During the year 1894, under the guidance of Deacon Louis Whitfield, a small group of members began to hold prayer meetings in the home of the late Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Jones. The prayer meeting was held from house to house. This prayer meeting grew to a membership of twenty. At the death of Deacon Louis Whitfield, the Rev. George Odom carried this small group to a commissary store across the railroad tracks to what is currently known as Chesapeake Boulevard. Here, the prayer meeting continued to grow. Following the Rev. George Odom, Rev. Jacob Barnes, the first ordained minister, built and pastored the first church whose name was Mount Gilead. The church was located on Third Street, currently known as Clements Street, and an outdoor baptismal pool was located on the land adjacent to the church. Many members were baptized in that pool. Rev. Barnes, Pastored the church for twenty years. The Rev. John Mills succeeded Rev. Jacob Barnes and later Rev. Morris became pastor. Following pastors, were Rev. Ashby and Rev. S. A. Lomax.

In 1926, because the present church faced the cemetery, the members decided to purchase a plot of land from Mrs. Sarah Walton. This site was on the corner of Second (currently known as Kennedy) and Elm Avenue. Brothers Napolean Dudley, Willis F. Freeman and Junius McGlone, with their mules and some logs moved the church building to its present site.
On March 7, 1929, Rev. W. W. Howell was called to pastor the church. The church continued to grow and progressed under Rev. Howell’s leadership. He served for twelve years.

In 1942, the Rev. John Rufus Gray was called to the pastorate of the church. Under Reverend Gray’s leadership, the church moved from two Sundays of worship a month to four and five Sundays. There was a special weekly prayer meeting for the youth of the church. In 1951, our old edifice was constructed with central heat, new furnishings a Hammond organ, a new piano, an indoor baptismal pool, and other appropriate complements. Rev. Gray was involved in the community as well as the church. Many deeds were accomplished under Rev. Gray’s leadership. On Sunday, December 16, 1956, the Honorary Doctorate of Divinity was conferred upon Rev. Gray by Dr. M. C. Allen. He became pastor emeritus on September 15, 1971.

Sunday, June 17,1973 marked the installation of Rev. Raymond Dean, a native of Fort Worth, Texas as pastor. Some of the church’s accomplishments under Rev. Dean’s leadership and guidance included the purchase of three lots adjacent to the church; completion of the Gray’s Memorial Educational Building in 1975, at a cost of approximately $25,000.00 plus; also during this period of time, a nursery was formed to care for infants during the morning worship service. Ground breaking and service of consecration was conducted by the Tidewater Metro Baptist Minister’s Conference. Spaces for classroom, officials’ rooms, a nursery, infirmary, choir, ushers rooms, kitchen, and Fellowship Hall were included in this building.