Avenue. On March 6, 1890, the congregation voted to change its name to Grove Avenue Baptist Church. The building was dedicated in November.

The new building was barely ten years old when it was destroyed by fire. Little was saved. Only the "faith and courage of the people" remained. With these assets, the members began a new building program. Exactly a year later, in October 1901, the new building was completed and occupied. In 1926, the building was again ravaged by fire. In typical Grove spirit, the rebuilding took only one year.

The decade of the Twenties brought expansion, growth, and adversity. In 1921 the building was remodeled and a new wing was added.

The years of the Fifties and Sixties were rewarding in spiritual growth. Because of the concern for reaching people for Christ, the church was already broadcasting on radio when they began the Television Ministry on WTVR, Channel 6, in 1952. Since that time, services have been telecast on what was then WXEX, Channel 8, and WWBT, Channel 12, where The Victory Hour remains today as television’s longest-running Christian broadcast.

In the Fifties, membership had increased to more than 1900. A decline began which lasted until the mid-sixties. The church had been without a pastor for almost a year when Rev. Vander Warner, Jr., assumed the pastorate in October 1965. The membership stabilized. In the spring of 1970, a study was made that resulted in the Lord's call to move the church.

A new church facility was begun by faith in 1976 at the corner of Parham and Ridge Roads on the highest hill in the greater Richmond area. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 2.

We worshipped in our new building nearly a month before the cornerstone was laid on November 20, 1977. The final work was done in the sanctuary the following March. The beautiful sixty-by-seventeen-feet, three-section stained glass window was installed. The first service was held in our new sanctuary on April 2, 1978, with more than 1,600 people worshipping in person and countless others joining by television.

The remaining years of the 20th Century saw Grove go through several changes, including the retirement of Vander Warner, ending 26 years of faithful service as Pastor. After earnestly seeking the Lord's will for a successor, He led our Interim Pastor, Ronald Boswell, to shepherd our congregation through most of the 1990s.

In 1996, Pastor Boswell formed a Long-Range Planning Committee, which labored for more than a year, seeking a clear vision of our future from the Lord. The committee recommended the church consider expansion of our facilities to allow us to reach more people for Christ. Construction began in the fall of 1998 and has resulted in a new three-story educational building, a new two-story office and classroom complex, a new play space for the children and the restoration of our gymnasium. Pastor Boswell retired in January of 2000.

A Pastor Search Committee was formed to find God's man to lead the church. After months of prayerful and careful consideration of dozens of pastoral candidates, the committee selected Dr. Mark Becton of Oklahoma. On Sunday, September 17, 2000 Dr. Becton was affirmed by the church membership. He is the 19th pastor in the history of the church.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the church has grown to include over 500 families in the Richmond metro area. Youth and children’s ministries have been improved and expanded. A mission church called "El Refugio" (the Refuge) was started as an outreach to area Hispanics. Grove has also fostered church starts in downtown Richmond in the VCU area. The Media Ministry has expanded its reach to include a syndicated program called Words of Victory that is aired on over 300 stations nationwide.

PAST/PRESENT PASTORS
Dr. J.M. Pilcher	1868-1870
Dr. John M. Butler	1873-1876
Rev. Harvey Hatcher	—
Dr. Edmund Harrison	—
Dr. W.J. Shipman	1883-1889
Dr. S.A. Goodwin	1889-1892
Dr. J.C. Hiden	1892-1899
Dr. J.B. Hawthorne	1899-1906
Dr. W.C. James	1907x-1920
Dr. Len G. Broughton	1920-1923
Dr. J.W. Storer	1925-1931
Dr. C. Sylvester Green	1932-1936
Dr. Carlton S. Prickett	1937-1945
Rev. Byron Wilkinson	1946-1953
Rev. Lawrence V. Bradley	1954-1960
Rev. Eslie R. Phillips	1961-1965
Dr. Vander Warner, Jr.	1965-1992
Rev. Ronald Boswell	1993-2000
Dr. Mark Becton	2000 - Present

“We continue to marvel over what has transpired at Grove Avenue Baptist Church over the past century and a half. The Lord called us from the land of our Fathers. He led us to the place that He had prepared. We made our plans; then he worked them according to His way. He told us to tell the world, and we obeyed. Now He continues to show His greatness.”

THE GROVE FAMILY!

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