Friendship Baptist Church is on Saeger Road in Grand Bay, in South Mobile County about six miles east of the Mississippi-Alabama state line and within five minutes of Exit 4 on I-10. The church is known for a wide-ranging church-family life: two Sunday worship gatherings, Sunday School for every age, Wednesday prayer and Bible study, a Spanish-speaking congregation, children's and student ministries, four bus routes, sports leagues, mission work in Guatemala, and practical service to people in distress. The church states its purpose simply: to help every person believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple, and build His kingdom.
Sunday at 9:00, 10:00, and 5:00
Friendship keeps a steady Sunday rhythm centered on Bible study, worship, and preaching. Sunday School begins at 9:00 a.m. for all ages. The 10:00 a.m. gathering is worship and the preaching of God's Word, and a second worship service begins at 5:00 p.m. The 9:00 classes are more than a general assembly: adult classes operate as small groups, while children, students, and senior adults have classes suited to their age.
- 9:00 a.m. Sunday: Sunday School and small-group Bible study for preschool through senior adults.
- 10:00 a.m. Sunday: Morning worship and preaching, with children's ministry accompanying the service.
- 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Evening worship.
- 10:00 a.m. Wednesday: Prayer meeting.
- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Prayer meeting, Student Bible Study, and children's RAs and GAs.
Children from birth through preschool age are cared for during the church's service times. The Wednesday evening gathering also gives students and children their own regular opportunities to study the Bible and participate in church life alongside the whole family.
Preaching and Singing at the Center
The worship pattern is distinctly congregational and biblical. Regular gatherings are built around Scripture, prayer, congregational singing, and special music. The church's worship has included an adult choir, a children's choir, a praise team, soloists, piano, and keyboard accompaniment. Music leadership belongs to Brad Hutto, while Pastor Teddy Turrentine and Associate Pastor Abel Garcia share pastoral responsibilities across the congregation.
Public professions of faith and believer's baptisms are part of the church's life together. Friendship also observes the Lord's Supper. These practices are woven into the church's emphasis on preaching the Word, responding to Jesus, and strengthening people in faith.
A Spanish-Speaking Church Family
Friendship also has a Spanish-language ministry that welcomes all ages. Spanish worship is held at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, with Bible study at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays. This ministry meets at a different location from the English services. Its direct contact number is 251-391-5048.
The Spanish-language ministry gives a concise expression of the church's overall purpose: to help every person believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple, and build His kingdom. That language of family is reflected in the way Friendship gathers across generations. Spanish-speaking families have a place in worship and Bible study, while the church's English-speaking ministries extend from nursery care and children's Sunday School to adult classes, student ministry, and senior-adult gatherings.
Children Begin in the Nursery
Friendship's nursery is described as a safe place for children from birth through pre-K. Children are encouraged to play, sing, and experience God's love there. Preschool care extends the same emphasis to children up to age five.
Friendship Kids serves children in first through fifth grade. Its goal is to partner with parents as children learn, believe, accept, and share God's Word. The schedule connects nursery and preschool care with age-specific teaching throughout the week:
- Sunday at 9:00 a.m.: Children's Sunday School.
- Sunday at 10:00 a.m.: Kid's Church.
- Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.: RAs and GAs.
- All service times: Nursery and preschool care.
Jason Fosmore leads the church's children and bus ministries, while Chelsea Staup leads preschool and nursery. Their work makes room for children to be included in the church's worship and teaching rhythm from their earliest years.
Students Grow in Gospel-Centered Small Groups
Friendship Students serves sixth through twelfth graders in small groups. Its message is simple and direct: students are not alone, and there is hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The student ministry seeks to reach students with the good news, bring others to the Kingdom, and help them grow through meaningful connection, discipleship, and the study of God's Word.
Students meet for Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., worship at 10:00 a.m., and Student Bible Study at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Associate Pastor Abel Garcia has led student gatherings alongside the church's sports ministry. The emphasis on small groups gives students a place to learn, talk about faith, and build relationships beyond the larger gathering.
One Sunday School, Many Generations
Small-group Bible study is offered for every age, from preschool to senior adults. Adult classes are intentionally small groups that meet each Sunday morning to build and strengthen relationships, study the Bible, and serve together. Friendship follows the example of Jesus teaching His disciples in a small-group setting, with classes gathered in the church's adult, youth, and children's spaces.
A dedicated men's class meets during the Sunday School hour. Jeff Holifield leads that class, and men who are not currently involved in a Sunday School class are invited to attend. The variety of classes reflects the church's conviction that Bible study should build relationships as well as knowledge, connecting study with discipleship and service.
Four Bus Routes Bring Families to Worship
Friendship's bus ministry has reached local families for more than four decades. It operates four routes that transport families and students to church every Sunday morning. Jason Fosmore serves as the church's bus and children's ministry director.
For people who do not have a ride, the routes provide a direct way to join the Sunday gatherings. The ministry also illustrates one of Friendship's recurring themes: participation in the church family should not depend on whether someone has transportation.
Sports Leagues and the Friendship Co-Op
Children's sports are another regular part of the church-family calendar. The schedule runs through three seasons:
- Fall: Flag football.
- Winter: Basketball.
- Spring: Soccer.
The leagues teach the fundamentals of each sport in a safe environment while showing the love of Jesus to families in the community. Children build core strength, balance, coordination, and confidence as they play with other families. The church has also used concession-stand proceeds to support student camps and mission opportunities.
Friendship Co-Op is a separate ministry for homeschool students and families in the Grand Bay area. It offers extracurricular activities, elective classes, and field trips. Together, the Co-Op and sports leagues give homeschool families additional ways to connect with other families and become involved in the life of the church.
Meals, Shelter, Recovery, and Local Care
Friendship says its family actively serves others within the community and abroad in obedience to Jesus. Its description of love for a neighbor becomes concrete through three recurring partnerships in Mobile County.
Meals and Supplies at McKemie Place
McKemie Place provides a safe haven for unaccompanied women in southwest Alabama, along with spiritual encouragement and access to resources that meet their needs and promote their well-being. Since 2014, Friendship has supported this work by providing meals, hygiene items, and cleaning supplies as needed. The church's involvement is practical, ongoing, and centered on meeting immediate needs.
Fellowship and a Meal at Mission of Hope
Mission of Hope is a residential Christian program focusing on men struggling with drug and alcohol dependency. On the fourth Friday of each month, Friendship joins the men for a time of singing, preaching, and fellowship. Volunteers then prepare and serve them a meal. The gathering combines spiritual encouragement with the tangible care of a shared table.
Sunday and Wednesday Care at Grand Bay Convalescent Home
Grand Bay Convalescent Home is a retirement and assisted-living facility serving the local community. Every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, a small team from Friendship leads a service of singing, preaching, and prayer for the residents. This regular ministry keeps older adults connected with the church through music, the Word, and shared prayer.
GRACE Ministries Takes Friendship Beyond Grand Bay
Friendship members have joined GRACE Ministries mission teams in Guatemala, sometimes traveling with people from several churches. Work on GRACE Mountain has included completing houses, preparing sites for further construction, distributing food, and supporting ministry connected with Colegio JET. The church has also directed funds toward emergency food needs for children in the El Tejar area.
Mission support is woven through many church activities. Annual cake auctions have raised money for emergency food needs, while Bags of GRACE have been filled and sent for distribution. Fundraising meals, sports concessions, and gifts to mission projects have also supported students, house construction, and ministry in Guatemala. Some mission trips place particular emphasis on students, allowing young people to participate directly in construction and service.
The result is a mission rhythm that combines prayer, fundraising, travel, construction, worship, and care for families. Whether working in Guatemala or serving nearby organizations in Mobile County, Friendship presents missions as an expression of obedience to Jesus and love for one's neighbor.
A Faith Expressed as Family
Friendship's purpose can be summarized in four verbs: believe, belong, become, and build. The church wants every person to believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple, and build His kingdom. That statement places faith, relationships, discipleship, and service together rather than treating them as separate parts of church life.
Scripture is central to that purpose. Friendship describes the Bible as God-breathed and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. It also describes Scripture as living and active. The same Word is studied in Sunday School classes, student small groups, children's ministries, and adult gatherings, while preaching and prayer remain central to worship.
Jesus Christ is explicitly at the center. The Spanish-language mission statement points to believing in Him for eternal life, the student ministry declares its hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the church's practices include believer's baptism and the Lord's Supper. For Friendship, being a follower of Jesus is expressed through Word-centered worship, belonging to a church family, becoming a disciple, and serving others.
Watch, Give, and Find the Church
Friendship's worship can be watched through the church's YouTube livestream. Online giving is available through the church's giving page, and new visitor information brings together the worship schedule, children's care, location, and ministry contacts.
The main church contact is (251) 445-5412 or info@friendshipfamily.net. The church also has a Facebook community and a YouTube channel. The church's address is 12581 Saeger Rd., Grand Bay, Alabama, close to I-10 Exit 4 in South Mobile County.
Friendship Baptist Church in Grand Bay is a multigenerational Baptist congregation whose week joins Scripture, worship, family, education, transportation, sports, local care, and mission. From nursery classrooms and student small groups to senior-adult classes, from four Sunday bus routes to the Grand Bay Convalescent Home, and from service at McKemie Place and Mission of Hope to mission teams in Guatemala, the church keeps returning to the same identity: help every person believe in Jesus, belong to a family, become a disciple, and build His kingdom.