Goodwill Baptist Church
Goodwill Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist church that originated in 1939 as a product of a church planting by the Pastor Victor E. Jacobson. The church is non-traditional as sermons are delivered using powerpoint presentations and music is provided by a praise band rather than a choir. The congregation numbers nearly three hundred and is predominantly Caucasian, with a sizeable African American and Asian American membership. In addition, the church allows a Spanish-speaking Baptist congregation that numbers about sixty, Igleasia Baptista Refugo, to meet in the church building.
Goodwill Baptist offers morning and evening worship services on Sundays as well as a morning Sunday school. The worship services proceed in the following order: a song of worship by the praise band, the offering (during which the praise band continues with a musical selection, a prayer, a sermon by the pastor, a Invitation to Discipleship (in which non-members are invited to join the church and members are encouraged to make confessions of faith so that all will be under the arch of safety). There is sometimes a sacrament, such as baptism, that follows the invitation before the service formally ends.
Goodwill Baptist has established a number of ministries, including blended worship services (which consist of the contemporary praise band playing traditional hymns and sermons aided by power points), preschool nursery, Word of Life (the gospel for the youth in high school), College and Career ministry (for young adults between18-29 years of age), Hospitality ministry, and Growth Group ministry (members are invited to study the Word as it relates to their life circumstances.
Goodwill Baptist Church
8701 Hungary Spring Road
Richmond, VA 23228-1704
(804)-672-9294
Source:
Goodwill Baptist Church chairman
Profile prepared by Jasmine Allen
October, 2009
