CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- In the Bible there are many mentions about the road to redemption. For instance, Matthew 7:14 reads, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
If there is a literal road to redemption, but might be Courthouse Road in Chesterfield County. Along a seven-mile stretch of Courthouse Road, between Smoketree Drive and Route 288, sit at least 16 churches.
One of them, Central Baptist Church, was organized in 1900. Senior Pastor David Turner has only been there since 2005, but said he has seen the growth around his church and others along Courthouse Road.
The majority of congregational adherents belong to an Evangelical Protestant church, according to data collected by the Association of Religion Data Archives. However, the churches along Courthouse Road are varied. Denominations represented on the road include Catholic, 7th Day Adventist, Methodist and Lutheran, among others.
"We are simply here to serve the community and be the presence of Christ," Pastor Turner said. "We’ve got a lot of great partners."
According to the Chesterfield tax office, the county had a total of 243 churches last year. There are a total of 501 tax exempt properties when you include these properties in with the churches.
Do you think church should enjoy tax exempt status or should houses of worship be compelled to pay taxes like other businesses? Click here to email the CBS 6 Newsroom your opinion.
Watch Rob Cardwell's special report -- the Road to Redemption -- Monday on CBS 6 News at 11.
