Ringgold Baptist Church stands on a rise off Ringgold Church Road in the rolling countryside of southern Pittsylvania County, between Danville and the tiny village of Ringgold itself. The congregation has been meeting at this location since the 1890s, but the church's life goes back further: members began gathering as early as the 1850s at the Ringgold Academy, the forerunner of Averett College, and the church was formally constituted in 1876. Today the church carries the simple motto "Lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ," and the building, the grounds, and the people all reflect more than a century of that work.
From a Singing School to a Sanctuary
The earliest Baptists in the area met for worship in the Old Norman House, a few hundred yards south of the Ringgold rail station. A group from nearby County Line joined them, and on April 5, 1879, a contractor named John Adams handed the building committee a receipt for $874.81 - payment in full for the church's first building. That first structure was erected in a grove of oaks on the rise in front of what would later become the parsonage, with lumber sawed at the plantation of W. E. Clark. A few years later the building was dismantled and moved to the corner of Milton and Clark's Mill roads in an effort to enlist the Mountain Hill families; the same plans and lumber were used the second time around. The members were never quite at peace with the move, and in the 1890s the next pastor, Dr. C. F. James (who was also president of Averett College), helped bring the building back to Ringgold and onto its present one-acre site, once again using the same lumber. Tom Bradley donated the original acre, and in later years the Howard Terry family added more land.
From the very beginning the church held a community singing school to train choir members. That tradition of strong congregational singing has carried all the way to the present; the present-day choirs descend in spirit, and often in family line, from those trained more than a century ago.
The Woman's Missionary Union arrived early in the church's life as well. In 1894, under the direction of "Aunt" Rose Alderson and aided by her pastor husband T. C. Alderson, the women of the church organized the first WMU in Pittsylvania County - a distinction the church still holds.
The brick veneer went on the sanctuary in 1940. A two-story brick educational building was completed and dedicated on August 2, 1959, with 301 in attendance for Sunday School that morning. Members donated all the lumber for the 30-room addition, sawed by Abner Foster; Roy Ford, a road contractor, did the grading that gave the church and parsonage their yard. Stained glass was added the same year, and a portico was placed on the building in 1962. A $2,537 Hammond organ arrived in 1961, and a 1987 steeple completed the look of the present sanctuary.
The Family Life Center was the largest expansion in the church's life. Ground was broken on April 2, 2000, and the new fellowship hall, classrooms, pastor's office, and secretary's office were dedicated on March 25, 2001, at a total cost of $820,000. The debt for the Family Life Center was finally retired in 2017, and the trustees held a note-burning ceremony in the sanctuary on September 10 of that year.
Rev. John Groff's 19-year pastorate (1969 to 1988) was the longest in church history. Rev. Carl E. Burger followed from 1989 until his retirement in 2005, a 16-year ministry in which the Family Life Center was built and many other ministries took shape. Dr. Steve Ellis then led the church from October 2007 until May 2013, with a vision for church growth that produced outreach teams, remodeled children's and youth areas, and the first Praise Team. Rev. Duane Caldwell accepted the call to serve as pastor in 2014 and preached his first sermon - "Running the Race" from Hebrews 12:1 - on October 19, 2014.
What to Expect on Sunday and Wednesday
Sunday morning opens with Sunday School for all ages at 9:15 a.m. and continues with the 10:30 a.m. morning worship service. The service is livestreamed online, and recordings are posted so shut-ins and others can worship along at home. Sunday School classes meet in their own classrooms, and Children's Church for kindergarten through fifth grade begins at 10:30 as well. A nursery is available during the 10:30 hour. The evening hour at 5:00 p.m. is given over to Adult Bible Study, and children and youth groups gather at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with prayer, praise, and Bible study. Children and youth meet in their own groups at 7:00 p.m., and the adult choir rehearses at 7:30 p.m. The Wednesday midweek meal and devotion time, hosted by a different Sunday School class each week, returns at the discretion of the deacon board.
A Statement of Belief
Ringgold Baptist teaches an 18-article statement of faith that walks through the Scriptures, the nature of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the person and work of humanity, the doctrine of salvation, the purpose of grace, the nature of the church, the ordinances of baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, the Lord's Day, the Kingdom, last things, missions and evangelism, education, stewardship, cooperation, the Christian and the social order, peace and war, religious liberty, and the family. Baptism is described as the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a prerequisite to church membership and the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is observed as a memorial of the Redeemer's death and an anticipation of His second coming. The church is described as "an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws." A New Testament church, the statement adds, has "pastors and deacons" as its scriptural officers, with "the office of pastor" limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
The church is affiliated with the Baptist General Assembly of Virginia (a decision reaffirmed by secret ballot in October 2013) and the Pittsylvania Baptist Association.
The Pastoral Staff
Rev. Duane Caldwell has served as pastor since October 2014. He holds a Bachelor of Science from North Carolina State University (1978) and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina (1993). Ringgold is his fourth pastorate. He and his wife Dena have two sons and seven grandchildren.
Dan Wolfe has led the music ministry at Ringgold since July 2013, directing the adult choir, the children's choir, and special seasonal cantatas.
Ginger Collie has shared her gifts at Ringgold for more than twenty years, playing organ and piano and directing the children's choir as they sing on Sunday mornings and present Christmas plays. She is married to Larry and has two sons and four grandchildren.
Leslie Blair has served at the piano since July 29, 2007, and is also the chorus teacher at Dan River Middle School and Dan River High School.
Stephanie Barts joined the staff in 2019 as Minister to Children. She teaches at Kentuck Elementary and lives with her husband Brandon and their three children on a small farm. Stephanie also leads a Parent's Morning Out program and Vacation Bible School.
Brandon Barts joined the staff in 2023 as Minister to Youth. A native of the Laurel Grove area, he teaches electricity at the vocational school and, with Stephanie, runs 5 B Farms. The couple have three children.
Cheryl Hogg serves as administrative secretary. The office is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Curtis Lewis handles property maintenance, and Doug Motley has cared for the grounds for more than fifteen years.
Children, Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade
Children in kindergarten through fifth grade gather for Children's Church during the 10:30 a.m. worship hour. The ministry has three basic goals it hopes to put in place by the time children graduate from RBC Kids:
- I can trust God no matter what.
- I need to follow the Golden Rule (treat others the way I want to be treated).
- I need to think before I act and make wise choices.
A children's choir, organized in 2009 under the leadership of Kim Dodson, Leslie Kendrick, and Ginger Collie, sings on Sunday mornings and presents an annual Christmas musical. A children's devotional page on the church's home page and a Facebook devotional page keep families learning at home when they cannot be at church. Vacation Bible School is held each summer on a weekday evening schedule; recent themes have included "Big Apple Adventure," "Amazing Wonders," "Colossal Coastal World," "Gadgets and Gizmos," "AMPED," and "Power Up," with attendance typically in the 60 to 85 range and 50 to 65 workers each night.
Youth, Grades Six Through Twelve
The youth ministry, called Amplify Student Ministry, meets on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. for Bible study, fellowship, and games. Summer mission trips have carried students to Bluefield, Virginia, Nashville, Tennessee, Atlanta, Georgia, Washington, D.C., Charleston, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico. In 2018, after returning from the Greenville, South Carolina, mission trip, the students led the entire morning worship service and even preached the children's sermon. The youth also host dinner theater fundraisers, pancake breakfasts, and Soup(er) Bowl lunches to support their summer trips. Boy Scout Troop 372 and Cub Scout Pack 372 are chartered through the church and are recognized on Scout Sunday each February.
WMU and the Mission of the Church
Ringgold's WMU is the oldest in Pittsylvania County. The Eva Walton Circle meets on the first Tuesday evening of the month, and the Morning Mission Circle meets on the second Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. The WMU leads a churchwide monthly mission project - recent emphases have included Blessing Buckets for God's Pit Crew, the Baby Bottle Boomerang for the Transition Pregnancy Solutions Center, school supply drives, and items for local assisted-living residents. The Eva Walton Circle also prepares the gift bags that are handed out at the annual Community Thanksgiving Meal. Suzanne Emerson has served as WMU Director and Betty Jo Foster as Assistant Director in recent years.
Ringgold's annual mission giving has placed the church among the top givers in the Pittsylvania Baptist Association and, in past years, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 2000, the church gave $42,958.27 to missions and was listed 83rd among Virginia churches in that category. In 2009, additions to the church were the highest in 32 years. In 2013, the church chose to remain with the Baptist General Assembly of Virginia rather than realign with the Southern Baptist Convention, and the church subsequently moved to a Custom Giving Plan in which seventy-two percent of cooperative giving stays the same while twenty-eight percent goes to missions including six Southern Baptist seminaries.
Operation Christmas Child and the Backpack Buddies
Each November the children of the church carry shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child down the aisle and stack them at the altar for dedication. Ringgold typically packs more than 250 boxes a year and serves as a drop-off center for other area churches. A large group of volunteers then travels to the Charlotte or Boone, North Carolina, processing center in December to help pack the boxes for shipment.
The Backpack Buddies ministry, a partnership with Kentuck Baptist Church, provides weekend meals to children at Kentuck Elementary School and Dan River Middle School. Each Friday, individual bags of kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare food for three meals plus snacks and juices are sent home in a child's backpack. Each church commits to serving up to twenty-five children per week. Members can support a child for nine months or give to the program, with a love offering taken on every fifth Sunday.
The Community Thanksgiving Meal
The longest-running community outreach of Ringgold Baptist is the annual Community Thanksgiving Meal, held on Thanksgiving Day in the Family Life Center. Spearheaded for years by Matt Foster, the meal is open to anyone in Danville and the surrounding area who would not otherwise have a Thanksgiving meal. Drivers at the Pilot truck stop, dispatchers, and shut-ins all receive deliveries, and the guests are invited to choose items from the church's Clothes Closet. Volunteers bake turkeys, donate pies and vegetables, drive people to the meal, and serve. In recent years the meal has gone to a drive-through format during COVID precautions, with care taken to maintain the personal welcome that has marked the event from the start.
The church also participates in the larger Pittsylvania Baptist Association Community Thanksgiving Service, alternating each November between Ringgold and Kentuck Baptist. Combined choirs from the two congregations, accompanied by members of the Danville Symphony Orchestra, lead the music, and offerings of food and money are gathered for God's Storehouse.
Senior Adults: The J.O.Y. Club
The J.O.Y. Club - Just Older Youth - was organized in 1989 and has been meeting on the fourth Tuesday of most months at noon ever since. The group shares a meal, enjoys a program of interest, collects canned goods for God's Storehouse, collects used postage stamps for veterans, and recognizes a shut-in of the month with cards from the church. Recent overnights have included trips to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky, the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for the productions "Jesus" and "Esther," Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at Christmas, the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, and the Andy Griffith Museum in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Music and the Arts
Music has been at the heart of Ringgold since the singing school of the 1870s. The adult choir presents a cantata each Christmas season - recent programs include "Changed by a Baby Boy," "The Star Still Shines," "Joy! Unspeakable Joy!," and "Celebrate the Season" - and also sings patriotic programs for Independence Day. Children's choir presents a Christmas play each year, and a R.A.G.S. drama team (Ringgold Actors in God's Service) brings readings and skits to the worship service as a creative expression of faith. The first Praise Team was formed in 2009 and continues to lead worship in a more modern style. Special music is also offered by individuals and small ensembles on a regular basis.
Building and Property
The present Ringgold Baptist campus sits on Ringgold Church Road and includes the brick sanctuary (built in 1879 and rebuilt several times, brick veneered in 1940, portico and steeple added in 1962 and 1987), a two-story brick educational building (dedicated 1959, third story added in 1972, music suite renovated 2012), and the Family Life Center (dedicated 2001, with fellowship hall, kitchen, classrooms, pastor's office, and secretary's office). The parsonage was built in 1975-1976 on land donated by the J. H. Terry family. Major renovations completed since 2018 include a new HVAC system in 2017, a repaved parking lot and tree-removal in 2020, and a remodeled sanctuary hallway and youth basement area. Wedding policies for members and non-members, the Family Life Center guidelines, and other building-use documents are available in the RBC Documents section of the church's home page.
Getting Connected
The church uses the Realm online community database to keep members connected. Members can view the directory, keep up with their Sunday School classes and ministry organizations, print charitable contribution statements, and update their own profile. Online giving is available through Realm, by mail to PO Box 100, Ringgold, VA 24586, or in person at any service. Audio and video sermons, special music, and full Sunday morning services are archived online and available for download and sharing. The church office is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and the pastor and deacons are available around the clock for pastoral needs. The Church Family Connections page on the church's home page explains how to set up a Realm account.
The mission of the church, unchanged since 1876, is to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Whether a person has been a Christian for decades or is just beginning to ask questions, the church family at Ringgold Baptist Church is committed to coming alongside to inspire, equip, and encourage them to live out a life that brings glory to God and is a blessing to the world.