On Crowder Road in Raleigh
On Crowder Road in Raleigh, Highland Baptist Church has spent more than seven decades inviting neighbors, newcomers, and longtime regulars into Bible study, worship, and service. The church's motto - love God, grow disciples, serve others - sums up what the staff describes as a comfortable, casual approach to faith. Worship is intergenerational, music is mixed, and the building is in regular use by children, youth, adults, and seniors alike. The church traces its identity to the Southern Baptist tradition and partners with the Raleigh Baptist Association and Baptists on Mission.
Sundays at Highland: Bible Study and Worship
Every Sunday at Highland follows the same basic rhythm. At 9 a.m., age-graded Sunday school classes meet across the campus for Bible study. Adults gather in small groups for conversation about the Bible and mutual encouragement. Children from birth through fifth grade meet in classes designed to walk them through how the many stories of Scripture connect into God's plan of redemption, and middle and high school students gather on the youth hall at the same hour.
At 10:30 a.m., the congregation moves into the sanctuary for worship. Children aged 3 through third grade start in the sanctuary to sing with their parents, then are dismissed partway through to their own Kids Church, where they dig deeper into the Bible story. Extended Session is offered for children ages 0-2 throughout the 10:30 a.m. service. The staff describes the service itself as comfortable and casual, and the music as a mix of songs aimed at an intergenerational congregation.
For those who cannot attend in person, a sermon library is kept up to date with recent series, including studies through 1 and 2 Timothy, Advent, prayer, and the book of Malachi. Sermons are also available as a podcast.
From Hilltop Drive to Crowder Road
Highland Baptist Church was founded in 1954 on Hilltop Drive in Raleigh. The congregation met there for more than three decades before outgrowing the space. In February 1988, services moved to an interim location at Vandora Springs Elementary School in nearby Garner, where the church membership continued to grow. On October 7, 1990, the first services were held at the present site on Crowder Road, where the church has remained since.
The church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist tradition. It partners with the Raleigh Baptist Association - a partnership of Baptist churches in the Wake County area for resources, training, missions, and ministry - and is supported in its preschool work by the North Carolina Baptist State Convention.
A Mix of Music for Every Generation
Music is woven through nearly everything at Highland. Shelley, the Music Minister in her tenth year on staff, leads the full range of musical offerings: adult and children's choirs, handbells, soloists, and vocal and instrumental ensembles. She often composes and arranges music tailored for each group and serves as accompanist as well. The goal of the music ministry, in her words, is to bring warmth and culture to Highland's gatherings and to use music to foster community and deepen worship.
The choir rehearses on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and performs in worship on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Children's Choir meets seasonally on Sundays at 5 p.m., and Highland Bells (handbells) rehearse seasonally on Sundays at 6 p.m. Small ensembles and the AV team also welcome volunteers. Auditions are open for the Praise Team, Praise Band, and Small Ensembles.
Children and Youth at Highland
Children from birth through fifth grade find a full slate of programming at Highland. Nursery and preschool care is available for the youngest, with age-graded Bible study classes at 9 a.m. and Kids Church at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3 through third grade. Vacation Bible School fills one week each summer with activities for children ages 3 through fifth grade. Special events are planned throughout the year to build relationships among families.
The youth ministry reaches middle and high school students under Eric, who has been serving in youth ministry since 2013. Sunday Bible study for youth meets at 9 a.m. on the youth hall, and Thursday evenings at 7:30 bring youth back together for Youth Bible Study. Outings and events are listed on the church's Instagram and calendar. Eric's desire, as he puts it, is to see young people grow spiritually, discover God's purpose for their lives, and know that he will be here to support and encourage them.
The Joy Class: A Special Needs Ministry Since 1984
One of the most distinctive ministries at Highland is the Joy Class, a Sunday school class for individuals with special needs. Highland was one of the founding churches in the Triangle area for this kind of ministry, and the Joy Class has met continuously since 1984. The class meets every Sunday at 9 a.m. alongside the rest of the Sunday school.
Its purposes are practical as well as spiritual. The class makes it possible for every member of a family to attend their own Sunday school class. It encourages class members to take part in the wider life of the congregation, on the conviction that everyone has something to offer to the glory of the Lord. It provides a nurturing learning environment that focuses on God's plan of salvation. And it gives families time for respite and recreation while their loved one is cared for and taught. The church partners with Able to Serve, a day program that supports adults with disabilities in the community.
Young at Heart Senior Adults
Highland's Young at Heart ministry gathers adults aged 55 and older for breakfast on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. The group welcomes both members and non-members from the wider neighborhood. Throughout the year, activities extend to day trips, overnight trips, luncheons, canned-goods drives for local food banks, and service projects for church-sponsored endeavors. The goal is to combine praise and fellowship with practical service and good fun.
Missions: Local Hands, Far-Reaching Partnerships
Missions at Highland is described by the church as active and varied. Locally, the Ramp Ministry builds handicap ramps for neighbors who cannot provide for themselves. Members support the Food Pantry and the Garden of Hope at Community of Hope Ministries in Garner, where at-risk families receive nutrition assistance, crisis assistance, after-school tutoring, and other programs. Disaster relief is organized in partnership with Baptists on Mission. Each summer, the church takes a week-long mission trip to a location that varies from year to year, with projects ranging from construction work and Vacation Bible School to nursing home visits and cooking.
Highland also partners with several other organizations. With Love from Jesus is an evangelical outreach to the needy in Raleigh and surrounding areas. Raleigh Rescue Mission serves men, women, and children experiencing homelessness through physical, emotional, and spiritual care. Caring Connections Ministry is a mentoring program for women in the greater Raleigh area facing barriers such as poverty, substance misuse recovery, re-entry after justice involvement, or underemployment. The Raleigh Baptist Association and the North Carolina Baptist State Convention round out the church's network of denominational and ministry partnerships.
The Child Enrichment Center
Sharing the Highland campus is the Child Enrichment Center, a weekday preschool that grew out of the church's own commitment to children. The CEC serves children ages 1 through 5 and operates Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The center uses a developmentally appropriate, Bible-centered curriculum that is fully supported by the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, and every enrolled child receives a weekly Bible fun class.
The center is directed by Kim Payne. Tuition for the school year is set annually, with a $100 non-refundable registration fee and 3-day and 4-day options. Tuition may be paid as a one-time payment or automatically drafted from a bank account or credit/debit card. Registration for the 2026-2027 school year opens to the public on January 20, 2026, at 8 a.m.
What Highland Believes
Highland's beliefs are laid out in ten statements of faith. The church affirms one God who reveals Himself in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and the Bible as the inspired and authoritative guide for Christian life. Salvation is described as an unmerited gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ, with each person free to respond. Every believer is considered a priest and a minister, gifted by God for ministry and called to share the Good News through words and deeds. Religious freedom is upheld, and faith is to be shared graciously in love.
The church teaches that Christ is the head of the Church and that, under Christ, each church is an autonomous community of worship, faith, and fellowship. The ordinances of believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper are observed. Marriage is defined as the uniting of one man and one woman in a lifelong covenant, and parents are charged with teaching children biblical truths.
Pastors and Staff
Senior Pastor Larry G. Stephens began his ministry at Highland in September 2025. A graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministries and a Master's degree in Christian Studies, Pastor Larry has spent more than fifteen years in pastoral ministry. He and his wife Traci have three sons - Noah, Logan, and Abram - and enjoy short-term mission trips together. His approach to ministry centers on the Word of God as the source of the church's vitality and on disciple-making as its mission.
Eric, the Youth Minister, has served in youth ministry since 2013 and joined the Highland staff after his wife Courtney first brought him to the church in 2011. Shelley, the Music Minister, is a Raleigh-based conductor, composer, music director, and educator with a career spanning more than two decades across sacred, academic, and theatrical stages. Max has served as Treasurer since March 2020 and is especially active with the Missions Team and the Abundant Life Sunday School Class, as well as on the Board of Directors for Community of Hope Ministries. Jordan, the Administrative Assistant, supports the staff and ministry leaders and serves in the youth and children's ministries. A background check is required for all volunteers serving with children, students, or special ministries.