Culpeper Baptist Church rests on the foundation of many courageous and committed men and women throughout it’s 240 year history. Culpeper Baptist was originally founded in 1774 as Mount Poney Baptist Church by David Thomas and Nathaniel Saunders. Prior to establishing Mount Poney Baptist Church, Nathaniel Saunders was threatened with imprisonment in 1770 if he preached in Culpeper. He eventually was arrested in 1773 and imprisoned in the Culpeper jail located on Davis Street. At least 9 other men were arrested along with Saunders for preaching the gospel without a license. These passionate, Godfearing men believed they did not need a license to preach because they were called by God himself. 

Later, John Leland became pastor of Mount Poney from 1777-1779. Leland was baptized in 1774 and joined a Baptist Church in Bellingham, Massachusetts in 1775. He left for Virginia in 1775 and ministered there until 1791, when he returned to his home town in Massachusetts. We have the First Amendment of the Constitution in large part, due to the efforts of American Baptists such as John Leland. Leland had petitioned his Virginia legislator, James Madison, directly regarding his concern for the need to ensure religious liberty in the new country.