A Church Without Walls

Eli and Clark in the doorway of the Polegreen Church Monument.

When my family first moved to Richmond VA several years ago now, we visited one of the coolest memorials ever, Polegreen Church! Or at least what was at one time, polegreen church. For me it was an incredible opportunity and it left me feeling overwhelmed by God’s goodness and his blessings. It’s the kind of place that fires me up and gets me excited about the future! It’s literally a church without walls. The posts and windows are placed on the original foundation. The Original building was destroyed during the Civil War when Union snipers hid inside of it for protection. The exposed frame stands as a testimony to it’s historic fight for freedom.

A Quick History Review

In 1740, George Whitefield came to the American Colonies and preached, his messages centered on individual soul liberty and the priesthood of the believer. Doctrines that were contrary to the Anglican Church (the only legal church in America at that time) His messages sent shockwaves through the colonies and led to the First Great Awakening! People who grew up in church, were hearing about salvation for the first time, and thousands where saved! The churches exploded with growth and renewed excitement. People who had never read the Bible before, were yearning to study the scriptures for themselves, and new churches began to form outside of the state approved churches.

Samuel Davies who pastored the Banned Polegreen Presbyterian Church, and other pastors fought and were persecuted harshly by the Anglican Church (the only legal church in America) and in the end these pastors won freedom of religion, first for Virginia and ultimately, for our nation. It was Samuel Davies who pastored the mother of Patrick Henry, and Patrick Henry credited Samuel Davis preaching as a key influence in his life.

Why Does this Matter?

The Church of England (Anglican Church) in America was a state sponsored church. This means that a pastor was appointed to come to the colonies and serve, his pay, his home, and his church was given to him by the state (England). There was intense pressure on these colonial pastors to protect England, for fear of losing everything! Many churches literal became mouthpieces for King George prior to the Revolution. In England, King George was not only the head of the state, but also the head of the church, the view was that the king acted as the hand of God. This meant that to rebel was to rebel against God. Our founding fathers struggled with these issues. Had it not been for men like Samuel Davis who refused to follow the political talking points, America may have never found freedom. In many ways, the First Great Awakening in America gave birth to the Revolutionary War.

A New Day

Today, America has become highly divided. What is heart-breaking is that many churches have chosen to reject clear Biblical truth in favor of Political gain. Issues such as abortion, parental rights, and free speech, have become massively divisive, and many churches have chosen to either say nothing, or to say what they believe will gain them the most favor with the establishment. Churches in mass numbers, in the name of “love” are throwing out what God says, in favor of a more politically correct version of Religion. I speak to pastors who are fearful of being “cancelled,” closed down, or losing tax exemption… I pray that God will make me a pastor whose greatest fear is “The fear of the Lord.” The Church in America has enjoyed its freedom thanks to men like Samuel Davis, men who were willing to give up homes, salaries, and even their lives for Biblical truth, but now my generation must be willing to fight to preserve these freedoms. Because if we don’t, as we saw during the covid pandemic the church will truly become a non-essential. I pray God will give me the strength to stand for Biblical truth, even if it isn’t easy.