A Church Centered on Jesus in Northern Virginia
Westwood Baptist Church sits along Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield, Virginia, in the heart of Fairfax County, and it has built its identity around a single, repeated phrase from Senior Pastor Bryan Brock: putting Jesus at the center of everything the congregation does. The welcome statement on the church's home page lists the commitments that flow from that center: grace and acceptance of all, welcome rather than exclusion, Jesus instead of politics, teaching children that everyone is a child of God, serving the surrounding community, and placing the center above the boundaries. The result is a congregation that describes itself less by what it excludes and more by the kind of love it tries to practice.
The church belongs to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Baptist General Association of Virginia rather than the Southern Baptist Convention, and that affiliation shapes its culture. Members value the historic Baptist freedoms of soul, Bible, religion, and church, and they practice believers' baptism by immersion. Westwood also shares its property with a Spanish-language congregation called Iglesia Bautista Remanente de Dios, pastored by Rafael Santamaria, which meets on the campus under the same roof.
Sunday Mornings: Sunday School, Worship, and a Long Lunch with the Teens
The Sunday rhythm at Westwood begins at 9:45 a.m. with Sunday School. Classes are offered for every age group, from preschoolers through adults, with a combined middle and high school class for grades 7 through 12. Adult classes gather for Bible study, fellowship, and ministry, and the church points newcomers to the Welcome Center in the narthex for help finding a class that fits.
At 11:00 a.m. the worship service gathers in the sanctuary. Services usually last about an hour and blend traditional and contemporary music. Prayers, singing, scripture reading, special music, a brief children's moment, and a sermon form the basic shape of the morning. Hymns and praise songs sit alongside choir and ensemble offerings, and the congregation participates in responsive readings printed in the bulletin. Those who are able stand for the call to worship, the invocation, hymns, musical responses, and the benediction. Guests are never asked to introduce themselves or address the congregation.
Communion is observed once a month, usually on the first Sunday. Ushers hand out sealed wafer-and-juice sets at the door, and the pastor provides instructions during the service. No one is required to participate, and everyone is welcome to partake. A freewill offering supports the unified church budget and special mission causes, with online giving available through the church's giving portal.
Immediately after the service, the youth group gathers for Dining and Devotions, known simply as D&D. Students in grades 7 through 12 share lunch together, then move into a devotional and activity time that includes games, service projects, and conversation about faith. Adults interested in volunteering with the youth program can join the Youth Advisory Council, which meets on the second Sunday of each month at 8:30 a.m. before worship.
Wednesday Evenings Around The Table
Midweek life centers on The Table, a Wednesday evening fellowship meal that begins at 6:00 p.m. Church families sign up to eat together in a setting designed for conversation across generations. The first meal a family shares is free, and the family maximum afterward is $30. The Table runs through the program year and is paired with regular sign-ups so that the kitchen and tables can be planned around the size of the gathering.
Bible Studies Beyond Sunday Morning
In addition to Sunday School, Westwood offers a rotating set of Bible studies on other days and times of the week, some meeting in person and some online. A printed list of current studies is posted on the Bulletin Board page, and the church periodically updates a Bible Studies information sheet that can be downloaded from the site. These groups are designed for adults who want to go deeper between Sundays and for people whose schedules make Sunday morning difficult.
Children and Families
Westwood Kids welcomes children of every age and is led by Rev. Emily Collins, the Pastor of Children and Families, who joined the staff in March 2021. On Sunday mornings, elementary and pre-school children gather for Sunday School in the Children's Wing, while the nursery cares for the youngest friends in the Preschool Wing. The nursery is staffed during Sunday School and the worship service by trained paid workers and volunteers, and a check-in system is in place to keep children safe.
Children are always welcome to stay in the sanctuary for the worship service. Most services include a brief children's sermon aimed at the kids in the pews, and worship bags containing a Bible, a children's worship bulletin, and quiet activities are available near the narthex doors. Parents who feel more comfortable can sit in the narthex just outside the sanctuary, where the service can be heard through the speakers.
Through the year, Westwood Kids hosts Parents' Night Out, Family Movie Nights, Game Nights, and other activities for the whole church, and the children's ministry takes part in church-wide mission efforts alongside The Table and seasonal events.
Music at Westwood
Music is a long-standing strength at Westwood. The church offers multiple ensembles, including an Adult Choir, Children's Choirs, a Youth Choir, a Handbell Choir, and worship ensembles that lead the contemporary and blended elements of the service. Elizabeth Freeman serves as Director of Music, and Olga Teutler has been the church organist and choir accompanist since fall 1998. Teutler, who trained at the State Musical Pedagogical Institute in Rostov-on-Don and in Stavropol, Russia, and holds the Service Playing Certification from the American Guild of Organists, sees music as a way the Spirit of the Living God comes to the congregation.
Afghan Refugee Support and Local Missions
Service to neighbors is a defining mark of the church. Westwood is actively involved in resettling several Afghan families in the area, and the congregation has established a dedicated Afghan Refugee Fund. Donations to the fund cover rent, household items, transportation to and from work, food that food stamps do not cover, diapers and baby supplies, and medical needs. Members of the church also tutor newcomers in English, drive them to appointments, advocate with schools, and help with the job hunt. A volunteer team coordinates this work and welcomes others who want to join.
The youth ministry is similarly service-focused. Students take part in food packing for a Weekend Backpack Program, serve lunch to guests at the Alexandria Community Shelter, and volunteer with ECHO. Each summer the youth spend a week on a construction mission trip focused on home repair and renovation for families in great need, an experience the church describes as a meaningful opportunity to grow in faith and service.
The Neighborhood: Before and After School Care
The Neighborhood is Westwood's before- and after-school program, offering caring and creative programming in a nurturing environment for students at four local elementary schools: Keene Mill, West Springfield, Rolling Valley, and Cardinal Forest. The program extends the church's ministry into the lives of working families in the community throughout the school year.
Baptist Identity and Beliefs
Westwood describes its calling in three commitments: authentic hospitality that welcomes and affirms all people as God's children, compassionate service that meets the needs of neighbors with love, and intentional spirituality that deepens the congregation's relationship with God. As Baptists, members treasure five traditional principles. They believe in the priesthood of the believer, which they describe as soul freedom, the right and responsibility of every person to relate directly to God without clergy or government control. They affirm the authority of Scripture under the Lordship of Christ and the freedom of every Christian to interpret and apply Scripture under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. They support religious liberty, separation of church and state, and the autonomy of the local church to determine its membership, leadership, worship, and work. They practice baptism by believers' choice, and they welcome members from other denominations who have already experienced believers' baptism.
Beyond the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the church is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, the Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, the Baptist General Association of Virginia, and the NorthStar Church Network.
Pastors and Staff
Rev. Bryan Brock, the Senior Pastor, began his ministry at Westwood in September 2019. He holds a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Education from the University of Tulsa, and he has done postgraduate work in congregational systems theory and leadership at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Before Westwood he served on church staffs in Tennessee, Maryland, and Georgia, and he owned and operated a Christian bookstore.
Rev. Stephen Gray has served as Associate Pastor since May 2004, helping the congregation grow in faith and empowering others to use their gifts in ministry. He holds a Master of Divinity from George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Texas A&M University, and he previously served churches in Texas.
Rev. Emily Collins, originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, joined Westwood in March 2021 as Pastor of Children and Families after serving churches in Tennessee and Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Carson-Newman University and a Master of Divinity from Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor. Elizabeth Freeman serves as Director of Music, and Olga Teutler continues as organist and choir accompanist. Rafael Santamaria pastors the Spanish-language congregation Iglesia Bautista Remanente de Dios, which shares the campus.
Visiting Westwood
Visitors will find the church at 8200 Old Keene Mill Road. Ample parking sits behind the building, reached by driving down the driveway between the church and the adjacent Cary Building and turning left into the lot. Accessible parking spaces are near the Door 3 entrance, and additional parking is available behind the Cary Professional Center next door. Ushers and greeters are on hand to help visitors find seats and to hand out a bulletin with the order of worship. Hearing assistance devices are available at the sound board in the back of the sanctuary.
There is no dress code. On any given Sunday, members arrive in everything from casual clothes to suits and sports jackets. Those who want a preview before visiting can watch the livestream or browse the worship service archive on the church's Vimeo and YouTube channels, both linked from the Live Worship page.