Ridgeview Baptist Church began with the first business meeting on July 12th, 1967 as Carter’s Valley Baptist Mission. The congregation initially met in the lodge building on West Carter’s Valley Road. In 1967, the members also purchased our current location at 234 Hurd Road. They burned the note on this property on April 27th, 1969. In 1970, construction began on our former sanctuary currently known as the Smiley Center. By 1971 Carter’s Valley Baptist Church was organized. In 1989, Carter’s Valley Baptist Church ceased to exist after 22 years of ups and downs. During this time, the church had been served by seven pastors: Earl Owenby, Sam Crowell, Paul Strickler, Doug Harris, Dwight Hobbs, Ronnie Gordon, and Walter Pratt. In 1989, the remaining congregation of eight people sent Frank Smiley to request help from Oak Grove Baptist Church. Oak Grove helped them begin a new work by financially supporting our struggling church and by sending approximately thirty volunteers from Oak Grove to serve. In 1990, the church became a mission of Oak Grove Baptist Church once again and was named Oak Grove Baptist Mission, with Bruce Hullette as interim pastor. In 1991, the church called Mark Dance as pastor. Mark served as pastor until 2001. On January 23rd, 1994 Ridgeview constituted as an autonomous Southern Baptist church with 102 charter members. During its early growth in the 90s, Ridgeview added 399 new members (176 by baptism), Sunday school attendance increased from 35 to 235, and the budget increased from $24,500 to $260,000. In 1993 and 1994 the church purchased and remodeled two trailers to serve as classrooms for discipleship. The church also started an “Arise and Build” initiative for a new sanctuary office and preschool area. In the summer of 1997, we broke ground for the construction of a new sanctuary, offices, and a preschool wing. Using mostly volunteer labor, the building was completed for service in February 1999. The former sanctuary was converted into a fellowship hall, kitchen, and later into classrooms. This building was named the “Smiley Center.” Daryl Crouch served as pastor from 2002 to 2005. In April 2002, we broke ground on a new activities building for more classrooms, a gym, and a kitchen. This was completed and opened in September 2003 and became known as the Ridgeview Outreach Center, or the “ROC.” John Parrott served as interim pastor from 2005 to 2006. In March of 2006, Ridgeview called Jon Rogers to be pastor. Pastor Jon has served as Ridgeview’s longest-tenured pastor, serving his eighteenth year in 2024. The property next door to the church was purchased in 2013 from the estate of Polly Byington, a charter member. The note on that property was burned in 2014. Showing the love of Jesus to our community, the church has held many different ongoing outreach events through the years–among them, VBS, fireworks, car show, Impact days, Thanksgiving meals, Pumpkin Path, Easter egg hunts, Upward soccer, and many more. Since constituting in 1994, we have had 623 baptisms, averaging nearly 21 baptisms per year. Cooperative program giving totals over $1 million. As of 2024, we currently have 849 members and an annual budget of $500,000. God is faithful!
Thank you Lord, for being my refuge and shelter, and bringing me to this wonderful church where I find comfort and strength in your world. – Doug