Antioch Baptist Church

Antioch Baptist Church has a long-standing tradition in the Sandston community and surrounding areas. We pride ourselves in our history and our traditions, but we are also aware of our responsibilities of today and into the future!

Our mission statements are as follows:

- Affect the world around us by spreading God's word

- Provide regular opportunities to worship God through teaching and preaching

- Take care of one another in the Church family

- Minister to those who have needs outside the Church family

The history of Antioch Baptist Church begins in the year 1772 when the Henrico Parish of the Established Church of England built a Chapel at Boar Swamp. The Chapel was abandoned at the beginning of the Revolutionary War until Elijah Baker, an itinerant Baptist preacher along with Joseph Anthony, began to use the facility to call people together for worship. In 1776 the Church was constituted as the Boar Swamp Baptist Church.

In 1780 Joshua Morris, who had been baptized by Baker in James City, became the first pastor of Boar Swamp Baptist Church when Baker returned to the Eastern Shore to continue ministry there. In 1780 Joshua Morris left Boar Swamp with fourteen members to establish the First Baptist Church of Richmond.

Boar Swamp joined other areas Baptist Churches in establishing the Dover Baptist Association. In 1790 the Association met at Boar Swamp and drew up a plan of government to follow.

In 1846 the Church changed it's name to Antioch Baptist Church. It was used as a hospital by the Union Army during the Civil War, who burned it upon their retreat. The building was restored, but burned again in 1870. That same year they rebuilt our present sanctuary.

Antioch has the opportunity to write a still greater history through each of us who serve Christ under his roof.