A VIBRANT, FORWARD-THINKING COMMUNITY—ROOTED IN TRADITION YET ALWAYS EVOLVING
OUR HISTORY
In the spring of 1955, a small group of Christians, many from Lynchburg’s First Baptist Church, gathered to discuss forming a new church to serve the city’s growing western suburbs.
Meetings were held at Virginia Baptist Hospital, Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, and Garland Rhodes School, and by September 25, 1955, the group formally organized as Peakland Baptist Church. Within five years, they dedicated the church’s signature stone A-frame building on Peakland Place.
From its earliest days, Peakland Baptist Church has been committed to theological openness, social justice, and a strong sense of lay leadership. While originally affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the church left the SBC in 2001 and has since maintained its ties with the American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Rev. Arthur Brown
1955–1966
Peakland’s first pastor, Rev. Arthur Brown (1955–1966), helped shape the church’s identity as an advocate for social justice during a pivotal era.
Rev. Nathan C. Brooks III
1966–1999
His successor, Rev. Nathan C. Brooks III (1966–1999), served for 33 years, strengthening the church’s role in the community and expanding its campus with the addition of an Education Building and the Brooks Center. Rev. Brooks was instrumental in starting the Interfaith Outreach Association here in Lynchburg, a hub of services for people in need which helped to supply rent and utility assistance, as well as helping people get furniture, recover from incarceration and thrive in their existing homes. He was also the catalyst for the creation of Pastoral Counseling of Central VA. Following his retirement, Rev. Homer Carter served as intentional interim pastor, providing steady leadership during a season of transition.
Dr. B. Steven McNeely
2001–2011
Dr. B. Steven McNeely (2001–2011) brought a deep love of preaching, pastoral care, and teaching, leading the church through a season of growth and renewed energy. His sudden death from brain cancer in 2011 was a heartbreaking loss to the congregation and the wider community. Rev. Don Harvey then stepped in as intentional interim pastor, walking alongside the church as they grieved and discerned their next steps.
Dr. Jim Hunter II
2013–2017
In 2013, Dr. Jim Hunter II was called as Peakland’s next senior pastor. Dr. Hunter worked with the Peakland community on connections and identity, seeking to further connections between our church and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Dr. Hunter left in 2017 to serve as pastor at Walnut Hill Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA and Rev. Dr. Michael Cheuk served as Interim Pastor from 2017-2018, offering a gentle, pastoral presence through the church’s transition period.
Rev. Dr. Martha Kearse
2018–Present
In April of 2018, Rev. Dr. Martha Kearse joined our church as Senior Pastor and began work to complete the goal of centering the church’s identity and helping to connect Peakland to affiliations in the interfaith world, in the Christian community, in the Baptist fellowships and in Lynchburg. Since 2018, the church has worked together with Dr. Kearse to formulate our Three Core Values: Freedom (the Four Baptist Freedoms of Bible, Church, Religion and Soul); Hospitality; and Spiritual Journey.
Today, Peakland Baptist Church remains a vibrant, forward-thinking community—rooted in tradition yet always evolving. Our commitment to spiritual exploration, inclusivity, and service continues to shape who we are and how we live out our faith.