Our History
​The church was organized on November 24, 1781 just one month after Cornwallis’ surrender to Washington at Yorktown. This church is the oldest one of any denomination to be established west of the Allegheny Mountains in this section.
Organized November 24, 1781 by twelve valiant souls under the leadership of Elder John Alderson, who served as pastor for 40 years, the church has continued for over 225 to declare the whole counsel of God.  It is now housed in a modern building of unique architectural splendor.  Many people are attracted by the impressiveness of its setting, situated as it is amid the extraordinary natural beauty of the historic Greenbrier Valley, surrounded by the majestic mountains of southern West Virginia. 
In the over 225 years of its existence, the church has been served by the following ministers: 1. John Alderson (1781 – 1821); 2. James Ellison (1821 – 1828); 3. James O. Alderson (1828 – 1832); 4. L.A. Alderson (1834 – 1837, 1839 – 1840, and 1847 – 1850); 5. James Remley (1841 – 1844); 6. John P. Corron (1845 – 1846); 7. William Margrave (1846 – 1851); 8. Martin T. Bibb (1852 – 1857); 9. Silas Livermore (1857 – 1859); 10. Matthew Ellison (1859 – 1865 and 1881 – 1883); 11. William Fisher (1865 – 1866); 12. Theodore Given (1866 – 1877); 13. Baylus Cade (1878, 1879 – 1881, 1884 – 1885); 14. Martin Bibb (1879); 15. Hamilton Phillips (1886 – 1888); 16. W.H. Adams (1889); 17. Charles Thomas Kirtner (1890 – 1892); 18. Patrick Gregory Meath (1892 – 1894); 19. Harvey McLaughlin (1894 – 1898); 20. Michael Angelo Kelly (1899 – 1900); 21. John Calvin Killian (1901 – 1903); 22. George Edward Davis (1903 – 1905); 23. John W. Morgan (1905 – 1909); 24. R.B. McDanel (1909 – 1913); 25. M.F. Forbell (1914 – 1918); 26. F.C. Herod (1918 – 1930); 27. W.S. Dunlop (1930 – 1934, 1938 – 1943); 28. L.C. Dickerson (1934 – 1938); 29. Randolph Johnson (1943 – 1956); 30. J. Maurice Trimmer (1956 – 1959); 31. John W. Wagster (1960 – 1966); 32. A.L. Holland, Jr. (1967 – 1972); 33. Charles C. Jack (1973 – 1979); 34. Bobby C. Meeks (1980 – 1981); 35. Roger A. Adams (1982 – 1984); 36. William C. Taylor (1985 – 1991); 37. Fred A. Hagedorn (1991 – 1993); 38. William J. Bryan (1994 – 1998); 39. Alvie Edwards (1998 – 2003); 40. Mark Stauffer (2003 – 2008); 41. William J. Bryan (2009 - 2018); 42. Derek Hall (2018 - Present).
When the 12 charter members organized the church, their first action was to write a Covenant.  This document sets forth the simple, rugged faith of the pioneers.   The Old Greenbrier Baptist Church as it stands today is a monument to the people whose fidelity and devotion to God in an earlier day has been rewarded by God’s favor and grace.  God truly established the work of their hands.  The foundation they laid in Christ remains.
A plot of land adjacent to the building and grounds of the church proper and just as beautiful for situation is the burial ground of the pioneers.  Here reposes the dust of many earlier settlers, including that of the founder of the church and several members of his family.
Crossing the mountains westward with Bible and rifle and simple household possessions they served their day and generation and fell on sleep, to rest close by the church they established and to which they turned for strength and fortitude in the struggle with wilderness, savagery, winter’s cold and summer’s heat, in hardships unknown to people of today.  Their example will ever be a challenge and inspiration to us.
You may also enjoy reading the following articles about Old Greenbrier Baptist Church:
"Greenbrier Baptist Church" in West Virginia Illustrated (Aug-Sep 1971)
1781-1911: One Hundred and Thirtieth Anniversary, Old Greenbrier Baptist Church