Upperville Baptist Church

The first Baptist witness in this area began in 1775 and was called the Lower Goose Creek Baptist Church. The church was located about three miles southeast of Upperville, in the vicinity of what was known as Henderson's Ford, about two miles above the Turnpike Bridge.

In 1805, it was decided by the membership of Lower Goose Creek Baptist Church to relocate to the growing village of Upperville. The first stone meeting house was erected in the village in 1806. The site was used continually until the Upperville Primitive Baptist Church dissolved in 2007. The church was called the Lower Goose Creek Baptist Church until 1825 when the name was changed to the Church at Upperville, then later to the First Baptist Church of Upperville. One of America's most noted Baptist Theologians of the 19th century, John L. Dagg of Middleburg, preached at the church on a montly basis from 1816 until 1826 when he was called to serve the 5th Baptist Church in Philadelphia. he would later become a Missionary and then President of Mercer College in Georgia. During his time in Upperville, he was the Headmaster of the Upperville Academy and Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church as a circuit rider.

A theological controversy among Baptists impacted the fellowship at Upperville in 1832. It is known in history as the Old School - New School Controversy. The church was deeply divided about the Biblical role of the church in evangelism and missions and the need for educated ministers. In September 1833, the division caused several of the members and others to organize the Second Baptist Church in Upperville during a meeting of the New Salem Baptist Association held at the Upperville Methodist Church on September 13, 1833. On that day, baptisms took place in Panther Skin Creek as the Lord added to the church. That church is known today as Upperville Baptist Church.

The church called Elder William F. Broaddus of Culpeper, VA, as their first Pastor. Elder Broaddus was a circuit rider and strong supporter of missions and evangelism. He started churches throughout Virginia and Kentucky and was also the uncle of John A. Broadus, who became a leading Baptist educator and write in Baptist life. Elder Broaddus continued as Pastor until 1840. The church then called Elder John Olgilvie. Elder Ogilvie was the Pastor until 1843. The church continued to meet in the Upperville Academy, which was located across the road from our present location, until 1840 when the first meeting house was constructed. It stood behind our present building.

In 1843, Elder H.W. Dodge was called as Pastor and ministered until 1854. Under the leadership of Elder Dodge, the education ministry of Upperville Baptist Church began. In the minutes from the 1844 Associational record is this report: "Our Sabbath school is in a flourshing condition." There has been a continuous Sunday School / Bible Teaching program at the church for over the last 164 years. For many of those years, youngsters from the other churches in the village came to the 'Baptist Sunday School' and then attended their own churches for worship services. An oral history of Trinity Episcopal Church was compiled by the youth of the church. They interviewed many of the senior citizens who were children at the turn of the century. They all recalled fond memories of attending the Baptist Church Sunday School and then their own church worship services.

The church again called Elder H.W. Dodge as pastor from 1868 to 1872. A milestone in the pastorate of Elder Dodge was the involvement of the church in the founding of the Potomac Baptist Association.

One of the men who surrendered to God's call to the ministry at Upperville church was John Albert Broadus, during an Associational (New Salem Association) meeting in 1846. Dr. Broadus was instrumental in the founding of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, under the leadership of Dr. James P. Boyce in 1859. Dr. Broadus went to Southern (then located in Greenville, SC) to teach New Testament and Biblical Interpretation and moved with the seminary to Louisville, Kentucky after the Civil War in 1877. Dr. Broadus was also instrumental while a professor at Souther Baptist Theological Seminary in founding the Baptist Sunday School Board and, along with Dr. Basil Manley, Jr., in organizing their publishing house knows as Broadman Press.

The church has had a number of eminent pastors who contributed to the spritiual life of the church and the community.

Elder William F. Broaddus, D.D. 1833-1840
Elder John Ogilvie 1840-1843
Elder H.W. Dodge 1843-1854
Elder Henry H. Wyer 1854-1856
Elder George Harris 1857-1867
Elder H.W. Dodge 1868-1872
Dr. I.B. Lake, D.D. 1872-1922
Dr. C.W. Shawen, D.D. 1923-1929
Rev. Fletcher Ford 1929-1936
Rev. C.W. McElroy 1936-1948
Rev. Warren Oliff 1949-1951
Rev. W.A. Hawley 1952-1960
Rev. L.S. Napier 1960-1980
Rev. Hugh Goldman 1981-1984
Rev. J. Randy Elrod 1985-1989
Rev. Phillip DeLorme 1989-1996
Rev. Gary M. Chiles 1997-2001
Rev. Bill Wennersten 2002-2011
Dr. Louis "Bill" Thigpen current

While the church has had many Pastors since being established in 1833, one of the more colorful was Dr. I. Beverly Lake, D.D. He pastored the church from 1872 until his death in 1922. Dr. Lake pastored three churches at the same time: Upperville, Ebenezer (in Round Hill) and Ketoctin (in Purcellville). He would preach at Ketoctin and Evenezer once a month and at Upperville on alternate Sundays. It was said that when Dr. Lake was preaching in Upperville, the other churches in town would dismiss early so all could come to hear him.

The original church building was torn down in 1889. Damage that occurred during the Civil War had finally taken its toll and the building had to be replaced. The builders took bricks from that building across the road and built the present parsonage. The present church building was dedicated on September 13, 1891, fifty-three years after the church was first organized. The keys to the Pastorium were turned over to its first occupants, Dr. and Mrs. Lake, in July of 1894. While Dr. Lake was not only a colorful pastor, he was also a very effective minister of the Gospel. The church grew to a membership of over 380 during his ministry.

God has blessed Upperville Baptist Church through the years. The church has served as a Light House during many dark nights of the soul for people in our fellowship and community. He has used the church to proclaim the Gospel to a lost and hurting world, providing comfort, hope, and His grace to all who will receive the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

God's message does not change. His grace is still at work in this church and the world. The question remains: Do you know Him? Do you know His love?

John 8:34-36
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."