A Baptist Presence on Hope Mills Road
Lafayette Baptist Church sits on Hope Mills Road on the south side of Fayetteville, North Carolina, just a short drive from downtown and the neighborhoods that line the Cape Fear River. The congregation has called this location home for years and now gathers people from across Cumberland County, including many connected to nearby Fort Liberty and the families who cycle through the area every few years. The church's tag line - Changing Lives, Building Community, Living with Purpose - reflects the three-part vision that shapes everything from Sunday services to the soup pots carried down to the city's homeless mission lodge.
The people of LaFayette describe themselves as a body of believers who hold to a distinctive Baptist heritage while remaining open and welcoming. Sunday mornings move from corporate worship into age-graded Bible study, and the rhythms of the week extend well beyond the church walls. Mission trips, a community garden, a Little Free Pantry, a monthly meal for neighbors without housing, and a long-running partnership with the local nonprofit Operation InAsMuch are all part of the same calling: to follow Christ and serve the people of Fayetteville in tangible ways.
Sundays at LaFayette
Morning Worship begins at 9:30 AM in the Worship Center, with a nursery available for the youngest children. The 10:45 AM hour is set aside for Bible Study for All Ages, when classes meet for every age group from one-year-olds through senior adults. The materials used in each class are chosen for that age group, with attention to scripture and to everyday application.
First-time visitors are greeted at the door with a smile and pointed to convenient guest parking that runs along Hope Mills Road and sits next to the Worship Center entrance; directional signs are posted on the street. Ushers and a staffed Welcome Center are ready to help with finding a Bible study class, locating the nursery, or simply getting oriented. People are not asked to sign anything or give anything if they prefer not to.
The worship itself is described by the church as both reverent and full of life. Members speak of sensing the presence of God in the room, hearing Biblically-based messages that are practical and honest, and finding worship that is Spirit-filled without being one-dimensional in style. Dress is whatever feels right - the church has no formal dress code, and jeans and a coat are just as welcome as a suit and tie.
A note on Holy Week: Maundy Thursday is held in the evening and includes a remembrance of the Last Supper. Easter Sunday gathers the church for worship and communion, with Sunday School and Bible study set aside that morning so the whole congregation can focus on the celebration.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Midweek programming is built around the meal-time idea of Table Talk, a deliberately intergenerational Bible study that meets at 5:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Doors open at 5:00 PM, and people are encouraged to bring their dinner. The format is open and conversational: prayers are shared for specific needs, encouragement is offered, and a Bible passage is read and worked through together. The study runs through the school year and takes a break from June through August for summer.
At the same 5:30 PM hour, the Kids' Music and Missions program meets for children. Songs, a missions story or activity, and a gospel-centered lesson fill the evening in a way that mirrors the adult study but in language and rhythm suited to younger disciples. Later in the evening, the LBC Choir rehearses at 6:30 PM in the Music Suite, preparing music for the coming Sunday service and the special events that mark the church year.
Children, Youth, and Families
Children and families are central, not peripheral, at LaFayette. The congregation values its work with preschoolers and grade-schoolers as something that shapes the life of the whole church. All adult volunteers who work with children are background checked and trained, and Sunday School teachers receive additional training through Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children program. A full set of Children and Youth Ministry Policies and Procedures is kept current and made available to parents.
The toddler and preschool class, for children ages 1 to 4, uses age-appropriate play, simple Bible stories, songs, and crafts to introduce little ones to the love of Jesus. The elementary Sunday School class takes children deeper into the Bible through stories, verse memorization, hands-on activities, and games, and the teachers are committed to helping each child know they are loved by God.
Family Ministry is built around the recognition that no two families look alike. Parents and children spend time together through outdoor fun days, visits to local arcades, and trips to the roller skating rink. Vacation Bible School is held each summer, drawing children from kindergarten through fifth grade for a week of Bible learning, music, and games that center on the life of Jesus from birth to resurrection. Other family-friendly events through the year include a Back-to-School Bash with games and a shared lunch, a Kids Field Day in the spring, a Kid's Science Day in the summer, and a Parent's Day Out that doubles as a children's art event.
The Youth Ministry serves students in sixth through twelfth grades and is led by Sammie Carson, the church's Minister of Youth, Children, and Families. The weekly rhythm includes Bible study and discipleship times, fellowship, and corporate worship, and the larger calendar adds retreats and summer camps. Past summer trips have included GENERATE Summer Camp at Western Carolina University, with white-water rafting and a visit to Dillsboro on the side, and a fall youth beach retreat at Fort Caswell on the North Carolina coast, held jointly with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina.
KeenAgers: A Community of Seasoned Adults
Lafayette's seniors have their own identity as the KeenAgers, a name the church has used for years to describe adults age 50 and up who are, in their words, "keen" to keep learning and serving. The KeenAgers gather on the first Thursday of each month from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. They sing, laugh, share a meal (either by going out to a local restaurant or by bringing food in), celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and look for ways to minister to the church, the neighborhood, and the wider world.
Trips have become a hallmark of the group. Past itineraries have included the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, with stops at Monticello, the University of Virginia, Luray Caverns, the Skyline Drive, Woodrow Wilson's home in Staunton, and the Appomattox Courthouse. The KeenAgers also pitch in on church-wide outreach and serve as an experienced volunteer base for many of the church's ministries.
Missions: Inside Fayetteville and Beyond
Outreach is one of the most visible expressions of LaFayette's faith. The Missions Ministry organizes the church around three commitments: educating believers about missions, supporting missionaries and ministries through prayer and giving, and touching the world with the hope of Christ by meeting both physical and spiritual needs. The church partners with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, the Welcome House Network for refugees, and a number of other local and regional ministries.
Helping Hands Homeless Ministry is a long-running monthly outreach. On the second Friday of each month, a team from the church meets in downtown Fayetteville to serve a hot spaghetti dinner to people experiencing homelessness, alongside other local churches that share the work. A short message of gospel hope is shared with those who come for the meal.
Operation InAsMuch is a long-time partner of LaFayette Baptist. The local nonprofit grew out of a movement to serve "the least of these," and LaFayette sends rotating teams of volunteers to serve breakfast at the Mission Lodge on Hillsboro Street in downtown Fayetteville several times a year. The church also sets aside an annual Operation InAsMuch Blitz Day, a Saturday dedicated to serving the neighborhoods of the church's own zip code through practical acts of service.
Other ongoing mission efforts include:
- A Little Free Pantry near the church's back parking lot, started as an Eagle Scout project, where neighbors can take what they need or leave items to share.
- A Community Garden that provides fresh produce to neighbors, local charities, and homebound members; volunteers are welcome year-round.
- Quarterly LBC-led giving through the Cooperative Program and special offerings.
- Year-round prayer support for missionaries and ministry partners around the world.
Music, Worship, and the Arts
Music is woven into the worship life of the church. The LBC Choir leads Sunday morning worship and is open to adults of all ages as well as youth, with weekly rehearsals on Wednesday nights in the Music Suite. The choir prepares music for weekly services and the special services of the church year.
The church is currently searching for a part-time Music Minister to plan and lead weekly worship music, direct the choir, support congregational singing, and coordinate music for special services and seasons. Past musical highlights have included patriotic and worship concerts in which LaFayette has joined other churches and community musicians for large-scale community events, pairing vocal ensembles with orchestral accompaniment.
What LaFayette Believes
Lafayette identifies its life and ministry around five core values, each grounded in scripture.
- God-focused worship (Romans 12:1). Worship is meant to be a corporate, intergenerational family experience. The church values authentic, Spirit-filled worship that can take many forms and flows into every other act of service.
- Equipping people (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). The church exists to help believers grow into Christlikeness through spiritual formation, leadership, and the discovery and use of spiritual gifts.
- Nurturing all people (Ephesians 3:16-19; Hebrews 10:24-25). Care for the whole person - spiritual, emotional, and physical - is part of what it means to be the body of Christ, both inside and outside the church walls.
- Communicating the gospel to all people (John 3:16; Matthew 28:18-19). Outreach flows from authentic relationships and is reinforced by the church's involvement in local, state, and global mission work.
- Meeting physical needs to share hope (Matthew 25:40). Service to neighbors in need is a means of sharing the hope of Christ, not a substitute for it.
Baptist convictions about the priesthood of all believers, the autonomy of the local congregation, and the importance of believer's baptism by immersion are part of the church's heritage and undergird the way decisions are made and ministry is shared.
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
Dr. Kevin Moore serves as Senior Pastor. He preaches, leads the congregation in worship, and provides pastoral leadership for the staff and ministries of the church. Sammie Carson serves as Minister of Youth, Children, and Families, overseeing the full scope of work with children, students, and family ministry. The Music Minister position is currently open; the church is prayerfully seeking a part-time leader who can plan and direct music for worship, lead the adult choir, and develop the musical gifts of those in the congregation.
Deacons serve alongside the pastoral staff, ministering to the needs of the congregation and partnering in special projects outside the church body.
Becoming Part of the Church
Lafayette describes a simple, deliberate path for anyone considering a deeper commitment. Those curious about following Christ or about believer's baptism are invited to a Next Steps conversation that introduces the life of the church and the meaning of baptism. Visitors who want to explore membership can connect with a staff member or deacon; those ready to take the next step are walked through baptism and the covenant of church membership with care and prayer.
Giving and Getting Connected
Giving is one way members and friends participate in the life of the church. Online giving is available through the church's Realm portal. Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 43935, Fayetteville, NC 28304. The offering plate is also available before Sunday worship, and gifts may be dropped off at the church office Monday through Thursday during the week.
Information about Bible study classes, special needs, upcoming events, and ways to serve is always available at the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings or by calling the church office at (910) 425-1306 during the week. A monthly newsletter and a full events calendar keep the congregation connected to what is happening throughout the year, and Sunday morning worship is livestreamed online for those who cannot attend in person.