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History

AN ABBREVIATED HISTORY OF THE LEBANON VIRGINIA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

The LVBA was established 130 years ago at the Lebanon Baptist Church, Surry, Virginia. At the time and subsequently until 1991, it was composed of two, separate entities; The Lebanon Virginia Baptist Association, which at that time met on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday after the 2nd Sunday in July with the South James River Sunday School, and Baptist Training Union Convention meeting on the 4th Sunday in September.

The Moderator's of the Association have always, to the knowledge of most of the older members of this body, been Pastors of the churches which comprise the Association, while the Convention Presidents were usually laymen who often served as Superintendents of the Sunday Schools from whence they were members. The Convention existed as a separate entity until the early 1990's, when plans were put in motion to combine them under the heading of the Association and rename it the Lebanon Virginia Baptist Association and allied Bodies. This process began under the administration of Reverend Douglas Wright.

As we moved along through the years, we had the following Moderators (some having been omitted because this historian nor any other is as old as the Association. Any omission is purely unintentional and should be viewed as such:

*Deceased*

  • Reverend J.D. Washburn
  • Dr. S.R. Williams
  • Dr. J.A. Taylor
  • Dr. E. L. Fleming

*Living*

  • Reverend Gregory L. Spurlock
  • Reverend Dr. Daniel L. Baltimore
  • Reverend Dr. Alvin J. Pierce
  • Reverend J.W. Johnson
  • Reverend Ronnie Northram, Sr.
  • Reverend Joseph L.
  • Reverend Edward L. Fox
  • Reverend Dr. Bruce E. Childs
  • Reverend John R. Davis
  • Reverend Douglas F. Wright
  • Reverend Dr. Eldridge Lucas

Since many of these Moderators served during the period when there was no tenure within, it cannot be accurately ascertained the exact year served. As the years evolved, many changes ensued but one thing always remained the same, our Objectives which are stated in all our Journals across the years. We have expanded them, we have eliminated some aspects, and we have adjusted some, but the structure is still in place over these 130 years. For historical purposes, here is a list of some noteworthy achievements as we advanced across the years:

  • Developed a central theme for each session beginning in the early 1970's

  • Tenured Moderators beginning that same decade.

  • Expanded our objectives and increased the maximum for appropriations for the Moderator, and as years progressed beginning from $100 to $800 per year.

  • Began meeting quarterly instead of annually.

  • Changed the meeting of the Annual Session from the morning to the evening, under the administration of Dr. Daniel. L. Baltimore in the year of 2000.

  • Instituted 'Planning Sessions' between the Quarterly Sessions in the early 1990s.

  • Launched a Lebanon Virginia Baptist Association website in 2013 during the administration of Reverend Dr. Bruce Childs.

  • Adopted the Revised Constitution on June 23, 2012.