MISSIONS
SHOEBOX PACKING
Ridgecrest Baptist Church actively supports Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. Each year, the adults and youth of Ridgecrest work together to purchase toys and supplies to pack into shoe boxes for worldwide distribution.
SHOEBOX COLLECTION
Once all the items are purchased, the boxes are packed and labeled to be taken to a local collection center. During collection week, the youth of Ridgecrest and their leaders volunteer one night of service at the collection center. There they receive the shoeboxes dropped off by other churches and load them into shipping cartons to be taken to regional processing centers.
REACHING INTERNATIONALLY
During the distribution of shoe boxes collected for 2019, one of the boxes sent by Ridgecrest ended up in Burundi, Africa. There the son of a local Christian evangelist received the box and showed his father what was inside. That box included contact information for Ridgecrest, so the father wrote a thank-you email for sending the box.
That email began a conversation between the pastor of Ridgecrest and the local evangelist about how Ridgecrest could help further the Gospel ministry in Burundi. Since then, Ridgecrest has purchased Bibles for five local prayer groups meeting in homes. The Bibles were printed in the Kirundi language spoken by the people in Burundi.
After providing Bibles, Ridgecrest provided sanitation supplies to help the prayer groups remain safe and healthy during COVID-19. Ridgecrest also provided a computer to help the evangelist perform administrative tasks and keep track of the growing congregation. Soon thereafter the conversation turned to the idea of helping the evangelist plant a church in Burundi.
After much discussion and planning, Ridgecrest agreed to fund the building of two meeting halls in two areas where most of the people were gathering for prayer. Assisted by the Kenyan pastor of Africa Lighthouse Baptist Temple
in Barboursville, Virginia, Ridgecrest began the process of funding and overseeing the construction project.
On March 21st, 2021, the first church service was held at the partly finished church building. There were 70 people in attendance and the congregation enjoyed a fellowship meal after the service. They praised God for the provision of a spacious meeting place that was adequate for everyone who had previously been meeting in someone’s home.
Gihanga Children
Third Service
Currently the congregation is meeting in their new facility and plans are underway for the second building project.
Ridgecrest Baptist Burundi Mission
Completed Building in Gihanga
Completed Building in Murwi
Completed Building in Murwi
How Can We Help You?
Contact Us
FAQs
Can you please tell me a little about Ridgecrest Baptist Church?
Ridgecrest Baptist Church is a Baptist Church
located in Nelson County
in Virginia. We have members from Amherst and Albemarle counties as well, we’re a Baptist Church looking to love God and love each other! No matter who you are or where you’ve come from, you are welcome here! We want to show you that God’s love is greater than anything you have ever experienced!
Ridgecrest Baptist Church
is a group of people who come together desperate for God’s love and grace. We meet on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am for our worship service, where you’ll be welcomed with open arms as we learn and worship together. On Wednesday's we meet for bible study and prayer at 6:30 pm. We have something for everyone looking to love God and serve their neighbors. We have a place for you to belong as we learn to love and obey God’s word together.
We hope you find the ministry of the Word to be an encouragement to you in your walk with the Lord. We warmly welcome you to our worship services whenever you are in the area.
What is your Statement of Faith?
Our Statement of Faith may be found here: Our Beliefs
What can I expect when I attend a
Baptist Church?
The founding of the First Baptist Church can be traced back to the mid 1600's in the then uncolonized state of Rhode Island. A former member of the church of England, Roger Williams is credited with creating the first Baptist church when he split from the Massachusetts Bay Colony over beliefs of church functions. By the year 1800, there were over 700 Baptist churches all across the US. The quick growth of the Baptist Church movement was attributed to religious freedom and was credited as having a large impact on the First Amendment of the United States constitution.
All Baptists do commonly hold some fundamental beliefs. Baptists
believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two important acts of faith obedience given to Christ for believers. Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 1 Corinthians 11:23-26: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come." Baptism can only be given to a person who has professed Christ as their savior. Baptists also almost universally agree that the Bible is the only authority for Christian faith and practice. Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
What is a Bible-Based Church?
Bible-based churches focus mainly on scripture to deliver the message from God. Bible-based churches believe that the bible is the literal word of god and will often preach from the bible line to line from the holy scripture. A bible-based church is a particular kind of church that places a strong emphasis on the Bible. We here at Ridgecrest Baptist Church are a bible-based church.
We at Ridgecreast believe that the Bible is the holy word of God. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”. (Colossians 3:16 ) “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
When is your Sunday Worship Service and how can we contact you?
Our Sunday Worship takes place at 10:00 am at 14654 Thomas Nelson Hwy in Lovingston, VA. Everybody is welcome at our Baptist Church! If you have any questions or prayer requests please feel free to reach out to us at any time. You can contact us by phone at (434) 263-8842
or by email at ridgecrestnelson@yahoo.com. We look forward to meeting you!