2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 16
Commending Thomas Road Baptist Church.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 26, 2026
WHEREAS, for 70 years, Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg has provided its congregation with uplifting spiritual guidance, joyful occasions for worship and fellowship, and abundant opportunities for outreach and community service; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Road Baptist Church was founded in 1956 with 35 members, including the founding pastor and renowned televangelist Jerry Falwell, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Road Baptist Church held its first meeting on June 17, 1956, at the former Mountain View Elementary School in Lynchburg and its first service a week later in the former Donald Duck Bottling Company building; and
WHEREAS, from the initial group of 35 members, Thomas Road Baptist Church has grown mightily over the years and counts more than 24,200 members among its congregation today; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Road Baptist Church built and occupied a number of new buildings over the years to accommodate the growth of its congregation and has called its current building home since July 2, 2006; and
WHEREAS, Thomas Road Baptist Church was led by its founding pastor, Jerry Falwell, until his death on May 15, 2007, and has since been guided by his son Jonathan Falwell, who had been the church's executive pastor since 1994; and