Our History

When the early settlers came to the Elon area, they felt the need for a house of worship. In 1856, the Red Brick Church was built on land deeded for construction of a union church with all denominations having the privilege of using it. It was erected on the site where Elon Presbyterian church now stands, and at one time three denominations were serving their regular appointments on stated Sundays each month – Baptist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal.

The Baptist congregation organized Elon Baptist Church on November 2, 1877, and continued to worship in the little Red Brick Church, also known as Union Church. The name Elon came from the judge mentioned in Judges 12:11-12. The name Elon also means "oak grove". It is derived from the word which means "strength" or "anything strong" so it can refer to a strong oak or any strong tree. So on November 2, 1877, Elon Baptist Church began with a strong commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ, and today we continue to share in the strength of this same commitment.

In 1896, our church united with three other churches, Cornerstone at Naola, New Prospect at Pleasant View, and Midway on Route 60 West, for the purpose of calling a pastor with each church having services once or twice a month. In 1897, a parsonage was built in Pleasant View for the pastor’s home in our field of churches. The same year we were admitted into the Albemarle Association, (which later became the Piedmont Association), and in July 1964, our church joined the newly organized Lynchburg Baptist Association.

After continuing for 31 years to worship in the little Red Brick Church/Union Church, our white frame church building was built and dedicated in 1908. This church was built on land given by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Tinsley. We received some financial assistance from our mission board as did the other churches in our field. Our church was built with a baptistry, but the only water supply was rain water, unless water was brought up the hill from the community spring. Therefore, baptisms were held in the Pedlar River near the old Pedlar Mills School. In later years, we used the baptistry at Madison Heights Baptist Church. Our present brick church, (completed in 1964), has a baptistry, and we share it with some of our local churches.

For several years, we had pastors who served in the field of churches. But for a period of five years, we did not have a regular pastor, only supply pastors and laymen.

In 1933, when Rev. Kirkwood, from Monroe Baptist, came to us as a supply pastor, we organized a Sunday school, Training Union and a W.M.U.

In 1943, it was voted to try to meet our expenses without assistance. By this time we were having a Morning Worship Service and an Evening Worship Service once a month, since we were still in the field of churches. On the Sundays that we did not have preaching at our church, we would go down to Elon Presbyterian Church for their worship service.

Around that time, usually a family would invite the preacher and his family for Sunday lunch. In the country, most people had gardens, and also chickens, cows, hogs, fruit trees and etc. They were not able to pay the preacher a very large salary, so once in a while they would have a "pounding". People would take a pound or more of different things to help fill the parsonage pantry, such as sugar, coffee, butter, eggs, and other items they had raised and canned, and usually someone would make a Pound Cake.

In order to have more church services, and feeling like we could make it financially on our own, we withdrew from the field of churches in 1948, and gave our part ownership in the parsonage at Pleasant View to the remaining churches in 1949.

It was in January 1949 when Randall P. Layne, of Lynchburg, began preaching for us, with full time services. In 1952, our first educational building was constructed and completed. In 1959, our present parsonage was built, (cost of $18,500). It was also in 1959 that our church voted to extend the call to the Rev. Eugene C. Campbell, to be our first "full time" pastor. He started his ministry with us on the first Sunday in January 1960.

Under the leadership of Rev. Campbell, the church voted, in the spring of 1963, to erect our present sanctuary. It was completed in February 1964, (Total cost, with furnishings was $85,000). The old church building, (erected in 1908), was torn down several months later and the grounds were used for our present parking lot. In 1969, Rev. Campbell resigned as he felt the call of God to move to another place of ministry.

Rev. Joe Knowles came and served in 1970 and was followed by several interim pastors before God called Rev. Carroll Welch to serve as pastor. Under Rev. Welch’s leadership the church continued to grow and reach the community with the good news of Jesus Christ. Rev. Welch served for seven years here at Elon.

In 1983, Rev. Charles R. Jolley was called to be our pastor. For the next 16 years he led this church. His tenure here was the longest of any pastor. During his time here, Rev. Jolley and his family served this community in many ways, from his obvious role as pastor to his service in the county on civic clubs, committees, and boards. Under his leadership, a new fellowship hall/educational building was built that we enjoy today. In 1999, Rev. Jolley felt the call of God to a new place of service and so resigned as pastor to assume a new pastorate in Luray, Va.

As a new century was dawning, with new opportunities and challenges, Elon found itself without a pastor. The Rev. John Boyles, chaplain at Lynchburg General Hospital, served as interim pastor for the next two years. Under his leadership the church was able to maintain its programs while creating a new sense of God’s purpose.

In 2001, Elon Baptist extended the call to our current pastor, Rev. Steve D. Tyree. It is our prayer that together we can continue to be obedient to the Great Commission, (Matthew 28:18-20), that our Lord gave. We have "Good News" to proclaim. God has blessed us as we have accepted the call to minister and serve in the community. We know that He will continue to do so as long as we are faithful. We thank God for each pastor that He has sent our way. But we also thank God for each member of Elon Baptist Church, (past, present and future). They are truly our brothers and sisters in Christ, as we make up the family of God.

We feel that our church serves as a beacon up on the hill and hope to continue to reach others to share the love of God and the wonderful plan of salvation.