BPC History

Blacksburg Presbyterian Church was founded in 1832. The founders and first members of BPC were Presbyterians in Southwest Virginia, who were mostly Scotch Irish, with a sprinkling of people of Dutch or French ancestry. Several early members and elders and at least one pastor enslaved people, some of whom were required to attend worship and sit in the gallery. Blacksburg Pres.’s first building still stands in downtown Blacksburg. It was built by enslaved people, led by enslaved brick mason Jake Deyerle. He and his family made all of the bricks by hand on Brush Mountain. Deyerle was considered the best mason of the time.

In modern times, BPC’s diversity expanded. In 1961 the ruling elders affirmed that “all who come to worship God” be seated without discrimination and that “all who confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord” be welcome as members—bold words in the South in the era of Civil Rights. As part of our ongoing effort to reckon with our part in racism, we have put together a more complete history of our congregation’s relationship to race—both the parts we’re proud of and the parts we regret. It’s available here. Today we strive to welcome all no matter age, marital status, ability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The little village of Blacksburg and its small Presbyterian church were transformed by the decision in 1872 to locate Virginia’s land grant college here. At the end of the century a new building was planned, and contributions came in from around the Synod to support the church attended by so many “boys” from the college.

The church and town were affected profoundly again by the transformation of Virginia Polytechnic Institute into a comprehensive university in 1970.  Through the changes BPC strove for a reasonable balance between nurturing church members and outreach to the community and the world. The church is now well-known for its strong pulpit ministry, theological rigor, variety of programs, and respected heritage of addressing human needs.  

As our resident historian* says so well, “The church has chosen not to be an entertainment church, even though members have a lot of good times together.  It has chosen not to be an entrepreneurial church, even though its stewardship provides programs for the church, the community, and the world. Rather, BPC seeks to be a community of God’s people making use of heart, soul, and mind in the work of the Kingdom of God.”

*Our thanks to long-time member Charles Taylor for much of the wording above, taken from What Mean These Stones, a History of Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, available in the church office.