Tucked along Roundhill Avenue NW on the north side of Roanoke, Oakland Baptist Church has been a steady presence in the Roanoke Valley since the 1920s. Today, almost a century after its founding, the church is marking its 100th year with a renewed focus on reaching neighbors for Christ, gathering them around the table, and walking alongside them through weekly Bible study and a monthly food pantry that serves the surrounding zip code.
A Family Church on Roundhill Avenue
Oakland Baptist describes itself as "a loving family and followers of Jesus Christ serving the Roanoke Valley," and the description shows up in everything from its small-group meetings to its Sunday evening dinners. Lead Pastor Scott Hamilton, who also leads the youth ministry, shepherds the congregation along with a secretary who keeps the church office running. The same building on Roundhill Avenue NW houses a Worship Center where Sunday services take place, a Fellowship Hall where Sunday School meets, a Family Life Center that hosts midweek programs, a Welcome Center used by Bible Explorers, a Middle Building that serves as the food pantry distribution point, and a Gym where the children's program and Sunday dinner tables are set up.
Sunday Morning at the Worship Center
Sunday School meets at 9:45 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall, a co-ed small-group Bible study for adults 18 and over. The Sunday Worship Service follows at 11:00 a.m. in the Worship Center and is also livestreamed on Facebook for those joining from home. Communion is observed on the third Sunday of each month, and a benevolence offering is collected immediately afterward to support neighbors in need. A Spanish-language invitation extends the same 11:00 a.m. worship hour to Hispanic families.
Dinner Church on Sunday Evenings
One of the church's most distinctive weekly rhythms is Dinner Church, held every Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in the Gym. The evening pairs a shared meal with fellowship, teaching, and family-friendly time together, and the church advertises it as a place "whether you are a family of one or more, you are welcome to be a part." The Spanish ministry promotes the same gathering in Spanish as Iglesia La Comida.
Men's, Women's, and Co-ed Bible Study Through the Week
The church's small-group ministry gathers believers in person and on Zoom across the week. Men meet on Mondays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., either in the pastor's office or via Zoom, for an hour of Bible study and fellowship. Tuesdays belong to Bible Explorers, an 18 and over co-ed group that meets at 6:30 p.m. in the Welcome Center near the Worship Center. On Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., the women's small group meets in the Family Life Center and also opens a Zoom room for those who cannot attend in person.
Surge for Kids and Velocity Youth
Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to Surge for Kids, a weekly Wednesday gathering at 6:00 p.m. in the Gym that mixes fun with a brief Bible study. Older students in grades six through twelve gather on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at Velocity Youth in the Family Life Center, a time for Bible study, fellowship, and games led by Pastor Hamilton.
Monthly Outreach to the 24012 Zip Code
On the fourth Saturday of every month, Oakland Baptist opens a food pantry from 11:00 a.m. to noon in its Middle Building. Distribution is reserved for residents of the 24012 zip code, with proof of residency required, and each household receives a box of food scaled to its size. The same Saturday brings a Red Back Gospel Concert to the Worship Center from 6:00 to 8:15 p.m., and a monthly Prayer Meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the pastor's office, where members lift up the church, the Roanoke Valley, and the city. A separate outreach effort, Diapers and Wipes, distributes supplies to families in need on the first Tuesday of each month, and Operation Christmas Child runs year-round.
Hispanic Ministry and Bilingual Welcome
Oakland Baptist maintains an active Hispanic ministry with its own Facebook group and event listings, welcoming Spanish-speaking neighbors into the same Sunday worship and Dinner Church gatherings as the English congregation. The church's stated vision is "to be a vital part of the community by sharing the Gospel and help those in need," and the Hispanic ministry reflects a commitment to making disciples "no matter their nationality, race or language."
Mission Beyond Roanoke
A Mission Team at Oakland Baptist plans annual trips to travel each summer to North Dakota to minister alongside the Sioux on their reservation. Mission Team lunches after Sunday worship provide space to support the work, and members are invited to volunteer with partner organizations such as WorldHelp and the Roanoke Rescue Mission. Locally, members also serve through "Bless Our Neighbors," community outreach events organized by the church.
What Oakland Baptist Believes
The church's Statement of Beliefs covers the central doctrines of the Christian faith in a confessional Baptist voice. The Bible is held to be the written, error-free Word of God. There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Trinity. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, whose virgin conception, sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and visible return are central. The Holy Spirit convicts, regenerates, sanctifies, and indwells every believer. Salvation is conditioned upon repentance and faith in Christ and is received by grace alone through faith alone. The church practices believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper as the two ordinances committed to the local church, and it confesses the resurrection of the body, final judgment, and eternal joy for the righteous.
Serving and Giving
Members and regular attendees can serve in many ways at Oakland Baptist, from greeting and children's ministry to singing or playing on the worship team. Giving is welcomed in person through offering envelopes, by mail to the church address, online through the church's Realm giving portal, or by texting a gift amount to the number provided. Tithing is taught as a returning of the first portion of one's income to God.
Visiting Oakland Baptist
First-time guests can fill out a contact form on the church's Visit Us page, and a personal greeter will be ready to help with check-in, children's check-in, and seating when they arrive. Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m., Sunday Worship at 11:00 a.m., and Dinner Church at 5:30 p.m., with livestream coverage on Facebook and an open Spanish-language invitation to all three hours. Weekday programs for children and adults run Monday through Wednesday, and the monthly food pantry, prayer meeting, and Red Back Gospel Concert fall on the fourth Saturday.