Ridgedale is committed to taking the gospel to Chattanooga, and to a world that is waiting to hear the name of Jesus Christ.
An integral part of the Discipleship Pathway is to Engage the Nations through mission and service. We do this first by living on mission and sharing the gospel here in our city. We also do this by sending trips throughout the year, from short-term week-long trips, to moving toward long-term commissioning of missionaries who are sent to plant churches and make followers of Christ in other nations.
Why Do We Go?
Jesus tells us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirt,” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus sent out his disciples – those who followed him faithfully – to teach others the truth about the Son of God. His Word sends us out, too. Engaging the nations with the gospel starts at home, right where we are, but it doesn’t stop there. The more that we tell those around us about who Jesus is and what He has done for us, the more likely we are to be compelled to take this message to those who have no access to the gospel otherwise. As the apostle Paul writes, “How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him?” (Romans 10:14)
Why Do We Send?
What did Paul say next? “And how how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:15). The world is waiting to hear about Jesus Christ our Savior. As we grow in the gospel together as a church, we also send one another out on mission. We want to see our city transformed by the love of God and the power of Christ. We also want to see people of all ages using their lives — including their gifts, skills, passions, and opportunities — to take the gospel beyond Chattanooga. The Discipleship Pathway is a life long endeavor. God may be leading you to go for a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime. We’re committed to equipping you for this mission that God has placed before each of us, for his glory. So come join us in Engaging the Nations!
Apply to Go
Be on the lookout for Ridgedale Baptist Church’s 2024/25 short-term mission trips. Trip information is subject to change. Please contact the church office for more details about the trips.
Las Vegas, NV · 2025
Team Size: 20
Date: July 12-19, 2025
Trip Description: Working alongside Favor City, our team will run VBS for 4 days and anything else that might help them serve the city!
Los Angeles, CA 2024
Team Size: 8-10
Date: Dec 4-9, 2024
Trip Description: Working alongside The Abiding Church, our team will do outreach for the Christmas Concert and anything else that might help them serve the city!
Engaging our City
Share the Gospel
Engaging the nations for Jesus begins right here!
You are called to live your life for the glory of God, with the gospel at the center of it all. In the classroom, at the office, on the playground, in downtown Chattanooga, in your home — wherever you go, the gospel goes with you.
Learn more about how to effectively share your faith and the good news of the gospel with the people in your life.
Serve Your City
There are many ways to be sent for the gospel, right here in Chattanooga. We partner with like-minded organizations in our city to meet real needs and to tell those around us about Jesus.
Through our Community Partners, we are able to engage in missional efforts and gospel issues like poverty, unplanned pregnancy, special needs ministry, and more.
Community Partners
Choices
Choices protects and cares for those who are most vulnerable in the face of unplanned pregnancy. The Center proves free, confidential services including pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and counseling. Choices saves lives every year by protecting the unborn and sharing the good news of the love of Christ, giving confidential care to every client.
Volunteers in Medicine
Volunteers in Medicine, Chattanooga, Inc. (VIM Chattanooga) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) primary care clinic. Volunteer physicians and nurses provide free medical services to financially eligible adults who are uninsured. The mission of the VIM Chattanooga Clinic is to understand and serve the health and wellness needs of the medically underserved in our community by providing quality, compassionate and personalized care in a faith-based caring environment.
Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes
Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes provides Christ-centered, nurturing homes for children in hard places across Tennessee through compassionate on-campus homes and foster families.
Hamilton County Baptist Association
The Hamilton County Baptist Association consists of 107 partnering churches working together to reach people with the Gospel and building up the church. We encourage cooperation, networking, and interaction among churches in Hamilton County. Our goal is to develop and maintain healthy churches, start new churches, coordinate ministry and missions (Like WMU, HaCoBa Care, Disaster Relief, and ESL), and provide leadership development.
Bible in the Schools
Bible in the Schools provides Bible History elective classes in the public schools as an opportunity for students to have a viewpoint neutral, foundational study – at no cost to taxpayers – of one of the cornerstone texts of world history, which helps students become culturally literate and better equipped to thrive and contribute to a global world.
FCA Chattanooga
FCA Chattanooga seeks to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes. FCA relationships will demonstrate steadfast commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word through Integrity, Serving, Teamwork and Excellence. FCA has a mission to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church.
The Pray for Me Campaign
The Pray for Me Campaign was born out of this question. We believe every young person needs a team of Prayer Champions strategically praying for them. The Pray for Me Campaign creates a vast web of intergenerational relationships for young people and equips adult believers to pass on a sustainable faith to the next generation. May God be praised.
Quilts of Valor Foundation
The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. We want to do our best to care for veterans and show them the love to Christ.
International Mission Board
The International Mission Board partners with churches to empower missionary teams who are making disciples and planting churches among unreached people groups all across the world. An entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, the IMB is sending people to share the gospel and lead people to follow Jesus in every place on Earth. Churches are being planted in both strategic global cities and remote, unknown places, to reach the lost and tell about the love of Christ. More than 4,800 people groups – almost 1 bullion people – still exist with no access to the Gospel. City Church partners with the IMB to send missionaries across the world, to see this number erased as people come to know Jesus.
North American Mission Board
The North American Mission Board has identified strategic cities across the continent in which to plan churches and share the Gospel. Ridgedale partners with the city of Denver to support new local churches through a network called Send DENVER. This network allows churches to share resources, send teams to serve, and pray and encourage those who are on the ground in Denver sharing about Jesus.
Engaging North America
Las Vegas, NV/ Los Angeles, CA
We have partnered with NAMB and to engage the lost in North American through church planting and partnerships. In partnership with the North American Mission Board & the SEND Network, we support new churches being planted in Las Vegas that will reach the city with the gospel in their local contexts.
We currently support Favor City Church in Las Vegas and The Abiding in Los Angeles.
Engaging the World
We have partnered with the International Mission Board and other sending agencies to engage the lost in the world.
Dublin, Ireland
We currently support a new church plant in Dublin area named, Hope Church.
This church is being planted by the former Mission Pastor at Ridgedale, Cipri Balta, and his family.
Cabudare, Venezuela
We currently support a church plant in the city of Cabudare named, Iglesia Bautista La Santa Biblia.
This church is being started by the Arce Family.
Campinas, Sao Paulo
We are currently supporting David & Aimee Hammond as they engage the lost through a local Tennis ministry in Brazil.
Missionary House
If you are a missionary or church planter looking for a place to rest and recuperate while on furlough we do have a Missionary house on campus. You can email Carol Rodgers, for info on openings.
