Our Story
By understanding where we come from, we hope that you will be able to get to know the Terrace a little better, and, perhaps, also get a glimpse of God's sovereign hand working towards the completion of the Great Commission here in Central Virginia.
A Dream
In 1988, Sam Baker , assisted by his pastor, the late Jerry Falwell Sr, began the process of planting a church in then-rural Concord, Virginia.
Sam’s vision was his father-in-law’s vision. Lowell Thomas Sr. had dreamt of building a church in Concord, but did not live to see the vision come true.
Humble Beginnings
On September 18, 1988, Thomas Terrace Baptist Church was officially organized. It was named after the neighborhood that bore Lowell Thomas’ namesake.
Pastor Mark Grooms was called to preach at the church in November of that year as a candidate for leadership.
Small But Mighty
Mark officially began as senior pastor on New Year’s Day, 1989- a Sunday.
The church ran at about 35 members, and they met in the Concord Ruritan Club. In February of that year, they relocated to a more permanent residence at the former Frazier Furniture Store building on Oxford Furnace Hill.
A New Home
In November of 1999, Thomas Terrace Baptist Church moved to its current home- a former 17-acre horse farm. By the grace of God and the generosity of His people, we constructed our current facility specifically designed to foster service, community, and discipleship.
Grow With Us.
Education is the first step to a solid foundation in your faith. We offer a wide variety of classes for all levels, so that you can grow at your pace.
A Place For You.
We have a wide variety of community groups and service initiatives. Find out more and learn how you can get involved!