Church History

Evangel Baptist Church was born out of prayer in the summer of 1965 when a small group of Christians came together with a burden on their hearts to establish a Baptist church in Woodbridge. The Old Dominion Baptist Fellowship contacted Rev. Richard D. Gelina to lead the small company in the establishment of an independent, fundamental, pre-millennial, and separated Baptist church.

Prayer meetings were held in homes and later in the Elizabeth Vaughan Elementary School. As others joined this band of praying and witnessing Christians, the Lord began to open doors of opportunity. The church was organized on April 3, 1966, and procured property in a new development called Dale City. In 1967, the church began the construction of its first building on the three-acre site.

God poured out His blessings upon Evangel and the church grew as souls were saved, Christians strengthened, and new families were added to the company of saints. In 1969, a Christian school was begun in the basement of the church building. It soon became evident that the old facilities were becoming increasingly inadequate. In 1971, a larger auditorium with several classrooms was constructed. By 1982, a gymnasium with several more classrooms was added.

Evangel Baptist Church has faithfully taken up the mantle of Christian education both in the church and through the ministry of Evangel Christian School. Evangel Christian School remains dedicated to a biblically based, thoroughly rigorous philosophy of ministry, preparing our young people for college, to be effective witnesses for Christ and positive contributors to the well-being of their community.