History

Regency Baptist Church was started by Les Sears, along with his brother Merideth, and their families. The very first service was held on September 9th, 1990 in the Carmichael Civic Theater. The charter service was held on November 25, 1990. At that service, the church voted Les Sears, as the official pastor of the church, Merideth became the Youth Pastor. On Easter Sunday, 1991, the church began its first bus route, picking up children for Sunday School. In 1991, the church also started the Regency Baptist Academy.

For 72 weeks, the church remained at the Carmichael Civic Theater, and on the first Sunday of February, 1992, the church moved 10 miles away to Orangevale. Here the church rented a Methodist building on Walnut Avenue. The church remained in this building for the next 4 years. In late 1995, the church needed more room than the Walnut building could provide and so a 6 month lease was secured with the 7th Day Adventist Church on Pecan Avenue, in Orangevale. The church began meeting at the 7th Day Adventist building in March of 1996.

In July of 1996, Les Sears resigned his position as Pastor, and upon his resignation, the church approached Pastor Steve R. Nichols, then Pastor of Central Valley Baptist Church in Tracy/Manteca, CA, about Candidating for the Pastor position of Regency Baptist Church. After much prayer and consideration, he agreed to candidate. A vote was taken and Pastor Nichols became the Pastor with a unanimous vote. Pastor Nichols first day at Regency Baptist Church was August 5, 1996

Toward the end of August 1996, the 6 month lease of the 7th Day Adventist building ended. The Korean 7th Day Adventist church in Orangevale, agreed to a month to month lease with the church and services began to be held there in September of 1996.

In November of 1996, the Lord miraculously opened the door for the church to purchase 4 acres of property on Hazel Avenue in Orangevale from the Orangevale VFW, for $245,000.00. The property had a small hall on it and a 3 bedroom home. The home was remodeled into nursery space, classrooms and offices, and the Hall was used as the church Auditorium. After completely remodeling the buildings, and hauling tons of garbage and old farm equipment off the property, the first service was held at the new property on July 20th, 1997.

In 2001, the church began making plans to build a new Auditorium on the property. The County of Sacramento required curb and gutter and a Parking Lot to be installed before any buildings could be built, as well as all the electric, water and sewer for the future buildings. It was then decided to put up a temporary Auditorium, before beginning work for the permanent structure. It took 4 years to get from an idea to the day work began. A lighted and landscaped parking lot was installed, as was a new 5-wide modular building for the temporary Auditorium of the church.

Currently, the church is finishing up this project, and hoping to build a permanent Auditorium sometime in 2008 or 2009. God has done miraculous things for Regency and many, many souls have been brought to the Saviour over the past years.

We are grateful to those who started this great work, to those who continue it today, and to our wonderful Lord. It is our prayer that through our church our city will know that “There is a God in Sacramento/Orangevale” [I Samuel 17:46]. It is to Him we give all the honor of the prise!