A Family of Faith on South Main Street
North Wake Church sits on South Main Street in Wake Forest, North Carolina, a Southern Baptist congregation that has been steadily sending its members, missionaries, and church planters to the corners of Wake County and the far ends of the globe. From its campus of connected buildings just south of Wake Forest's historic downtown, the church has grown into a multigenerational family of faith whose three great loves - knowing God, growing together, and going out - shape everything from Sunday worship to midweek small groups to its annual retreat calendar.
The church describes itself plainly: North Wake Church is a family of faith that exists to know the love of God in Jesus Christ, to grow in love for one another, and to go in love to reach neighbors near and far. Carson Cobb, who serves as lead pastor, has said that every act of worship, every step of growth in community, and every effort to reach neighbors flows from the gospel - the good news that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have always existed in joyful relationship, that humanity was made to share in that love, that sin broke the harmony, and that Christ came to restore what was lost.
Knowing, Growing, Going: The Shape of the Mission
The three verbs are intentionally linked. Knowing is the starting place. North Wake teaches that a true believer is eternally secure in Christ, that salvation is wholly a work of God's grace received through repentance and faith, and that the Bible in its entirety is the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice. Growing is the visible life of the church: members caring for one another, mentoring one another, stirring one another up to love and good works through Grow Groups, Sunday morning adult classes, and the rhythms of shared life. Going is the outward thrust - members praying for, caring for, and sharing the love of Christ with the community where they live, work, and play, and supporting more than thirty-five families and individuals serving around the world.
Craig Morrisette, an elder who directs the HOPE Counseling Center, often tells the church that the gospel connects with everyday life. That conviction runs through every ministry: the children's classes teach the same big story of the Bible, the student ministry walks through books of Scripture together, the women's ministry gathers around a yearly retreat theme, and the missions team trains ordinary members to share the gospel with neighbors.
What North Wake Believes
North Wake holds to eight core doctrines, each rooted in a specific set of Scripture passages. The church believes that the Bible, written by divinely inspired authors, is wholly true in everything it affirms. The Godhead exists eternally in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - worthy of the same confidence, obedience, and worship. God created all things and by his sovereign power continues to sustain his creation. Jesus Christ in the flesh was fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified as a penalty for sin, raised bodily on the third day, ascended to the Father's right hand, and will come again personally, bodily, and visibly to consummate his kingdom.
The Holy Spirit is a person, is God, and possesses all the divine attributes. He convicts the world of sin, indwells every believer, baptizes and seals each one at the moment of salvation, uniquely endows each believer with gifts for the building up of the body, guides believers in understanding and applying Scripture, and empowers them to lead a life of Christ-like character. Sin has separated humanity from God, but God in his love sent Jesus to bring people back into fellowship with him. Salvation is a gift of grace received by repentance and faith, and a true believer is eternally secure, though sin may interrupt the joy of fellowship and bring the loving discipline of a heavenly Father.
The church is one universal body comprised of all who place their faith in Christ alone, and wherever God's people meet regularly for worship, prayer, teaching of the Word, baptism, the Lord's Supper, fellowship, service, and outreach, there is the local expression of the church. Under the watch care of elders and deacons, members work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying God. North Wake is a cooperating member of the Southern Baptist Convention and accepts the Baptist Faith and Message, 2000, as a general statement of its faith.
Sundays at the Worship Center
Two Sunday morning services shape the rhythm of the week. At 9:00 AM the doors open for the first worship service in the Worship Center of Building One, a service that is also livestreamed on YouTube for those who cannot be present. A second service follows at 10:45 AM in the same room, giving families and members two windows to gather. Both services include congregational singing that draws from a wide range of songs - recent selections have included contemporary tracks alongside traditional hymns like Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart and Come Thou Fount - followed by expository preaching from one of the pastors.
Children are welcomed in both services. At the 9:00 hour, classes are offered for babies through pre-K along with a kids' worship hour for kindergarten through fifth grade. At the 10:45 hour, classes are offered for babies through fifth grade. A private Mother's Room is connected to the back of the sanctuary for moms who need to feed, soothe, or care for a child during the service, with a speaker that lets them continue to follow the music and the message. Children's check-in stations are located in the lobbies of both Building One and Building Two, and check-in opens ten minutes before each service.
High school and middle school students meet in Building Two during the 10:45 service for a time of Christ-centered teaching and discussion alongside adult mentors. Adults looking for deeper Bible study can join one of the Adult Discipleship Courses that meet in Building Six at both hours, and the same classes are offered each Sunday of a given session. After a brief break, Student Grow Groups gather again at 6:00 PM for a mix of coed Bible study and gender-split Real Talk Nights focused on soul care.
Children from Crib to Fifth Grade
North Wake Kids exists to provide a place where children can get to know the love of God in Jesus, grow in love for one another, and go to share the love of Jesus with friends and family. Children's Ministry Director Kelly Cissell oversees a team that walks children through the same big story the adults hear in the Worship Center. The kids' worship hour for kindergarten through fifth grade currently works through a series called Roamin' Through Romans, while preschool classes during the 9:00 hour and all classes during the 10:45 hour use the Gospel Project, a curriculum that traces God's plan to rescue his people through his Son.
The children's ministry also hosts periodic orientations for new volunteers and trains a child safety team. A posted illness policy asks parents to keep children home for 24 hours after symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, persistent cough, sore throat, COVID symptoms, croup, unexplained rash, childhood disease symptoms, skin infection, eye infection, or evidence of lice. The ministry also leads the public dedication of children during Sunday worship, an opportunity for parents to commit publicly to raising their children in the training and instruction of the Lord and to invite the prayerful support of the congregation.
Students in Building Two
Student Minister Robert Darby, along with Associate Student Minister Devin Young, shepherds sixth through twelfth graders in a ministry shaped by Colossians 1:28-29: Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. On Sunday mornings the group gathers in Building Two during the second service for Christ-centered teaching and discussion. On Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:45 PM they reconvene for Student Grow Groups, beginning with a time of worship and a short game before splitting into four grade-based groups. The schedule alternates weekly: one week the groups meet coed for Bible study and discussion, the next they split by gender for Real Talk Nights, an intentional space for honest conversation, prayer, and soul care that mirrors the structure of the adult Grow Groups.
Once a month the students pause for a Fun Night that swaps the regular rhythm for an off-site event. A fall retreat at Camp Oak Hill walks students through a book of the Bible together, with three days away from the distractions of everyday life, shared meals, bunk beds, a devotional guide, and an exclusive retreat T-shirt. Students who cannot afford the cost are invited to email the student ministers directly.
Grow Groups and Adult Discipleship
The midweek engine of the church is the Grow Group system. Grow groups exist to grow in love for God, one another, and neighbor through the mutual encouragement of Christian community, and they meet at homes and other locations throughout the week. Their three pillars - Love God, Love One Another, Love Neighbors - are unpacked through a set of values that include pursuing Christlikeness together, applying God's Word, cultivating affection for God, caring for one another in practical and tangible ways, mentoring one another in spiritual growth, and encouraging one another to fight off temptation and put on righteousness.
Alongside the Grow Groups, Adult Discipleship Courses meet on Sunday mornings in Building Six, where elders and other skilled teachers lead prepared Bible teaching. Recent courses have included a verse-by-verse study of Ephesians taught by Ben Merkle, an eight-week course called Faithful Stewards: Shaped by the Gospel to Live Different on money and possessions led by Mike Derstine, a study of 1 Corinthians 12-14 on the work of the Holy Spirit led by Blake Grubbs, and a course on pursuing joy in everyday life led by Noah Joyner. Past courses remain available in the form of recorded sessions, including a six-part course on marriage, a parenting toolbox, a course on Christian meditation called Delighting in the Company of God, and a six-week course called How to Fall In Love with the Family of God.
Women, Men, and Mothers of Little Ones
North Wake Women's Ministry exists to help women know the love of God, develop a passion to glorify God with every part of their lives, grow into the likeness of Christ, and go in the power of the Holy Spirit to reach women for the kingdom of God. The ministry hosts an annual Women's Day with workshops taught by North Wake women, a spring retreat, periodic Women Caring for Women evenings on topics such as suffering, grief, anxiety, and following Jesus in dry seasons, and a mentorship initiative called Stirred by Faith that pairs experienced Christians with those seeking to grow.
North Wake Men's Ministry works to assist men in becoming mature and ministering worshipers by equipping and encouraging them in their roles of brother and friend, worker, husband, and father and son. A yearly men's retreat at Ridgecrest Conference Center in the North Carolina mountains features Bible teaching, breakout discussions, and time for hiking, fishing, golf, and other recreation.
LILY Moms - Life in the Little Years - welcomes mothers of children from birth through kindergarten, with a stated mission of providing an open, accepting atmosphere where the specific and significant needs of mothers of little ones are addressed. The group meets on the first and third Wednesdays of each month from October through May, 9:00 to 11:30 AM, with a catered breakfast, a program of topics relevant to motherhood, creative activities, and supervised care for the children in LILY Kids classrooms staffed by paid teachers and student helpers. There is a one-time registration fee of $20, with additional semester fees of $60 in the fall and $100 in the spring, and full and partial scholarships are available.
Other Generations: Mature Adults, College-Aged, Singles
Rose McCabe leads the Mature Adults Ministry, which cultivates camaraderie and opportunities for fun within the more mature population of the church and the neighborhood in order to draw others closer to Christ. The group gathers regularly in Building Two, Room 205, for food, conversation, and the kind of unhurried friendship that the older members of the church often crave.
4:12 Discipleship is the college-aged ministry for 18 to 23 year olds, led by Noah Joyner. The group seeks to create a discipling community that helps young adults take their next step in faith and life, meeting for lake days, fall kick-offs, evenings of worship, and ongoing discipleship. The name comes from 1 Timothy 4:12 - Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Singles occasionally gather for seasonal events such as a fall bonfire at the home of Larry and Stephanie Trotter, an evening of food, games, and time around the fire. The church's events calendar lists each gathering as it approaches.
Hope Counseling and the Disability Ministry
The HOPE Counseling Center is a ministry of North Wake Church that exists to pass on to others the compassion, mercy, practical help, and hope that God has given. Director Craig Morrisette and a team of trained counselors provide realistic, effective solutions for the struggles and hardships of life, drawing on the written Word of God and the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The North Wake Disability Ministry equips the church to show the love of Christ to those impacted by disabilities - special needs, neurodivergent, physical, and others. The team works with families to make worship services and church life accessible, and offers resources such as Being There by Dave Furman, My Affliction for His Glory by Daniel Ritchie, and Just the Way I Am by Krista Horning. Those affected by a disability and looking for accommodation or resources can email disability@northwake.com.
Feed Ministry and Mercy Health Clinic
Feed Ministry reaches the less fortunate of Wake County by providing for both their physical and spiritual needs. Located in Building Two at 1212 South Main Street, Feed is open every Sunday morning from 8:45 to 10:15 AM and on the first and third Saturday of the month from 8:30 to 10:00 AM, and it serves as a tangible, in-person expression of the church's outward call to love the neighbor.
Mercy Health Clinic of North Wake shares the love of Jesus Christ with neighbors in need by providing free medical care. The clinic is a gospel-centered free health-care ministry offering comprehensive primary care, health education, and case management, and an annual 5K and fun run fundraiser brings together runners, walkers, and families to support the work.
Care and Benevolence is the church's internal arm of mercy, working to help members of the community deal with financial problems and sharing God's resources with those in need. North Wake also maintains an Abuse Point of Contact (APOC) team, created proactively by the elders and a team of concerned members to provide support and a planned response if any report of harassment or abuse by a leader is ever made. The team can be reached at APOC@northwake.com.
From Wake Forest to the Ends of the Earth
Sending has been part of North Wake's identity from the beginning. The church has been blessed over the years to see more than ninety different families and individuals sent to the ends of the earth, and currently partners with more than thirty-five families and individuals serving around the world through the International Mission Board and other organizations. The annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, named for the Southern Baptist missionary to China who inspired the first collection in 1888, is highlighted each Christmas, and North Wake members may give to the offering at any time of year.
Church planting is the other branch of the sending vision. The church has intentionally walked alongside a number of church plants in the years since, and currently lists six among its regular ministry partners: Mosaic Church in Provo, Utah, King's Village Church in Clemmons, North Carolina, Iglesia Bíblica Sublime Gracia in Washington, DC, Exchange Church in Rolesville, North Carolina, Restoration Church in Washington, DC, and Covenant Life Church in Tampa, Florida.
On the home front, the Outreach and Missions team mobilizes the congregation to engage Wake Forest's established rhythms - Six Sundays in Spring, Friday Night on White, and other town events - and trains members to transition ordinary conversations toward the gospel through intentional Harvest Teams that meet in neighborhoods and start community Bible studies.
The Leadership Team
North Wake is led by a team of pastors, elders, and deacons. Carson Cobb serves as lead pastor and an elder, working with Executive Pastor Jake Mason and Worship Pastor Daniel Creswell to shape the vision and preaching schedule. Larry Trotter continues to preach in Sunday services in his role as pastor of shepherding and spiritual formation. Robert Darby and Devin Young lead the student ministry, Noah Joyner leads adult education and the college-aged ministry, Tyler P. directs outreach and missions, Kelly Cissell leads children's ministry, and Craig Morrisette directs the HOPE Counseling Center. Karen Grubb serves as the office administrator and Lisa Pereira as the church accountant.
Eleven men currently sit on the elder team: Carson Cobb, Daniel Creswell, Jake Mason, Craig Morrisette, Jason Burgess, Mike Derstine, Jerry Lassetter, Mark Lindsey, Ben Merkle, Travis Williams, and Larry Trotter, along with elders emeritus Sam Williams and Larry Trotter. The deacon team includes Kelly Cissell, Karen Grubb, Noah Joyner, Bryan Miller (who leads the men's ministry), Lisa Pereira, and Mindy Williams (who leads the women's ministry).
Every Sunday morning, the North Wake Leader Blog - called TwelveTwelve, a nod to the church's founding year in the early 2000s - publishes a Meditation for Preparation written by one of the pastors, elders, or ministry leaders. The goal is to help North Wakers arrive at the Worship Center with hearts already tuned to the songs, the Scriptures, and the sermon of the day, and past meditations are archived alongside the church's sermon recordings for those who want to revisit a particular Sunday.
Giving, Gathering, and Getting in Touch
North Wake uses ACS Realm for online giving, the church calendar, the directory, and church communications. One-time and recurring gifts can be set up through the giving portal, and text giving is available by texting northwake to 73256. The church office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Thursday and closed on Fridays, and the office number is (919) 556-1546. For pastoral emergencies outside of office hours, callers can dial the same number and press 9 to reach a pastor.
Visitors are invited to stop by the Welcome Patio before any Sunday service, and a dedicated page provides up-to-date parking instructions for the campus. For those new to the area, exploring faith for the first time, or simply looking for a church home, the pastors, elders, and ministry leaders welcome the chance to talk, to pray, and to walk through what it means to know the love of God in Jesus Christ, grow in love for one another, and go in love to neighbors near and far.