5930 Centralia Road
Richmond, VA 23237
(804)748-9894
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While we are very excited about what God has in store for Salem in the future but we also believe that it is important to look back at our history. Our roots go back to the struggle for religious liberty that occurred prior to the Revolutionary War.
From 1611 until 1786 the Church of England was the official or “established church” of Chesterfield County and it was illegal to preach without a license from the government. In 1770 seven Baptist Pastors were arrested for defying this law and were held in the Chesterfield County Jail. Multitudes of people began to gather around the county jail to hear the gospel preached through the bars. In an attempt to disperse these crowds the local officials constructed a twelve-foot high fence around the courthouse. The crowds continued to gather, however, and from this “prayer meeting church” as it was called came the congregation that would form Salem Baptist Church.
The church was officially constituted in 1794 but it had been meeting regularly for a number of year’s prior. The original church building was a log structure located across the street from our present facilities. The “little white church” that sits adjacent to our education building was constructed in 1797 and over the years it has undergone several renovations. However, the original frame, siding and doors are still intact and the building is still used by the church. Our education building was dedicated in 1974 and the sanctuary was completed in 1984.