Affectionately called "The Worship Center," we are a Bible-teaching church committed to being disciples of Jesus Christ by "reaching out to our community, to our nations, and to the world, through missions, outreach, and evangelism."

We are an independent church that is self-governed and free from any denominational control or hierarchy. We believe that the Bible is inspired by God in every word; that He eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit; and that salvation is entirely a free gift of God's grace.

We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human; that He is the Son of God; that He became incarnate, was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, provided for the atonement of our sins by His substitutionary death on the cross, was bodily raised from the dead, ascended back to the right hand of the Father; and that He ever lives to make intercession for us.

We believe in all basic doctrines of historic Christianity.

We believe in the inerrancy of Scripture that the Bible, Old and New Testaments, are the inspired Word of God and the only infallible rule of faith and conduct.

We believe in the resurrection of the dead, the eternal happiness of the saved, and the eternal punishment of the lost.

We believe in individual salvation of believers through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and in the sanctification, holiness, and separation of the believer from the world to a life consecration.

We believe in divine healing and health through faith in the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

We believe in the personal, visible, and pre-millennial second coming of Jesus Christ who will return to the earth with His saints and set up a kingdom of which there will be no end.

We believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in the Scriptures and that they are valid for today if they are exercised within scriptural guidelines. We further believe as believers that we are to covet the best gifts, seeking to exercise them in love that the whole Body of Christ might be edified. We believe that love is more important than the most spectacular gifts, and without love all exercise of spiritual gifts is futile.

We, the members of the New Canaan Baptist Church have made a commitment to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by the experience of accepting forgiveness, and redemption of God our Creator, that through the Holy Spirit we will:

Walk together in Christian love.

Show loving care for one another and encouragement, counsel, and to admonish one another.

Assemble faithfully for worship and fellowship, and pray earnestly for other as well as for ourselves.

Endeavor to bring up those under our care "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Seek, by Christian example and personal effort, to win others to Christ and to encourage their growth toward Christian maturity.

Share one another's joys and endeavor to bear one another's burdens and sorrows.

Oppose all conduct which compromises our Christian faith and will uphold high standards of Christian morality.

Prove the reality of conversion by living godly, fruitful lives.

Maintain a faithful ministry of worship, witness, education, fellowship, and service.

Be faithful stewards of our resources and abilities in sharing the gospel with people of all nations.

As a result of this covenant relationship, we will seek earnestly to live to the glory of God who brought us out of darkness into the marvelous light.

Our History:

The New Canaan Baptist Church, founded by Dr. Louis R. Blakey, Sr., was organized September 7, 1974. God allowed Pastor Blakey with only Bessie T. Blakey, Erman C. Branch, Katherine Branch, Arthur Comer, Jr., Theresha Comer, Joan Howlett, Annie Jones, Shadee Mahdi, Irene Price, Gloria Simms and Betty Winbush, to grow His church to over 450 members.

After months of worshipping in various donated facilities, in August 1975 an opportunity presented itself for this small body of members to negotiate a contract to purchase our first permanent sanctuary at 2223 Keswick Avenue, in the Oak Grove section of south Richmond. Although our funds were limited, we relied on God to provide - and provide He did. Two of our members pledged their property as collateral. This, along with personal loans from other members, allowed the Church to approach the bargaining table with the sellers. Even with these resources we fell short of the necessary funds to obtained bank financing but God saw our needs and met them! The sellers, The Southside Missionary Alliance Church, financed the balance of our bank loan.

On March 8, 1976, we were recognized as an organized body of Christ, a church, and approved by a council of ministers.

On November 25, 1978, at the Zion Baptist Church in south Richmond, Deacon Erman C. Branch became the first deacon to be ordained from the newly organized church. The first son and educational minister, Rev. Horace Jones, was licensed on January 28, 1979, and ordained on August 10, 1980.

God continued to increase us spiritually and financially, and we were able to purchase adjacent properties on May 2, 1984, at 2221 Keswick Avenue and on May 9, 1985, at 2219 Keswick Avenue. In addition, in December 1987, God blessed us with a 29-passenger bus and many other church furnishings. Between 1987 and 1989 we were able to pay off all personal loans and the two original mortgages, as well as brick the exterior of the church. August 1991 marked the completion of renovations started in February 1991 that added a new baptismal pool, remodeled the basement, added a fellowship hall, allowed for handicap accessibility, and added a paved parking area. On February 22, 1994, adjacent property at 2217 Keswick Avenue was purchased.

Still allowing God to work in His miraculous ways, in 1997, the fulfillment of a vision given Dr. Blakey was manifested. Our congregation was growing and our current facility became inadequate to meet the growth. God allowed us to negotiate a contract on the former Westover Hills Theater, our current sanctuary, at 4712 Forest Hill Avenue. He also sent a dedicated helper, Deacon Anthony French, Sr., to aid us in the acquisition, financing and massive renovation necessary to occupy the facility. Deacon and Mrs. French also gave generous financial resources to the church. Our first service in our new sanctuary was held on Sunday, March 1, 1998.

On September 30, 1998, property was purchased at 4700 Forest Hill Avenue, which is referred to as our Annex, where we hold Sunday School classes and other meetings.

Since moving to our new facility, God has been giving the increase. Many deacons and ministers have been called into the service of our Lord and Savior, and four ministers have been ordained: Rev. Bernard Melton on October 7, 2000; twins, Rev. Lois Blakey Paige and Rev. Louis R. Blakey, Jr. (the founder's son and daughter) on March 22, 2003; and Rev. JoAnne Scott on March 7, 2004.

In October 2003, God blessed us to be able to pay off the mortgage on our Annex and to celebrate this victory in grand fashion with a semi-formal banquet for our members on November 9, 2003.

In early 2004, Pastor Blakey, announced his retirement from New Canaan to be effective December 31, 2004. A series of special events (banquets and services) to honor the 30 years of service of Pastor and First Lady Blakey were held during the months of November and December 2004. Rev. Lois Blakey-Paige and Rev. Louis R. Blakey, Jr. began leading the church as co-pastors on January 1, 2005.

On April 17, 2005, Pastors Paige and Blakey, Jr. were officially installed as the pastors of the New Canaan Baptist Church family.

Pastors Paige and Blakey, Jr., along with the Ministers of Outreach & Evangelism, Reverends William and Jackie Mickey, on June 2, 2005 traveled to Liberia, Africa for two weeks for the first missions trip sponsored by New Canaan.

On Sunday, January 15, 2006, Elders Johnnie L. Brown, William Mickey, Jr., Margaret Minnicks, and JoAnne E. Scott were consecrated for service to their appointed ministries at New Canaan Baptist Church.

On March 5, 2006, three deacons, Catherine Smith Jones, Rose Jones, and Blanche E. Murphy, were ordained to service for New Canaan Baptist Church.

On April 6, 2006, Deacon Rose Jones, William Lampie, Margaret Owens, and Deacon George Wilkerson became the first graduates of New Canaan's Evangelism Explosion Ministry Team, under the direction of Reverends William and Jackie Mickey.

We thank God for the way that He has blessed New Canaan throughout the years, and we truly believe and trust that THE BEST IS YET TO COME!