Where did the name "South Ridge" come from?

Well...it's kind of simple. We're located north of Fredericksburg in the southern part of Stafford County. For the ridge part, there are plenty of ridges in the landscape, road signs, and in the names of new housing communities. That's how "South Ridge" came to be.

What's the story behind the logo?

The colors represent the three areas we're reaching: Stafford County (to the north), the city of Fredericksburg (between the two counties), and Spotsylvania County (to the south).

What can I expect if I come to South Ridge?

You can expect a friendly, welcoming environment. Our commitment is simple: to inspire anyone, with or without faith, to follow Jesus.

What is the worship service like?

Our worship service includes a time of live music (full band or acoustic) and a practical message. Our commitment is to help you connect with Jesus and with others.

Do you have baptism and communion at your service?

Yes. Baptism is part of our services throughout the year. We believe that baptism is one of the best ways to tell how Jesus changed our lives. Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is usually done in homes, in community groups, and in volunteer team huddles. Although we believe communion is best done within a group of followers of Jesus on a regular basis, we do celebrate communion together as part of our services throughout the year.

Is there an altar call at the end of the service?

Not typically. However, we do have our pastor or our host invite anyone with questions about Jesus or the teaching from that morning to a conversation at the end of the service. We believe that the greatest decision anyone could ever make is trusting in Jesus alone for salvation. With that belief, we offer the end of the service invitation to talk with someone and we offer Starting Point, which is an 8 week conversation with a group of people investigating Jesus. It's too important of a decision not to fully understand what someone is committing to.

How do I take my next step?

We would love for you to stop by Guest Services or City Dock before or after each service.

Where do my children go?

Kids are always welcome in our adult services; however, we do provide fun, engaging, and age appropriate environments for all our children from 6 weeks through 12th grade.

I heard that South Ridge is an independent church. What does that mean?

In organizing this church, our foremost desire was to be an attractive environment for those who do not regularly attend church. For the most part, our feeling is that denominational titles mean more to people already involved in church than it does to others outside of church. For this reason, we have chosen to be an independent church. We have chosen to affiliate ourselves with one local networks: NorthStar; one national network: Irresistible Church Network; and, one global network: Acts 29.

Is South Ridge an affirming church?

Although we believe you can belong before you believe, we are not a LGBTQ affirming church. From our biology to marriage, we believe God has designed male and females differently for His glory and each other's good. One of the relationships God designed for the male and female was marriage. We believe marriage is between a male and a female for a lifetime.

What is the leadership structure?

The phrase we use to describe the function of government at South Ridge is that we are elder-guarded, staff-led, and volunteer-driven. However, in more specific terms, the leadership of South Ridge is built around the Lead Pastor, Elders, and Staff.

The Lead Pastor primarily serves to provide leadership and vision for our church. He is accountable to the Elder Team. He willingly serves the staff and volunteers through collaborative efforts, but is given the point leadership position to make executive decisions. As the leader of the Elder Team, he must meet the qualifications of Elders/Overseers outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-11 and Titus 1:5-9.

Elders function primarily as shepherds who discern and serve as the guardians of the church. Their role is to evaluate everything going on in the church in light of three things: our mission, our resources, and our doctrinal statement. The Lead Pastor is a permanent member of the team. The Elder Team consists of men who meet the qualifications of Elders/Overseers outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-11 and Titus 1:5-9.

The Staff consists of men and women selected by the Lead Pastor, with input from the Elder Team. The purpose of this group is to determine programming, give vision to the various ministries of the church, and to oversee day-to-day operations. All operational decisions for South Ridge are entrusted to this team. The Staff are accountable to the Lead Pastor.

We also have governing documents that go into more details of our beliefs and structure. You may find our Constitution and Bylaws by clicking on each term below.

With a couple colleges around Fredericksburg, is this a college church?

South Ridge is a family-friendly church, who loves those who don’t yet know Jesus personally. We believe that the best thing we can do for the college students is to create a local community full of strong families who are passionately pursuing God. Presently, we encourage college students to jump in with both feet by being a regular worship attender and volunteering in one of our ministry areas.