Franklin Baptist Church on U.S. Highway 601 in Salisbury, North Carolina, is known for traditional worship, Bible-centered preaching, and a Sunday rhythm that brings worship, classes, and children's ministries together. Its motto is Where Love Abounds, and its mission is to lead people to experience a dynamic personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to share that commitment in their world.
Franklin Baptist's approach is warm, friendly, and people centered. The church wants its services to be uplifting, its messages from God's Word to be practical and applicable to daily life, and every age to have a safe place to connect with others and serve. Expository preaching, Sunday School, and ministry organized around children, youth, and adults shape much of the church's life.
Traditional Worship with Expository Preaching at Its Center
Lead Pastor Joe Thomas has served at Franklin for many years and brings decades of preaching experience. Educated primarily at Southeastern Seminary, he teaches that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God. Franklin Baptist calls its doctrine conservative.
Its worship style is traditional, and the preaching of God's Word is the centerpiece. Franklin Baptist practices expository preaching: in most sermons, one passage of Scripture is explained and applied. The church moves through books of the Bible over time, seeking the counsel found in them and studying difficult passages as well as familiar ones.
- A warm, friendly, people-centered approach to ministry
- An uplifting worship service
- Challenging, practical messages from God's Word that are Bible centered and applicable to everyday living
- A place for ministry involvement
- A safe place for people of all ages to connect with one another
Thomas emphasizes Biblical truth working through people's lives by the power of God for God's glory. He has said that trusting Jesus as a personal Savior brought forgiveness, joy, and fulfillment to his own life, and he points others toward fellowship, verse-by-verse preaching, a growing relationship with God, and service with the gifts God gives.
Sunday at 8:30, 10:00, 11:00, and 6:00
Three Sunday worship services create several ways to attend, with Sunday School and other ministries between them:
- 8:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning Early Service. No nursery worker is available for this service.
- 10:00 a.m. - Sunday School. Classes are offered for all ages, with nursery available for children up to age 2.
- 11:00 a.m. - Sunday Morning Regular Service. Nursery is available for children up to age 2, and Children's Church serves children ages 3 through 6 and 7 through 10.
- 5:00 p.m. - Choir Practice. The church choir meets for practice every Sunday afternoon.
- 6:00 p.m. - Sunday Evening Worship. Nursery is available for children up to age 2.
At 6:00 p.m., Sunday Evening Worship runs alongside Team Kids and the youth group. Team Kids meets in the church, while students in grades 7 through 12 meet in the Family Life Center across the street. This arrangement lets adults attend evening worship while their children participate in age-specific ministry.
Wednesday Night at 7:00 p.m.
The Wednesday schedule centers on a prayer meeting and includes two parallel children's ministries:
- Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Nursery care is available for children up to age 2.
- Wednesday Night Youth Group at 7:00 p.m. Students in grades 7 through 12 meet for an in-depth study in the Family Life Center.
- Wednesday Night Children's Ministry at 7:00 p.m. Mission Friends serves boys and girls ages 3 through 5, Girls in Action serves girls in grades 1 through 6, and Royal Ambassadors serves boys in grades 1 through 6.
Sunday School Is the Front Door to Fellowship
Sunday School begins at 10:00 a.m. and is the best way to connect with people and understand what church life is about. Classes function as small groups based on shared life stages or Bible-study interests, with knowledgeable teachers guiding the learning. Franklin Baptist presents this small-group setting as an important part of spiritual growth.
- Preschool, children, and youth classes are organized by age
- Adult classes are organized primarily around life stages
- Sunday School options are available for people of every age
After Sunday School, children in sixth grade and up stay in the worship services, while younger children have separate children's church ministries. The church emphasizes that several visits may be needed to understand whether Franklin Baptist is the right church home, but Sunday School offers an immediate way to meet people in a smaller group.
Nursery Care, Children's Church, and Team Kids
Franklin Baptist makes room for children throughout its weekly rhythm, with separate care and classrooms depending on the service:
- Sunday Morning Early Service at 8:30 a.m. No nursery worker is available.
- Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. Nursery is available for children up to age 2.
- Sunday Morning Regular Service at 11:00 a.m. Nursery is available for children up to age 2, while Children's Church serves ages 3 through 6 and 7 through 10.
- Sunday Evening at 6:00 p.m. Nursery is available for children up to age 2. Team Kids meets in the church with classes for ages 3 through 5, grades 1 through 3, and grades 4 through 6.
- Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Nursery is available for children up to age 2, alongside Mission Friends, Girls in Action, and Royal Ambassadors.
During Sunday evening worship and the Wednesday prayer meeting, adults commonly drop off younger children before joining the service. Franklin Baptist describes its nursery and children's church as a caring and safe atmosphere for children during worship.
The church's emphasis on children extends beyond providing a place for them to sit. Franklin Baptist says it invests in their future through Sunday School, children's worship, Bible teaching, and age-specific groups that help young people connect with the church at a level suited to them.
FBC Youth Grows Disciples Across the Street
Students in grades 7 through 12 meet at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday in the Family Life Center across the street from the church. Wednesday evenings center on an in-depth Bible study, while the youth group as a whole is described with a memorable rhythm of learning, laughing, growing, praising, loving, playing, and serving together.
Youth Minister Dustin Dupre wants each teenager to belong to a caring group where the student can connect with God through a personal relationship with Jesus, grow alongside caring adults and other believers, and discover the gifts God has given. The ministry emphasizes small groups and one-to-one conversations with teens as they seek to grow spiritually, emotionally, and developmentally.
- Study groups provide time for deeper Bible learning
- Camps and retreats offer shared experiences outside the regular meeting rhythm
- Mission trips place students in service beyond the church
- Community service and volunteering connect the group with local needs
- Special events give students additional opportunities to fellowship
Dupre teaches that young people need daily renewal of their minds through meditation on God's Word and that the church, as the body of Christ, is a vital part of life. The youth philosophy is to model sacrificial, Christlike living so teenagers can see Christianity as a real lifestyle, then trust God to use them to disciple others who will continue the process.
The ministry lives in fellowship and mutual respect, with accountability to God's Word as part of its life together. FBC Youth also maintains its own Facebook group for students and families connected to the ministry.
Prayer, Music, and Books at the Center of Church Life
Franklin Baptist maintains a standing prayer chain that participates in collective prayer alongside the pastors, staff, and congregation. The church presents prayer as especially powerful when it is shared with one person or many, and the Wednesday evening gathering gives families a regular time to join together in prayer.
Music is another significant part of church life. Music Director Bobby Safrit leads the music ministry and invites people to serve in the choir, on hand chimes, and with instruments. Choir practice takes place every Sunday afternoon at 5:00 p.m., preparing the church to sing in worship.
The church also maintains a library with many books for congregational use. Members may borrow books and return them when finished, making the library part of the church's continuing emphasis on learning and spiritual growth.
Covered-Dish Lunches, Breakfasts, and Monthly Fellowship
Several recurring gatherings extend fellowship beyond the regular worship schedule:
- Covered Dish Lunch meets on the first and third Sundays of each month after the 11:00 a.m. service in the Family Life Center.
- Baptist Men's Breakfast meets on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center.
- Women's Ministry, also called ROC meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
- The Double Nickels is the senior citizen group for ages 55 and older, with gatherings announced by the church.
These monthly rhythms give adults and seniors additional opportunities for conversation, encouragement, and shared meals. The Family Life Center makes several of them possible and gives the church a flexible setting for fellowship throughout the week.
A Family Life Center Built for Ministry and Fellowship
The Family Life Center stands across the street from Franklin Baptist Church and was built for Christian education, spiritual growth, missions, worship, fellowship, and Christ-centered recreation. It serves as a major ministry space for youth and adults and carries the same purpose as the church: the glory of God and the promotion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Active adult church members may request use of the building and must be responsible for and present when family members use it. Approved uses include:
- Bible studies and prayer meetings
- Mission conferences and association activities
- Anniversaries and family reunions
- Wedding receptions, showers, and birthdays
- Youth activities and other church-approved events
Reservations are scheduled through an online form, the facility chairperson, or the church secretary, and the church retains the right to approve or decline each request. Except for weddings, reservations generally cannot be made more than three months in advance because of the church's yearly calendar. Other uses are considered on a first-come, first-served basis. An approved user receives the key and is responsible for returning it the next day.
The building operates under explicit Christian standards. Alcoholic beverages, drugs, profanity, tobacco, dancing, raffles, games of chance, and non-Christian music are not permitted. Shirts must be worn, activities require supervision by an adult church member, and users must leave the building clean, orderly, and secure. If the facility is not cleaned after use, a minimum cleaning fee of $50 applies.
Biblical Truth, Grace, and the Life of the Church
Franklin Baptist calls its doctrine conservative and gives specific expression to its convictions. It believes there is one God, eternally existing and manifest in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal, and God is the creator and ruler of the universe.
Jesus is believed to be the only begotten Son of God. He was born of a virgin, is wholly God and wholly man, lived a sinless life, died as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind, was buried, arose from the grave, and ascended into Heaven. The church also believes in the literal, bodily return of Jesus Christ to Earth.
The Bible is affirmed as the Word of God, without error, and the sole authority for life. People are understood as a special creation of God made in His image, but humanity fell through the sin of the first man, Adam. All people are therefore sinners who need salvation.
Salvation is described as God's free gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ, but it must be accepted. Self-improvement and good works cannot make up for sin or earn Heaven. A person is saved by turning from a self-ruled life and turning to Jesus in faith, and eternal life begins when someone receives Jesus Christ by faith. The church's teaching is explicit that being basically a good person, doing more good than bad, or excusing smaller sins cannot establish salvation.
Every person who is truly saved is eternally secure in Jesus Christ. Those who die without faith in Jesus Christ spend eternity in Hell, while those whose sins are forgiven through faith in Christ spend eternity in Heaven. This is why the church places the salvific work of Christ at the center of its teaching: Jesus died for sin, rose from the grave, and makes a personal relationship with God possible through faith.
Water baptism is practiced in obedience to Christ and by immersion after salvation. The local church is defined as the body of baptized believers with Jesus Christ as its head. Each believer has direct access to God through Jesus Christ and the Bible. Franklin Baptist also believes in the separation of church and state, but not in the separation of God and government.
Teaching, Youth Discipleship, and Music Leadership
Lead Pastor Joe Thomas centers his ministry on Biblical truth, a dynamic personal relationship with Jesus, fellowship, and service. His teaching is expository and application-oriented, with the aim of helping people grow in their relationship with God and use their spiritual gifts in His service.
Youth Minister Dustin Dupre graduated from Piedmont International University with a degree in health and physical education. He and Flora Dupre have years of experience in youth ministry and seek to model a God-honoring family life while helping teenagers pursue faith that affects every part of their day.
Bobby Safrit leads the music ministry, including the choir, hand chimes, and opportunities for people who play instruments. His work supports both the Sunday worship services and the weekly choir practice that prepares congregational song.
Franklin Baptist's deacon board includes Jim Fero, Gene Hatfield, Keith Lippard, Jeff Rone, Bobby Safrit, David Smith, and John Suggs. Together with Thomas and Dupre, these leaders support the church's teaching, worship, youth discipleship, music, pastoral care, and practical ministry across the congregation.
Joining the Life of Franklin Baptist Church
Franklin Baptist welcomes people wherever they are in their spiritual journey. Membership is not required to worship, join a small group, or participate in classes. For those who want an initial or ongoing commitment to follow Christ, church membership provides a way to celebrate that commitment and pursue it together with others.
Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. remains the best place to meet people because its classes bring together people with similar life stages or Bible-study interests. Dress at Franklin Baptist ranges from suits to jeans. The church encourages visitors to wear whatever they would normally wear to another church or whatever makes them comfortable.
Watching Franklin Baptist from Home
The 11:00 a.m. Sunday service, 6:00 p.m. Sunday Evening Worship, and 7:00 p.m. Wednesday prayer meeting are livestreamed. The Watch Live option includes an open viewing location for everyone. A separate Facebook group is also used for services, but viewers there must have a Facebook account and belong to the Franklin Baptist group.
For a smart television, Roku, or FireStick, Franklin Baptist invites viewers to use the YouTube app and search for Franklin Baptist Church Salisbury NC. Past services can be watched through the church's YouTube video archive.
Franklin Baptist Church is located at 3810 Highway 601 in Salisbury. Directions to Franklin Baptist Church are available, and the church office telephone number is 704-633-6786. Offerings may be mailed to the church at the same address.
Franklin Baptist Church's identity is found in the rhythm of its life: Biblical preaching, Sunday School, children and youth discipleship, prayer, music, shared meals, and service through the Family Life Center. Its mission remains to lead people to a dynamic personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to share that commitment in their world.