History

Red Lane Baptist Church was first an "arm" of Powhatan Church (Old Powhatan), and its earliest mention was in 1796 as the “Red Lane Meeting House.” During this time, a pastor would rotate between a group, or “field,” of three or four churches to conduct weekly Sunday meetings. In 1846, the church organized and became known as Red Lane Baptist Church from the historic Red Lane Plantation (location of the meeting house). The Reverend Joseph Jenkins was the first pastor at Red Lane with a membership of 31 people. By 1851, the church membership had increased to 135 members. A second church building was erected in 1886 with a pulpit area being added in 1908. In 1892, the church membership grew to 157 people. Just 15 years later, in 1907, seven Red Lane members and sixteen others planted May Memorial Baptist Church. The longest pastorate in the history of the church was that of James W. Reynolds from 1894 to 1928. In 1929, when Edward W. Eanes became pastor, the field of churches consisted of Red Lane, Old Powhatan, Fine Creek, and May Memorial. Rev. H.D. Anderson was the last pastor to serve all four churches (from 1938- 1956). From 1957 to 1966, Old Powhatan and Red Lane became one field pastored by Robert Gallier and followed by John Garrett. The two churches then separated in 1966 and become individual churches.