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A Light on the Hill: The Surprising Story of How a Local Church in the Nation's Capital Influenced Evangelicalism
352 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2025
27 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
February 8, 2025
Instructive. Encouraging. A small testimony of Jesus's promise that he will build his church.
Pick up and read!
Pick up and read!
April 28, 2025
I was a member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church for five years; it’s where I got married, took my first seminary classes, and preached my first sermon. It’s had a large impact on my life – and its history was no less impactful. Especially as a pastor, this account of one church’s history drove me to earnest prayer for my own church and the pastors and churches I know. It prompted me to wonder, in a succession of pastors, which kind would I be? It is clear that God is sovereign over the fruit of faithful labor; the question is, how will God use me in the years I serve him? I rejoice that Christ will build his church!
April 27, 2025
This is the best book I have ever read. Or maybe I just enjoyed it more than any other.
I love the local church and this book made me love it even more.
The stories are captivating, the applications are sharp, and the people you meet attest to a mighty God that promises to preserve His church.
I wept reading the last page. Yes, your grandfather’s church is doing just fine.
I love the local church and this book made me love it even more.
The stories are captivating, the applications are sharp, and the people you meet attest to a mighty God that promises to preserve His church.
I wept reading the last page. Yes, your grandfather’s church is doing just fine.
April 8, 2025
Loved, loved this! As someone whose life has been personally and deeply impacted downstream by Capitol Hill Baptist Church, it was a joy to get to know more of the story of the 150 year history of CHBC. While most people probably think of CHBC in the modern era, it’s not just a book about Dever and his ministry. It’s really a book about God’s grace and the faithfulness of ordinary church members throughout the centuries.
May 16, 2025
A fantastic book for both a lover of history and a lover of Christ! It reads like a true biography. I had the privilege to visit CHBC for a weekender, which only added to my appreciation and love understanding of the ministry there on Capitol Hill. I strongly encourage it for any believer who wants to be encourage by what God did and is doing in the life of His church.
August 30, 2025
One of my top three books of 2025. Extremely well done - I cried multiple times. So wonderful to read of God’s faithfulness through the decades and decades of a church. Absolutely amazing. Also so reassuring to know our philosophy of ministry and theology is grounded in church history.
May 31, 2025
Beautiful story. Years ago, the influence of CHBC reached me when my mentor handed me my first copy of 9Marks of a Healthy Church. It illuminated and answered many of the ecclesial questions & tensions I had felt for a long time. This book gives an excellent behind the scenes look at CHBC. Each chapter has profound insights into pastoring and understanding the local church. I am truly grateful for it.
Certainly will be one of the best books of 2025.
Preach, pray, love, and stay.
Certainly will be one of the best books of 2025.
Preach, pray, love, and stay.
August 19, 2025
Very interesting. Grateful for 9Marks ministry and Mark Dever leading by example by giving young men encouragement, opportunity, and robust conviction. This book was well written and meticulously researched. Highly recommend!
August 15, 2025
A fine biography of a church to which I owe a great debt, and an illuminating cross-section of evangelical history in miniature over the last hundred and fifty years. I was deeply moved to hear the history of Sterling Park Baptist Church retold, and I wondered again just what might have happened to my faith in college (or to my call into ministry) had I not darkened its doors in 2007 (a mere two years after it was planted) and been formed there in the gospel for the next eight years. Thanks be to God.
July 16, 2025
I took a deep sigh of gratitude after this vibrant history of a local church. In God's providence I finished this book before a lovely weekend in DC worshiping with these saints and seeing friends. W.B. Culbreth was mentioned during the sermon (the pastor of CHBC who was from Birmingham in the early 60s).
I want to tease this theme out some more for a longer book review: "The pastors of Metropolitan during the second half of the twentieth century tended to alternate between revivalists and reformers. The revivalists tended to increase membership but often left disorder that the next pastor had to address. The reformers tended to revise the membership processes, clean up the membership rolls, and focus on the basics" (190).
I sense that this continues be the trend. Can both happen? That would take a longer book review I may be willing to write.
Caleb is an honest historian. I couldn't detect hagiography. Caleb lays his cards out on the table too when discussing matters of race (196), theological liberalism (159), and immorality in the church (245-6) proving himself a historian of integrity. Caleb retells history with a high view of God, his providence, and the local church. He's also so hard-working. The footnotes alone are interesting. It's interesting how one local church's history has ripple effects on other areas of evangelicalism. Local church history really sheds light on all history. I also love that Mark Dever is such a small part of this book. Capitol Hill Baptist like many long-standing churches is not built by one person, but by multiple quiet servants.
Favorite quotes:
Regarding the extraordinary growth CHBC experienced in the early 2000s. A model for growing churches:
"If the elders of CHBC had listened to church growth consultants, they would have built the church around Mark Dever's personality and preaching abilities, adopted multiple services (and eventually multiple sites), and sought to grow as large as possible, all under the sincere desire for maximal kingdom impact. But would this approach have encouraged the cultivation, formation, and development of pastors and leaders for other churches? Would it have strengthened the gospel witness of other churches in the region? Or would it instead have slowly absorbed them, as transfer growth slowly tapped the strength of the very churches that had helped CHBC get started back in the 1870s? Would it have caused an undue dependence on a single person and a single church in a way inconducive to long-term stability? Would catering toward church growth have caused CHBC to change its message over the years in ways that undermined the church's gospel fidelity?" (281)
"Heaven will testify to the cosmic impact of a quiet life centered around the local church" (298).
I want to tease this theme out some more for a longer book review: "The pastors of Metropolitan during the second half of the twentieth century tended to alternate between revivalists and reformers. The revivalists tended to increase membership but often left disorder that the next pastor had to address. The reformers tended to revise the membership processes, clean up the membership rolls, and focus on the basics" (190).
I sense that this continues be the trend. Can both happen? That would take a longer book review I may be willing to write.
Caleb is an honest historian. I couldn't detect hagiography. Caleb lays his cards out on the table too when discussing matters of race (196), theological liberalism (159), and immorality in the church (245-6) proving himself a historian of integrity. Caleb retells history with a high view of God, his providence, and the local church. He's also so hard-working. The footnotes alone are interesting. It's interesting how one local church's history has ripple effects on other areas of evangelicalism. Local church history really sheds light on all history. I also love that Mark Dever is such a small part of this book. Capitol Hill Baptist like many long-standing churches is not built by one person, but by multiple quiet servants.
Favorite quotes:
Regarding the extraordinary growth CHBC experienced in the early 2000s. A model for growing churches:
"If the elders of CHBC had listened to church growth consultants, they would have built the church around Mark Dever's personality and preaching abilities, adopted multiple services (and eventually multiple sites), and sought to grow as large as possible, all under the sincere desire for maximal kingdom impact. But would this approach have encouraged the cultivation, formation, and development of pastors and leaders for other churches? Would it have strengthened the gospel witness of other churches in the region? Or would it instead have slowly absorbed them, as transfer growth slowly tapped the strength of the very churches that had helped CHBC get started back in the 1870s? Would it have caused an undue dependence on a single person and a single church in a way inconducive to long-term stability? Would catering toward church growth have caused CHBC to change its message over the years in ways that undermined the church's gospel fidelity?" (281)
"Heaven will testify to the cosmic impact of a quiet life centered around the local church" (298).
June 22, 2025
Fun to read this book while spending a week I’m at CHBC. I’ll forever be grateful for my time there in 2015 as a pastoral intern. It was fascinating to see ways in which the Lord preserved this church throughout its history, and encouraging to see earlier practices of church membership, discipline, and the covenant.
No church is perfect, and yet remarkably God works through imperfect churches and saved sinners. Amazing.
No church is perfect, and yet remarkably God works through imperfect churches and saved sinners. Amazing.
August 18, 2025
I have been personally blessed and sanctified through this church’s ministry. Former pastors of mine were trained by this church. I’ve been blessed by the preaching and the writing of this church. So I was automatically interested in this book. There’s probably been no church or ministry that has had such a profound impact on me as a pastor than CHBC.
But beyond my biases, this book is written very well. It’s an entertaining read. I did an audiobook version and I highly recommend that. Praise God that he uses ordinary local churches to impact the world.
But beyond my biases, this book is written very well. It’s an entertaining read. I did an audiobook version and I highly recommend that. Praise God that he uses ordinary local churches to impact the world.
May 26, 2025
I cried reading the last few chapters, personally knowing some of the people who played an instrumental role in the history of Capitol Hill Baptist Church. Now that I have a better glimpse into how the Lord used their labor of love and sacrifice within the larger story of this church, I have an even deeper love for the ministry of Capitol Hill Baptist and a greater appreciation for how she has blessed my own life, which the Lord has providentially intertwined. The Lord has been glorified by CHBC’s commitment to a faithful evangelical ministry, and I can’t wait to be reunited in that land where congregations never break up and Sabbaths have no end. All glory be to God.
April 7, 2025
A very well researched and encouraging testimony of how a congregation has faithfully been a witness in an influential city. I’ve not read many biographies yet at this point, but I haven’t read anything like it. If you’re anything like me, pastoring a smallish and old church in an urban context, this will be especially encouraging.
April 6, 2025
What a book. So thankful it was written.
April 7, 2025
Surprisingly enjoyable.
Makes me want to hit my church's archives again.
Would recommend any pastor read!
Makes me want to hit my church's archives again.
Would recommend any pastor read!
May 9, 2025
Really interesting biography the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in DC. Written well and an engaging story of a prominent calvinistic southern Baptist church and the people that have called it home.
Morrell asks good questions for us all to consider as we seek to remain faithful and fruitful in our own church contexts.
Morrell asks good questions for us all to consider as we seek to remain faithful and fruitful in our own church contexts.
January 27, 2026
(5/5) To echo my friend Tanner, one of my top 5 favorite books. Incredibly well written and researched, and weirdly super entertaining. The story of this church is remarkable!
June 6, 2025
I’m honestly surprised there aren’t more books like this—ones that tell the story of the life of a local church over decades. It’s such a powerful way to see theology lived out in real time, in the ordinary ups and downs of church life. The chapter on the pastor before Mark Dever was so good!
November 4, 2025
“I did nothing; the word did everything”
-Martin Luther
I’m so glad that this quote was included because it sums up the work of the Lord in the story of CHBC. I love the idea of writing a church biography and wish more would do the same. As someone who goes to a church that is relatively new, this testament of God’s faithfulness was truly encouraging.
-Martin Luther
I’m so glad that this quote was included because it sums up the work of the Lord in the story of CHBC. I love the idea of writing a church biography and wish more would do the same. As someone who goes to a church that is relatively new, this testament of God’s faithfulness was truly encouraging.
March 16, 2025
This is an exceptionally great book on church history from someone with deep insight and connection to the church. The author presents a very complicated and long history of a church with a unique voice that will resonate with any generation. The biggest skill of this book is the well researched and specific history with no sacrifice to the truth that is able to speak to the church at large. Pastors fail, churches fail, and this books echoes that with a profound grace that will make you appreciate the small sacrifices of the members who keep them going to share the gospel with their communities. Fantastic book!
January 13, 2026
Well written and thoroughly researched. Hard to put it down!
August 22, 2025
Really appreciate the work done to tell this story.
June 20, 2025
Buy this book for your pastor!!!
What a gift to read the story of a church that God has sustained and blessed for so many years. CHBC’s story clearly illustrates the power of prayer, importance of humility and faithful adherence to Scripture, and the impact that regular church members can have when they faithfully invest in their local church.
The story is very well told and incredibly researched, though listening to it muddled the dates a bit for me.
I’m a happy Presbyterian, but grew up in a Baptist church, where the leaders (hi dad!) learned a lot from CHBC’s 9Marks ministry and T4G. Hearing about Dever’s process of revising the constitution and implementing a plurality of elders reminded me of when my own church did that. It’s incredible to think of all the faithful men that have been impacted by this church!
The Baptist preachers kid in me was geeking out a little, gotta be honest.
What a gift to read the story of a church that God has sustained and blessed for so many years. CHBC’s story clearly illustrates the power of prayer, importance of humility and faithful adherence to Scripture, and the impact that regular church members can have when they faithfully invest in their local church.
The story is very well told and incredibly researched, though listening to it muddled the dates a bit for me.
I’m a happy Presbyterian, but grew up in a Baptist church, where the leaders (hi dad!) learned a lot from CHBC’s 9Marks ministry and T4G. Hearing about Dever’s process of revising the constitution and implementing a plurality of elders reminded me of when my own church did that. It’s incredible to think of all the faithful men that have been impacted by this church!
The Baptist preachers kid in me was geeking out a little, gotta be honest.
May 12, 2025
Couldn’t put it down and was honestly sad when it ended. Fascinating story. Fantastic storytelling.
I loved how the author didn’t skip over or soften the difficult parts of the church’s past. Both the positive and negative stories were captivating and deeply encouraging.
If I have one critique, it’s that I wish he had shown that same level of honesty when it came to the latest period of Capitol Hill’s history. From the start, I was curious how he would handle the T4G fallout and the growing divide in the Reformed world over how to address racial issues in the church. But when I finally got there, I was a little disappointed. Those final chapters didn’t have the same blunt honesty that made the rest of the book so powerful.
Still, I can’t recommend this book highly enough and I pray it sparks a whole wave of biographies on other churches.
I loved how the author didn’t skip over or soften the difficult parts of the church’s past. Both the positive and negative stories were captivating and deeply encouraging.
If I have one critique, it’s that I wish he had shown that same level of honesty when it came to the latest period of Capitol Hill’s history. From the start, I was curious how he would handle the T4G fallout and the growing divide in the Reformed world over how to address racial issues in the church. But when I finally got there, I was a little disappointed. Those final chapters didn’t have the same blunt honesty that made the rest of the book so powerful.
Still, I can’t recommend this book highly enough and I pray it sparks a whole wave of biographies on other churches.
July 21, 2025
I listened through the audio version of this book. I found it to be a very unique biographical writing. I love the way Morell tells thet story of every pastor in the church’s history. I think this was a very enjoyable book, but it also includes many warnings, I think, for those who either currently are in the pastorate or aspiring to be. Capital Hill has seen many pastors during its long history and there is much than can be gleaned from this book today. I definitely enjoyed this book and would recommend for anyone interested in hearing the long and rich history of this church in our nations capital.
August 31, 2025
You know that thing where you read a book that you like so much that you now like an entirely new genre? I’ve long known and been encouraged by biographies of faithful pastors. But this book zooms out — and by looking at one church through time you place pastoral work in its proper context. The pastor serves the church. And the church’s story is what really matters.
Bekka and I enjoyed listening to this one together. The story is well written enough for that to work well!
Bekka and I enjoyed listening to this one together. The story is well written enough for that to work well!
November 17, 2025
Did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Interesting snd encouraging. “Is the light of your church shining? What will it take to keep that light shining? Keep preaching the gospel, keep persevering in loving the church, and above all keep praying so that you may ignite a light set on a hill that cannot be hidden.”
January 4, 2026
Enjoyed the history. Encouraging to hear about 100+ year congregation’s journey and the challenges they faced. Would I recommend to a friend? Not sure. I found it a little slow at times. It could be because it was an audiobook. It did challenge me to think differently about what successful churches look like.
May 7, 2025
Well written and researched. Thankful how God works slowly through the ordinary means of grace in a church’s life. Thanks that CHBC has been a part of helping other see and discover these ordinary means.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews