First Baptist Church of Smithfield stands on the corner of Johnston and South Fourth Street, where Baptist worship has been offered to the people of Johnston County, North Carolina, since 1898. Today the church gathers in a 1949 sanctuary built after fire destroyed its predecessor three days before Christmas in 1942, and a stained-glass Chapel and Ministry Center now share the same downtown block. Generations of families have come to know this place simply as First Baptist, and the congregation's mission, Worship God, Teach the Word, Serve Our Community, is repeated across its bulletins, its preschool handbook, and the front of its sanctuary.
From Forty-Three Members in 1832 to a Downtown Anchor
The Baptist Church of Smithfield was organized on July 14, 1832, with forty-three members who met every third Sunday for worship, gathering on the Saturday before for a church conference. The first building went up on the corner of Church and Second Street, and during the 1800s the early congregation planted many of the other Baptist churches in the surrounding area. By the end of the century, Smithfield was growing rapidly because of the new tobacco market, the founding of the Bank of Smithfield, and a town ordinance banning hog pens inside the city limits. The church responded by buying land at Johnston and Fourth Street, where the present campus still stands, and construction on the new building began in 1902.
The 1942 Fire and the Sanctuary That Rose Again
In December 1942, a fire of unknown origin swept through the building. Only a few pews, the tower bell, and the cornerstone survived, and all three are still on the property today. The night of the fire, the congregation held an emergency meeting, accepted the offers of space from around town, and voted to rebuild. A temporary wooden structure went up on the same foundation while the parsonage was converted into Sunday School rooms. Ground was broken on a new sanctuary in 1945, and the first service in the rebuilt worship space was held on Easter Sunday 1949. Stained glass was added to the new sanctuary and the older Chapel in the years that followed, and the church continued to grow under a succession of pastors. The fire, the bell, and the cornerstone are still remembered as the hinge of the congregation's identity, and members often refer to the rebuilt sanctuary as something that was, in the church's own words, raised from the ashes.
Sunday Mornings: Sunday School at 9:19 and Worship at 10:15
The Sunday rhythm at First Baptist Smithfield begins with Sunday School classes for children, youth, and adults at 9:19 a.m., followed by Gathering and Morning Worship at 10:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Worship is intentionally blended: a traditional organ and the intergenerational Sanctuary Choir share the platform with a praise band, soloists, and the Praise Ringers handbell choir. The service is biblically centered, Christ centered, and described by the church as carrying a missional application, with preaching from the Word of God.
Dress runs from casual to business attire, and families are welcome to keep their children with them in the pews. Childcare is also available for young children, and parents can access quiet-bag tips, worship notes for children, and a printable guide on helping kids sit still in church. The service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel for those who cannot be present.
Wednesday Nights Around the Tables
Wednesday evenings have their own rhythm, running from January through March and again from September through November. Fellowship suppers are served in the Fellowship Hall from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m., with adults and youth paying $7, children ages 3 to 10 paying $4, children two and under eating free, and a $20 family cap. Cash or checks are the only accepted forms of payment. After supper, programming begins at 6:15 p.m.
Adults gather for Bible studies while the Sanctuary Choir rehearses at 7:15 p.m. The First Baptist Belles, the church's women's ensemble, practice at 6:00 p.m. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade rotate between Children's Choir and the Mission Journey program, preschool care is offered from birth through age two, and Mission Friends serves three- to five-year-olds. Youth in grades 6 through 12 meet at The Well in the Ministry Center on Johnston Street for Youth on Mission, working alongside the church's mission teams on a different project each week.
Children and Family Ministry
The children's ministry, led by Minister to Children and Their Families Suzette Mason, treats children as the church's greatest treasure and follows the Matthew 19:14 call to let the little children come to Jesus. On Sunday mornings, children begin in Sunday School at 9:19 a.m. and join their families for worship at 10:15 a.m. Sunday School classes range from the nursery through grade five, with the youngest classes meeting in the Babies, Toddlers, and 2-Year-Old rooms on the first floor of the Main Building, the 3- and 4-Year-Old class in Room 150, and the K-2 and 3-5 grades meeting in Room 250. Children's choir on Wednesday nights meets in Room 258, and the preschool choir uses Room 125.
Throughout the year, the children's ministry runs family events such as the Spring Family Lunch and Egg Hunt, F.I.S.H. Camp for completed kindergarten through fourth grade, a Preschool F.I.S.H. Camp for ages three and a half through five, and Vacation Bible School. The most recent VBS theme was Rainforest Falls: Exploring the Nature of God, a free half-day program for ages three through grade four. Children Summer Camp at Teen Valley Ranch in Plumtree, North Carolina, is open to rising third through sixth graders, with rising sixth graders attending the middle school track.
Students at The Well
First Baptist's student ministry gathers at The Well Youth Center, located inside the Ministry Center on Johnston Street, where middle and high school students meet throughout the week. On Sunday mornings at 9:19 a.m., Foundations I covers grades 6 to 8 and Foundations II covers grades 9 to 12. Sunday evenings during the school year are reserved for youth group, beginning with Open Gym at 4:00 p.m. and continuing with the youth gathering from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. are dedicated to Youth on Mission, a hands-on mission lab where students partner with church-wide mission efforts.
The student ministry describes its purpose in four words: discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, and service. Beyond the weekly schedule, students take part in a fall progressive dinner, a Thanksgiving Eve service in the Sanctuary, a winter trip to Busch Gardens Christmas Town in Williamsburg, the Segue Youth Choir Festival at Wake Forest Baptist Church, summer camp at Fort Caswell on Oak Island, and a Sunday evening Bible study on the book Not My Jesus. Preteen gatherings for grades three through five, called 3rd Sunday PRETEENS, mix a meal at a local restaurant with an outing and dessert.
Music and Worship Arts
Music is woven into nearly every corner of First Baptist Smithfield. The Sanctuary Choir leads worship weekly and rehearses on Wednesday nights at 7:15 p.m., with no audition required. The Praise Ringers Handbell Choir has been ringing at First Baptist since 1967 and represents the church at the NC Baptists' PraiseRing convention each year, rehearsing on Sunday nights from 6:00 to 7:20 p.m. A second, more casual bell ensemble called First Baptist Bells plays occasionally in worship for those who want to learn.
The Youth Worship Team leads worship on a few Sunday mornings each quarter, and the Children's Music program gathers preschoolers on Wednesday nights for songs, rhymes, movement, and hands-on mission activities. Music Minister Kim Hamilton leads the overall music ministry, with Jonathan Levin serving as Organist and Music Associate. Freedom Vespers: American Portraits, a concert presented with the Clayton Piano Festival and featuring Levin and operatic tenor Tyrone Chambers, is held on the church's campus as a free community event celebrating American folk songs, spirituals, jazz, and musical theatre.
Serving Smithfield and Johnston County
Serving the community is one of the church's three stated commitments, and several long-running ministries make it visible. The Clothes Closet, housed in the back of the Colbert Ministry Center on Fifth Street, has been in operation for thirty-three years. Open Mondays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon, it provides free clothing to anyone in the community who shows an ID; clients receive a bag of clothing for each family member along with Bibles, Sunday School literature, hygiene kits, and food when available. In 2024 the closet served 1,773 families and gave away 36,268 pieces of clothing. A separate Household Goods Closet meets as needed, and Love and Stitches Sewing Saints gather on Tuesday afternoons to sew blankets, clothing, and crafts that are distributed around the community.
The First Baptist Smithfield Community Kitchen prepares plates each Monday that go to shut-ins, the disabled, and food-insecure neighbors, and frozen meals and canned goods are kept available through the church office. Bread is picked up on Thursdays for families who need it, and during the summer the Unto Me ministry, led by Deacon Jennifer Narron-Hardy, delivers meals to children and families in need every Friday. Unto Me also grew out of a BackPack Buddies partnership with South Smithfield Elementary and includes the church's Christmas Silent Partner gift program. A Handyman Ministry builds accessibility ramps for neighbors who cannot afford them.
First Baptist Smithfield Preschool
Sharing the church's campus, the First Baptist Smithfield Preschool is a Christ-centered weekday program serving children ages two through five. Director of Weekday Early Education Kelsey Stevens leads a staff that keeps classrooms small, with ratios capped at twelve two-year-olds with two teachers, fourteen three-year-olds with two teachers, and sixteen four-year-olds with two teachers. The preschool runs mornings from 8:00 a.m. to noon and offers two-day, three-day, and five-day schedules. Tuition is $185 per month for two-year-olds on Tuesdays and Thursdays, $235 for three-year-olds on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and $320 per month for the five-day four-year-old class. A non-refundable $100 registration fee is due at enrollment.
The preschool's stated purpose is to partner with families to help every child feel loved by God, confident in their abilities, excited to learn, and ready for kindergarten. Its days blend art, literacy, math, science, music, dramatic play, sensory experiences, outdoor play, and Bible lessons. Registration for the coming school year opens each March with three days set aside for current students and their siblings, two days for First Baptist Church families, and a public registration day when names are drawn at random for any remaining spots.
Becoming a Part of the Story
For those who want to learn more, the church holds regular Membership Matters gatherings in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday mornings from 9:19 to 10:19 a.m., led by Pastor Kristen Tucker. These one-hour sessions walk newcomers through how the church began, where it is today, and how God is guiding it forward, and they include a guided tour of the facilities. Visitors who would like a personal visit can request one through a Google form, and guest relations are handled by Billie Pass, the church office receptionist. A 2026-2027 Nominating Committee Report and a Strategic Plan are also available as downloadable PDFs for anyone curious about how the congregation organizes its work.
Leadership and Pastoral Care
Pastor Kristen Tucker leads the pastoral team. Suzette Mason serves as Minister to Children and Their Families, Rev. Taylor Crumley as Minister to Youth and Their Families, Kim Hamilton as Minister to Music and Worship Experience, and Jonathan Levin as Organist and Music Associate. Janice Holland serves as Senior Office Administrator and Senior Adults Coordinator. The Board of Deacons, chaired by Frank Creech with Wil Barnes as Vice Chair and David Lasater as Secretary, oversees the congregation's ministry alongside the staff. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on Fridays.
A Place to Belong on Fourth Street
For almost two hundred years, First Baptist Church of Smithfield has been a steady presence on the corner of Johnston and Fourth Street. The stained glass, the 1949 sanctuary, the survivor bell from 1942, the F.I.S.H. campers in June, the Wednesday night suppers in the Fellowship Hall, the preschoolers practicing letters in Room 125, the handbell choir at the PraiseRing convention, and the Clothes Closet volunteers on a Monday morning all point back to the same three commitments: Worship God, Teach the Word, Serve Our Community.