Rooted in Fayetteville Since 1868
First Baptist Church on Moore Street sits in a quiet stretch of downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina, in the historic Moore Street neighborhood that takes its name from a pastor who served the congregation more than a century ago. The two-story brick building at 302 Moore Street is the home of the oldest Missionary Baptist church in the city, a family of faith whose members describe themselves simply with the words Welcome Home to Family. A congregation that began meeting in a small house just three years after the end of the Civil War now runs a food pantry, a free clothes closet, seven choirs, and a Sunday school that fills classrooms for every age from nursery through high school seniors.
Its vision statement looks outward: Doing Bold New Things To Connect Fayetteville and the World to Jesus Christ. That outward posture is shaped by a heavy military presence in the pews. The church draws soldiers and their families from Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), and the pastor's own message notes that worship and Bible study are structured to welcome service members who are stationed, on temporary duty, or moving through the area.
From a Small House to a Downtown Campus
The congregation traces its beginning to 1868, when a small group of Christians gathered not far from the long shadow of slavery. In early 1877 the group bought land at Franklin and Maxwell Streets and put up a two-room frame worship building. A fire soon destroyed that first structure, and a more substantial one was built under the pastorate of Reverend Turner.
Between 1868 and 1895 the young church was shepherded by Reverends Turner, Tyler, Fairley, Bayne, W. H. Andrews, N. W. Newsom, and R. H. Harris. Reverend George W. Moore followed in 1895 and served until 1903. The Moore Street area where the present church stands takes its name from him; he organized one of the first schools for Black children in the region, known as Cedar Falls.
Reverend Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith succeeded Moore in 1903 and served until 1906. An educator and statesman, he is remembered by the naming of E. E. Smith High School, and the stained-glass window that still adorns the front of the sanctuary was his gift in memory of his wife, Mrs. Willie Ann Smith. When the old Franklin Street building was later demolished, the window was carefully removed and set into the new one.
Through the next decades the pastoral line included Reverend N. M. Newsome (1906-1908), Reverend James Scarlette (1908-1918), and a brief return by R. H. Harris in 1918. Reverend Hammond Glasgow Pope came in 1919 and left in 1923 for Philadelphia. Reverend Dr. Thomas H. Dwelle, called from Tupper Memorial Baptist Church in Raleigh, led the church for nearly three decades, from 1923 to 1952. An E. E. Smith teacher honored by Lincoln University with a Doctor of Divinity in 1939, Dr. Dwelle is buried in Brookside Cemetery and remembered in the name of the street into Topeka Heights.
Reverend Dr. Chancy Rudolph Edwards preached his first sermon as pastor in 1953 and stayed for thirty-seven years. Under his leadership the present church building was completed and dedicated in 1963 at a cost of $300,000, with a nursery for infants through age six and a Children's Church for children up to ten. In 1973 the church developed Topeka Heights, a 150-unit low and moderate-income housing complex that was the first of its kind in Cumberland County, and in 1974 it built Edwards Place, an 18-unit complex for the elderly named in his honor. The North Wing, housing conference and choir rooms, was added in 1976.
On the first Sunday in June 1991, Reverend Dr. Cureton Lee Johnson took the pulpit and coined the phrase With Christ, Your Future Is Brighter than Your Past. A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, American University, Shaw Divinity School, and Drew University, Dr. Johnson broke ground in 1999 for Grace Place, a two-million-dollar Christian center that today holds a library and learning center, nursery, children's church, kitchen, lounge, clothes closet, and a multipurpose room for neighborhood and outreach ministries. He broke ground for the Sesquicentennial Hall on February 25, 2018, and that two-million-dollar building was dedicated on March 31, 2019. He retired as Senior Pastor on January 27, 2019 and is now Pastor Emeritus.
Reverend Dr. Fredrick D. Culbreth preached his first sermon as the current Senior Pastor on the first Sunday of April 2019, having previously served Second New Light Missionary Baptist Church in St. Pauls, North Carolina. A native of Twin City, Georgia, retired from the U.S. Army as a Senior Warrant Officer after more than twenty-one years of service, Dr. Culbreth holds a Bachelor of Science from Liberty University and both Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Campbell University Divinity School. He serves as President of the Pastors and Ministers Conference of the Union Missionary Baptist Association and received the Rhythm of Gospel Pastors of Excellence Award in 2019.
Sunday Morning, Wednesday Midday, and Wednesday Night
Worship at First Baptist Moore Street is built around a steady weekly rhythm. Sunday School gathers at 8:50 AM, and the morning worship service begins at 10:15 AM. The service is livestreamed on Facebook Live and on the church's YouTube channel, 1stBaptistMoore, and an online watch page carries the same feed for those who cannot be in the sanctuary.
On Wednesdays the church gathers in two smaller settings. A Noon Day Prayer call is held by teleconference at 12:00 PM, and a SOW Bible Study follows at 6:30 PM, also by teleconference and simultaneously on Facebook Live and YouTube.
Joining the church is structured around four paths laid out for newcomers: Baptism by immersion for new believers, Letter for those transferring from another Baptist body, Christian Experience for believers who want to move an existing membership, and Restoration for those returning after a period away. A New Member Registration Form gathers the details.
Seven Choirs, One Sanctuary
Music is woven through the life of the church. The Sanctuary Choir sings on the first Sunday of each month, drawing from traditional gospel songs, hymns, spirituals, and choral music. The Male Chorus brings quartet harmony to the second Sunday. The God Squad Choir, a group of twelve- to seventeen-year-olds directed by Jewelyn Dunn, sings contemporary gospel. Kids for Christ, children ages five to eleven, use their musical gifts in the same vein. The Gospel Choir performs contemporary music on the fourth Sunday, and the Praise Team leads a small but growing ensemble in praise and worship. The Mass Choir combines every voice in the congregation, and the Chamber Choir offers a more classical style during special services and occasional fifth-Sunday Sundays.
All of the choirs welcome new members. The energy across the seven groups is what gives the 10:15 AM worship its sound.
Feeding the Neighborhood: Food, Clothing, and Holiday Care
Outreach is a daily practice at Moore Street. The Mary Jarrell Food Pantry is named for the late Mrs. Mary Jarrell, a member whose compassion led her to start a food ministry with the approval of Dr. Johnson. Community members can stop by at any time to receive a snack bag or a box of groceries.
The Dorcas Clothes Closet, housed in Grace Place, opens to the public on Wednesday mornings and offers men's, women's, and children's clothing free of charge. The Culinary Ministry supports the rest of this work by planning, purchasing, preparing, and serving food at church activities and functions.
Other outreach efforts include Angel Tree for the Prison 21 Ministry, Lott Carey mission trips for youth, an annual Community Day of Love, and holiday food and necessities shared at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Healthcare Providers ministry offers first aid and immediate medical attention during services and special events, and a state-of-the-art audio video system, run by trained volunteers and media professionals, broadcasts the church in high definition across its online platforms.
Sunday School, Bible Study, and a Step into Discipleship
Christian Education at First Baptist Moore Street is described as the moral and spiritual instruction of believers in general and of children in particular, training students to understand the truth of Scripture and share their faith confidently. Sunday School precedes the 10:15 AM worship and offers classes for every age group. A weekly Bible study, a week-long Vacation Bible School each summer, a Men's Bible Study, a Women's Bible Study, and the Youth Missionary Literacy Club round out the year-round offerings.
The youth ministry is anchored by Sunday School classes for nursery through high school, a Children's Church that runs during the worship hour, and a weekly Bible study split by Elementary, Middle, and High School. Within the youth program, the Deb and Beau Ministry walks high school seniors through the year of transition after graduation, the Youth Missionaries lead community service, the Missionary Literacy Club uses reading and writing activities to build comprehension at grade level, the NIA girls' mentoring and IMANI boys' mentoring programs build one-on-one faith relationships, and the Oratorical Ministry offers writing and public speaking experience.
Men, Women, and One-to-One Care
The church hosts a Laymen's League that has been part of First Baptist for more than a hundred years, promoting Christian fellowship among men and coordinating the manpower of the congregation for the annual Men's Day program and the Imani project. The Missionary Circle brings together ten named groups - Lydia, Ruth and Young Adults, Claudia, Deborah, Dorcas, Hannah, Anna, Lois, Priscilla, and Eunice - and is led by Dr. Janice Smith Coaxum. The Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential one-to-one Christian care to members of the congregation and the surrounding community who are going through difficult times.
Deacons, nominated by the congregation and chosen for moral character and spiritual maturity, assist the pastor in the spiritual welfare of the church. Trustees serve as custodians of all property and review contracts and financial records. A Death Notification form, a Prayer Request form, a Utility and Facility Request form, and a Ministry Media Request form are all in regular use.
Beliefs, Affiliations, and the Wider Baptist Family
First Baptist Moore Street is a Missionary Baptist church built on three core values: Evangelism, Discipleship, and Stewardship. The church teaches that Christ died for the remission of the sins of humanity and that salvation is available by confession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Members see themselves as disciples called to continue the work of Christ in the world, and they support the ministry of the church with their time, talents, temple, and treasure, mindful that every good gift comes from God.
The congregation is active in four denominational bodies: the Union Missionary Baptist Association, the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention, and the National Baptist Convention. Pastor Culbreth currently leads the Pastors and Ministers Conference of the Union Missionary Baptist Association.
Giving, Visiting, and Getting Connected
Giving is offered in six ways: text-to-give by texting 1st to 73256, Zelle using the code 302FBCMOORE, the Givelify app, the church's Realm giving portal, the online giving page on the church website, and mailed contributions to 302 Moore Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301.
Visitors can find the church office at 302 Moore Street, telephone +1 910-483-6505, email office@1st-baptist.com, or follow updates on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X under 1stBaptistMoore. The church building rises in the same Moore Street neighborhood it has called home for generations, and the welcome at the door still reflects the motto of its founding community: Welcome Home to Family.