The Heights Baptist Church, rooted in Colonial Heights since 1920 and now meeting on Route 1 in South Chesterfield, is known for relationship-centered discipleship: three English worship gatherings, a Spanish Sunday service, Life Groups through every service hour, and ministries that carry faith from children to seniors and from Sunday worship into neighborhood service. Its mission, “Building relationships to help all people know and follow Jesus,” shapes both its welcome to newcomers and its emphasis on Scripture, worship, discipleship and service.
From a 1920 Sunday School to a South Chesterfield Campus
Colonial Heights Baptist Church grew out of the first Baptist Sunday School in Colonial Heights. Its first organizational meeting was held on February 1, 1920, and its first building was completed in 1923. Building campaigns in 1955, 1962 and 1984 added an educational wing, office space and a choir room, while property purchases prepared the congregation for future expansion.
Rev. Terry L. Harper began serving in 1984, a period of significant growth. A 1,200-seat worship center opened in 1994, and Sunday School expanded to two hours. In 2002, the church called Dr. Randall T. Hahn as senior pastor; Life Groups soon grew to three Sunday hours. The church purchased 39 acres for the Colonial Heights campus in 2003, broke ground in 2006 and held its first services in the new building on April 13, 2008. More than 2,900 people attended that opening, and modular units were added within a month.
Growth continued with the first Global Impact Conference in 2009, which brought together 23 local and global partnerships, and an 18,000-square-foot expansion of the children's wing in 2011. In 2013, the church added a Midlothian campus, first meeting at Regal Commonwealth and later moving to Market Square. Easter attendance reached 4,699 in 2014, Life Groups recorded 1,714 participants in 2015 and membership passed 5,000. In 2017, the congregation adopted a new mission statement and a long-range vision for multiplication.
Three English Services and a Spanish Gathering
Sunday worship takes place at the Colonial Heights campus with three English gatherings and a Spanish-language service:
- 8:00 a.m. English worship
- 9:30 a.m. English worship
- 10:45 a.m. Servicio en español
- 11:00 a.m. English worship
Life Groups meet concurrently at all three English service times, making it possible to move directly from corporate worship into smaller communities for teaching, discussion and prayer. Interpretation is offered for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can plan a visit for the campus address and additional worship information.
A Relaxed First Visit with Room to Ask Questions
The Heights describes itself as a church of imperfect people with varied stories. Its stated welcome extends to those exploring Christianity, becoming involved or deepening their relationship with Christ, and it emphasizes that visitors will not be met with shame, guilt or condemnation. Sunday worship is casual and relaxed, and clothing does not define whether someone belongs.
A service lasts about 60 minutes. It begins with corporate worship, with song lyrics projected so people may sing along or participate in the way that feels comfortable. After the music, Pastor Randy Hahn shares an encouraging, hope-filled message about Jesus. Children have age-appropriate activities during every Sunday service hour, and a detailed first-visit check-in helps church workers welcome families and place children in the appropriate rooms. A worship service can also be watched through the church's live stream.
Life Groups and the LIFE of a Disciple
Life Groups are the church's primary means of building relationships during the week. The groups meet weekly at all three English service times and combine biblical teaching with practical application, discussion and prayer. They also gather for fellowship and service outside Sunday morning, making the church's saying that “friends become family” a description of shared life rather than simply a greeting.
The Heights describes spiritual growth through its LIFE of a Disciple framework:
- Loving Neighbor means growing in compassion and service toward others.
- Intentional Friend means developing authentic, gospel-centered relationships.
- Faithful Follower means deepening commitment to Jesus through obedience and spiritual disciplines.
- Engaged Disciple-Maker means sharing the gospel and helping others grow in faith.
The range of groups reflects the life of the church. Men's and women's groups sit alongside coed groups for couples, adults in particular age ranges, young adults and senior adults. Names such as Bold Witness, New Beginnings, Faith Builders, Devoted, Fellowship of the Rings and THRIVE describe some of those communities. The emphasis is not simply on learning information about Jesus, but on transformation, accountability and obedience that can be lived in ordinary relationships.
Tiny Town and the Next Generation
Infants and preschoolers are welcome in Tiny Town, a cheerful space where children learn Scripture through the First Look curriculum. The teaching builds around simple truths that God made them, God loves them and Jesus wants to be their friend forever. Short songs, hands-on activities and the memory verse for the month help preschoolers engage with the lesson at different service times.
At 8:00, leaders introduce the Bible story and lead children through related activities. At 9:30, preschoolers join the live Puppet Theater, where a storyteller and puppets present the weekly lesson through songs, humor and memorable characters. The 11:00 gathering includes further activities based on the day's lesson, its key question and bottom line. Children's activities extend through grade 5 across the Sunday service hours.
Safety is a central part of the preschool ministry. First-time visitors check in at the Tiny Town desk near the north entrance, where workers explain the security system, take families to the appropriate classroom and introduce them to a classroom leader. Volunteers undergo regular background checks through Raptor. On Wednesday, Grow and Go Kids extends the Sunday lesson through quiet time, prayer, drawing, team-building games, worship and rotating activity stations.
Parents also receive guidance through the church's Family and Child Dedication process, which has three parts: an orientation class, a family celebration and a ceremony before the congregation. The Parent Cue app provides age-specific activities that help families continue the Bible lesson at home.
Middle School, High School and a Place to Belong
Middle school students gather on Sunday mornings from 8:45 to 10:45 a.m. The Youth Area opens for games, time with friends and the Youth Café before a large-group gathering at 9:30 with worship and practical teaching. Students then join Life Groups organized by age and grade, where they can build friendships and consider how biblical truth applies to daily life.
On Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., middle schoolers meet in The Neighborhood, located in the Kids Ministry wing. The evening combines games, community and interactive teaching designed to spark conversation about faith in everyday life.
High school students have three Sunday options: corporate worship at 8:00, 9:30 or 11:00; serving opportunities; or deep discipleship at 11:00 in the Youth Auditorium. Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. brings the high school group together in the Youth Area for worship, relevant teaching and Life Groups. The goal is both spiritual growth and connection with the wider church family.
Worship Arts for Every Age and Ability
Worship Arts at The Heights is broader than a single choir. Volunteers can serve as singers, instrumentalists, dancers, actors, photographers and members of the technical team. The choir welcomes people with a moderate vocal proficiency and requires neither an audition nor the ability to read music. The orchestra includes woodwinds, strings and brass, while the rhythm section includes guitars, keyboards and drums. The Vessels of Worship dance team has junior and senior groups and does hold auditions.
Media and creative service includes mixing live and streamed audio, projecting lyrics and video, directing cameras, operating lighting, assisting with technology and photographing the church's worship life. The Multi-Generation Music Ministry is especially intentional about preparing students to lead worship. Children's choirs serve students in grades K through 5, while the Youth Choir serves grades 6 through 12.
Faith at Home: Parenting as Ministry
Faith at Home is designed to equip and encourage families to make faith part of ordinary life. The church holds parents, grandparents and guardians to be the primary faith trainers of the next generation, while also recognizing that parenting can feel overwhelming. The ministry offers practical tools organized around the stages of childhood, from preschool through young adulthood.
- Resource Cards offer age-specific ideas for conversations, bedtime prayers and Scripture in daily life.
- Topic Cards address concerns such as anxiety, technology and friendship with talking points, Scripture and encouragement.
- Action Cards suggest service projects, prayer habits and conversation starters that families can try together.
The church also hosts a Spanish Bible study on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Child care is available for the gathering. Faith at Home, children's ministry and the Spanish ministry share the same conviction that the people shaping a child's life should be supported as intentional spiritual teachers.
Counseling, Recovery and Support Groups
The Counseling Center for Abundant Living provides support from licensed and master's-level therapists. Its work addresses marriage and family life, anxiety, stress, depression, grief and loss, substance abuse, addiction, pornography, sexual abuse, behavioral concerns in children and teens, attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. Counseling is framed as part of the healing found in Christ rather than as a stand-alone wellness service.
Several ministries accompany people through particular seasons of need:
- Celebrate Recovery meets Monday at 7:00 p.m. in the children's area, with dinner at 6:00. Its eight Beatitude principles and 12 biblical steps form a distinctly Christian recovery process.
- DivorceCare meets Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The video- and discussion-driven class welcomes people who are divorced, separated or considering divorce.
- GriefShare uses a 13-week seminar format led by people who understand loss, with resources for processing grief and rebuilding life.
- Renewed Hope supports women who are cancer survivors or undergoing treatment through prayer, encouragement and shared experience.
- Caregiver Support gives women who are primary caregivers for a loved one a place to share the journey.
- New Season Sisters connects widowed, divorced and single women through luncheons, trips, shopping and other activities.
These ministries make room for people to acknowledge what they cannot manage alone. The common thread is Christian community, honest conversation and support that continues through a person's need rather than isolating it.
Starting Point and the Journey of a Lifetime
The Heights uses the language of a “Journey of a Lifetime” to describe Christian discipleship. The church's Starting Point ministry grew from staff and lay leaders who began asking how the congregation could be equipped for ministry, how people could mature as followers of Christ and how each person could discover and use the gifts God had given.
That thinking shapes the church's volunteer culture, from greeting and traffic ministries to Life Group teaching and leadership. It also shapes the invitation to move beyond Sunday attendance. Starting Point offers a guided place for people beginning to understand the faith, while Next Steps offers a way to share a decision made during a service. The language of next steps also appears in the church's teaching about baptism, which it regards not as a requirement for salvation but as a response of obedience for those who have accepted Christ.
Love804: Taking Faith Beyond the Church
Love804 is the church's movement for serving its community. The name combines the area code for central Virginia with the command to love neighbors. Rooted in Romans 2:4 and the example of God's kindness, Love804 encourages families, friends and groups to serve beyond Sunday mornings. The church emphasizes that such service should point people to a loving God through humility rather than personal recognition.
LOVE804 Builders matches volunteers' practical abilities with needs in homes and neighborhoods. Projects can include wheelchair ramps, roofing, plumbing, electrical work, drywall, painting, yard work and cleaning. Volunteers without specialized skills can still help with the work around those projects, while donated materials and other agencies make free or low-cost home repairs possible.
Other neighborhood partnerships show how the Love804 idea reaches beyond the church's own members. The church supports a ministry that meets people without shelter, a hotel ministry that shares meals and listens to stories, a local food pantry, meal delivery for homebound neighbors, disaster response, prison ministry and a Good News Club at Elizabeth Scott Elementary. These are practical expressions of the church's conviction that loving the neighbor should become visible beyond the worship gathering.
Missions from the Tri-Cities to Nicaragua
The Heights organizes missions around the witness of Christ in the community and around the world. Its strategy moves outward from the Tri-Cities and surrounding counties to Virginia and North America, then to international missions. Every believer is invited to participate, whether through going, giving, praying or supporting missionaries. The church also emphasizes church planting, short-term mission projects, personal support for missionary candidates and ongoing communication with missionaries.
Local outreach has practical and relational dimensions. The Back Door Ministry in Petersburg serves people experiencing homelessness with drinks, snack and toiletry bags, a Monday clothing closet and a Monday evening meal. The “Feeding Souls” hotel and food ministry serves people in long-stay hotels on Friday afternoons and combines meal distribution with prayer and conversation. The Colonial Heights Food Pantry, Feed More's Meals on Wheels program, Prison Fellowship, the Red Cross Disaster Action Team and Faith and Valor Ministries at Fort Lee extend the church's service to families, incarcerated people, disaster survivors, homebound neighbors, military personnel and trainees.
International work includes partnership with Chosen Children Ministries in Nicaragua. Mission teams build homes, assist with medical clinics, lead women's Bible studies, share the gospel door to door, host Bible-centered activities for children and distribute food. The church also supports the Gallagher family, who have relocated to Romania while assisting people in Ukraine with medical supplies and basic necessities. Giving is available through Realm, with a separate contribution option for the Gallaghers' work in Ukraine.
What The Heights Believes
The Heights teaches that the Bible is God's Word to all people, written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is entirely true, without mixture of error, and is relevant to daily life. The church believes in one living and true God existing in perfect unity as three equally and fully divine persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ is described as completely human and completely God. He lived a perfect life, died and rose from the dead, serving as the substitute who satisfies God's demand for perfection and defeating death so that people can have life. The Holy Spirit's presence assures believers' relationship with Christ, guides them into truth, convicts sin, brings comfort, gives spiritual gifts and makes believers more like Christ.
Salvation is available through the blood of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin. People receive it by placing faith in Christ's death and resurrection as the sufficient payment for sin; it is a gift from God and cannot be earned through personal effort. Baptism symbolizes Christ's death, burial and resurrection and represents new life in Christ. The church teaches that baptism is not required for salvation, but it is the next step of faith and obedience for believers.
Six Values That Shape the Week
Six core values express what The Heights wants its ministry to look like in ordinary life:
- Life Shaped by the Word
- Sunday Fuels the Lifestyle
- Where Friends Become Family
- We Live to Tell
- Everyone Plays a Part
- Next Generation Matters Now
These values connect worship to the rest of life. The Word shapes people, Sunday worship fuels the week and relationships become a place of spiritual formation. The church multiplies witnesses, gives everyone meaningful responsibility and treats children and students as essential members of the community now. Its wider vision is for The Heights to become a church focused on the multiplication of disciples, pastors, churches and missions.
A Church Still Building Relationships Since 1920
At The Heights, faith is relational. Scripture shapes the community, worship fuels the week, and Life Groups turn attendance into friendship and discipleship. Children encounter Jesus in Tiny Town, students find room to belong, adults grow through the LIFE framework, families carry faith into daily life, and support ministries accompany people through grief, addiction, family strain and other needs. From its first Sunday School in Colonial Heights to its South Chesterfield campus, The Heights Baptist Church continues to pursue the same mission: building relationships that help all people know and follow Jesus.