Gathering around a theme “Nothing is Impossible,” the congregation of Orchard Drive Baptist Church in Bassett, known locally as “The Orchard,” celebrated its 13-year history by burning their note of indebtedness.
The morning service was electric with excitement as visitors representing the Henry County Baptist Association, the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and the North American Mission Board and others present for the occasion were warmly welcomed by the joyful congregation.
During the service, the brief history of the church was recounted. Beginning with a dream and a handful of members meeting in a member's home on Valentine's Day 1993, the church constituted and 76 charter members were named.
A donation of 2.5 acres of land fueled their dream and they consulted an architect with the Baptist Sunday School Board back in the days when such services were offered. The consultant helped them with plans, but lacking congregational wealth and with no means of borrowing money, the church had little chance to build. Their fire of enthusiasm was nearly extinguished by the discouraging comments of long-time Christians who told them that without a pastor and without a building they had little hope for success.
At this point, however God intervened to teach the new congregation to trust him for results. John Fox, then director of missions for Henry County Association, helped the church start the process of applying for a loan from Virginia Baptists and also suggested that they investigate the possibility that home mission volunteers would come and do the construction.
With more hope than faith, a small group of church members met with Reggie McDonough, then executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia; then-BGAV treasurer Nat Kellum; and members of the Baptist Extension Board to present their case. Armed with photographs of a few people and an open field, they painted a contagious picture of their dream. After the presentation, as they were leaving, a member of the group turned to McDonough and remarked, “If you give us this loan, I promise we will make Virginia Baptists proud!”
In remembering that conversation, the church member laughs, “I don't know what possessed me to say such a thing as that, but in truth I think we have done what I predicted!”
On March 21, 1994, the church received a letter indicating they had been approved for a $250,000 loan. “Why would Virginia Baptists have taken a chance on us?” she asked the congregation. “There was no reason except God was in it. With God nothing is impossible.”
They were to learn this lesson repeatedly throughout the next months as Chuck Collins, then with the Home Mission Board, coordinated teams from Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio, and five teams from Alabama to work on the church building. They were assisted also by many other sister Virginia Baptist congregations. First Baptist Church in Ashland assisted with the construction of a picnic shelter — their first structure. Someone from Vinton Baptist Church in Vinton bought a piano. Starling Avenue Baptist Church in Martinsville donated an organ. Another church gave pews.
But a powerful symbol of God's provision and redemption came in the form of the pulpit which a church member rescued from the dump. Observing another church discarding it, he carted it home. After being refinished, it was beautiful and became the central symbol of worship in their new building. Church members who know the story of the pulpit see it as a parable of how God rescues and remakes us.
In the morning sermon, John Fox set the stage for the actual noteburning by challenging the church to avoid the temptation to look behind and to focus their attention on the future.
Henry County director of missions Eddie Honeycutt read an excerpt from current BGAV treasurer Eddie Stratton, congratulating the congregation on their repayment of the loan, and pastor Mike Harrison set the loan papers ablaze.
Stories like this abound in Virginia Baptist life and they encourage us all. Yes, Orchard Drive Baptist has made Virginia Baptists proud. And, as significant as that may be, they take greater delight in witnessing the smiles of the Lord. With him, nothing is impossible.