For Mountain View Baptist Church, this phrase, All to the Glory of God, has become more than a motto or statement of faith—it’s a way of life for the congregation.
Since 1932, the church has been led by nine pastors and has completed five building projects to accommodate its growing congregation. While building projects are nothing new to church life, the context for this particular church helps us understand how even building projects are all to the glory of God.
Mountain View Baptist Church is a country church in a rural setting. As you make the two-mile drive off of the main highway, you take in some of the most gorgeous views that the mountains of Independence, VA have to offer. A lifelong member of the church, David Osborne serves as pastor, just as both of his grandfathers before him.* When Osborne began his pastorate in 2000, plans were already in the works to build a new sanctuary to accommodate the growing congregation of 55 members.
Stepping out in Faith
Stepping out in faith with only $22,000 in savings, they signed a $300,000 contract to build a new sanctuary and fellowship hall. The construction of the new facility was a year-long process. In 2001, through the dedication and sacrifice of the 55 members, God provided $153,000 in addition to their savings, which left them only borrowing $125,000. They were able to pay off the loan in just over two years.
Needs Provided
Construction began again in 2004, this time to meet the need for an education wing and an additional parking lot. With $122,000 in savings, they signed a $367,000 contract. By the time construction was completed, the Lord had provided $95,000. Mountain View was able to pay off the $150,000 loan in two and a half years.
In 2011, the church broke ground on its 20,000-square-foot family life center. The estimated cost was $1.5 million but, due to the hard work and dedication of the church, they spent just a little over $850,000 and only borrowed $450,000. With the 14,700-square-foot ground level complete and the 5,500-square-foot upstairs 75% complete, they are on track to pay off the loan in five years—all to the glory of God!
Only Half the Story
If we were to just read how God has been faithful in the growth of the facilities at Mountain View Baptist Church, we would only be getting half of the story. The building expansion has brought about community development and spiritual growth for the church as well.
With each building project, the church members have believed the expansion was not only their commitment but also their responsibility. Each family sacrificed to give more. For the first two projects, the men contracted roofing jobs, and the ladies made and sold apple butter and BBQ chicken meals to help pay for the construction of the new sanctuary, fellowship hall, and education wing. With the new family life center, once the contractor erected the shell of the building, the men of the church went to work to bring it to completion.
Growing as a Connected Community
The Mountain View family continues to grow spiritually through the preaching of God’s Word, and they’ve seen their numbers grow to 200 members and over 250 in attendance each week. They are growing as a connected community, with 105 members meeting each week in Sunday School classes to grow closer together and deeper in their faith.
Their desire for community is part of what drove them to build the family life center. They wanted it to be a place where folks from the community could come and hear the Gospel of Jesus—a place where they could connect with a church family that loves and serves together, all to the glory of God!
When the family life center opened, 450 people attended the first event, where The Strength Team performed. That night, 42 people came forward to rededicate their lives to Christ or to accept Him as Savior. Since then, the church has hosted Upward basketball each winter. Every Saturday during the season, more than 500 people showed up to have breakfast, cheer on the players, and hear a devotion from God’s Word. This past season, five young boys came to faith in Christ through the program.
What’s Next?
So what is next for Mountain View Baptist Church? If God opens the doors, they hope to start a Christian school in the upper level of the family life center. They have just voted to begin the planning stage for a new worship center and the conversion of the current fellowship hall into additional Sunday School classrooms for the growing congregation. It is amazing what can be accomplished when we give all to the glory of God!
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*Cosby Anders pastored Mountain View from 1952–1954, followed by Troy Osborne, who pastored from 1954–1986.