Paramount Baptist Church sits along Marsh Pike on the western edge of Hagerstown, Maryland, where a Southern Baptist congregation has built a wide-ranging ministry around one purpose: to glorify God by making disciples committed to Christ and His Church. Two Sunday worship services at 8:15 and 11:00 AM anchor the week, with a 9:45 Sunday School hour between them, and Wednesday evenings fill the building with AWANA clubs for kids, the PBC 412 youth program for grades 7 through 12, and an adult prayer and Bible study. The same conviction that draws families through the front doors on Marsh Pike sends them out again through the Acts 1:8 mission into local neighborhoods and across the world to Kenya.
Two Sunday Services and a 75-Minute Welcome
On Sunday mornings, Paramount Baptist Church holds two worship services at 8:15 and 11:00 AM, each running about 75 minutes. Both services follow the same format, with Lead Pastor Frank Duncan preaching. Both are also livestreamed on YouTube for those at home or traveling.
Visitors arriving for the first time are invited to come as they are. Pastor Frank is known for wearing a suit, but the rest of the congregation runs the gamut from suits and dresses to jeans and t-shirts. Guest parking is located right up front. Greeters meet visitors at the door, and inside the main entrance a Welcome Desk holds information and materials. The church uses electronic bulletins, posted to its Facebook page.
No one is singled out, asked to stand, or expected to give. There is no formal turn-and-greet time, and the offering is reserved for members and regular attenders. Those who need to leave before the service ends are welcome to do so. Anyone with questions before a visit can call the church office at 301-739-2821 or email office@paramountbaptist.com.
Sunday School at 9:45 for Every Age
Between the two worship services, Sunday School runs from 9:45 to 10:45 AM, with classes organized for every age group. All teachers and assistants are church members, and every children's and youth teacher has passed a background check.
For adults, six classes meet across the Education Building, Rickard Hall, Anderson Hall, and the conference room. Branching, taught by Brett Strausser, uses the Explore the Bible curriculum in Room 205. Fruitful, led by Steve Hose in Room 102, follows the same curriculum. Grounded, with Jason Kinch in Room 202, works through The Gospel Project. Adult 2, taught by Olu Faokunla in the conference room, studies MasterWorks. Rooted meets in Rickard Hall with David Gaston and uses Explore the Bible. Adult 3, taught by Floyd Robinson in Anderson Hall, follows Bible Studies for Life.
For children, the nursery serves newborns through age three, Preschool serves four and five year olds, Children's 1 covers first through third grade, and Preteens is for fourth through sixth graders. Each class shares Bible stories, memory verses, music, and hands-on activities designed for the age group.
AWANA, the Children's Wing, and a Week of VBS
Wednesday evenings belong to AWANA, the international children's ministry that runs from 6:30 to 7:50 PM during the school year. Puggles serves two-year-olds, Cubbies three and four year olds, Sparks kindergartners through second graders, and T and T third through sixth graders. The program focuses on Bible-based evangelism and discipleship, with children working through handbooks, memorizing scripture, and playing games together. During the summer, the same Wednesday evening hour becomes PBC Kids Summer Edition, a lighter program of Bible lessons, games, snacks, and crafts.
Sunday morning nursery care is provided for children newborn through age three during both worship services, and Preschool care is available for ages four and five. Children six and older join the congregation in the sanctuary.
Vacation Bible School fills one week each summer with a single biblical theme and is open to children ages three through sixth grade. Three annual events bring the church and the wider community together: the Easter Eggstravaganza, a community-wide egg hunt with a gospel presentation, free food, and prizes; a summer Block Party hosted by the outreach team for the neighborhoods around the church; and a Trunk or Treat each October, hosted in partnership with the PTA of Paramount Elementary.
PBC 412 Youth on Wednesday Nights
Middle and high school students in grades 7 through 12 gather for PBC 412, the church's youth ministry, every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:50 PM. The ministry's name points to its verse: "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity" (1 Timothy 4:12).
The program's purpose is summarized as R.I.S.E.: REACH non-believing students for Christ, INTRODUCE them to other Christians, SHOW them how to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and EQUIP them for worship. A typical Wednesday night includes games, a meal, and time in God's Word. Throughout the year the youth calendar adds events like Trivia Night, a summer mission trip, day outings, fall trips to a corn maze, bowling nights, and the annual Christmas Party. The group keeps an active presence on Instagram at PBC_412.
Women in Action, Quilting and More, and Embrace Grace
Women of PBC find connection through three distinct ministries under a single vision: to seek spiritual growth by immersing themselves in the truth of God's Word and to use the tools and talents God has given them in service to one another and the community.
Women in Action is a weekly gathering for women of all ages, meeting Wednesday mornings at 9:00 AM to study the Word, pray, and enjoy each other's company. WIA Quilting and More meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, where ladies create quilts, afghans, and blankets to meet needs in the community. Embrace Grace is a 12-week support group for single, pregnant women in unexpected pregnancies. The program offers emotional, practical, and spiritual support in a non-judgmental setting and points participants to God's love and grace.
Around these three ministries, the Women's Care Ministry organizes meal trains and visits for those in difficult seasons, and hosts baby showers for new mothers and wedding showers for new brides. Throughout the year, the Women's Ministry also holds discipleship classes and seminars, including a Prayer Bootcamp and Faithfully Fit classes, along with fellowship events like Pasta and Praise.
Men's Breakfast, the Mentor Bible Study, and Service Days
The Men's Ministry gathers on Saturday mornings around two rhythms. The Men's Breakfast meets on the second Saturday of each month at 8:30 AM for faith, food, and fellowship, and all men are welcome.
The Men's Bible Study meets Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM, working through "Mentor" by Chuck Lawless, a study built around the image of a disciple walking in the dust of a master who walks with God. The church frames discipleship as non-negotiable in Scripture and frames mentoring as something that happens as two or more people walk together.
Several times a year the men join with the youth for combined service days that take the group off-campus and into the community for shared work and a meal together.
The Vine: A Young Adults Community
For young adults ages 18 to 30, The Vine meets Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM. The group arrives at 7:00, shares dinner together at 7:15 along with a brief message, and closes with fellowship from 7:45 to 8:30 PM.
The Vine exists to grow disciples and to be on mission for the Lord. That mission is lived out through biblical teaching, Christian fellowship, and going beyond the walls of the church and into the community to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The group keeps an active presence on Instagram at PBC_thevine.
G.R.O.W., Pastoral Care, and Local Outreach
G.R.O.W., short for God Rewards Our Work, is the church's weekly outreach ministry designed to involve every member in carrying out the Great Commission locally. The acronym captures the church's conviction that while salvation belongs to the Lord, believers have a responsibility and a role to play in His saving work. G.R.O.W. activities include prayer teams, childcare for outreach attendees, letter and postcard writing, phone calls, and home visits. The program organizes around rotating teams, including the G Team and O Team, that meet on different weeks to plan and carry out outreach.
The Pastoral Care team ministers to members in times of need: prayer requests, upcoming surgeries, bereavement, and hospital visits. Members can reach the team at 301-739-2821 or care@paramountbaptist.com.
Beyond G.R.O.W., the church maintains an active local presence through Neighborhood Blitz and Prayer Walks, an annual summer Block Party for the surrounding neighborhoods, the Easter Eggstravaganza, and a Trunk or Treat each October with the PTA of Paramount Elementary. The Seniors for Jesus group also meets monthly for breakfast and fellowship.
Visions of Faith on WJEJ 1240 AM
Paramount extends its reach beyond the Marsh Pike campus through "Visions of Faith," a Sunday morning radio program airing at 9:06 AM on WJEJ 1240 AM. For members and regular attenders, the radio broadcast also serves as a backup channel in case of weather cancellations: when services are called off, the announcement goes out on WJEJ 1240 AM, on WCRH 90.5 FM, on the church's Facebook page, and through the church office line at 301-739-2821.
The Acts 1:8 Mission: From Hagerstown to Kenya
The church's international missions flow through the Acts 1:8 Team, named for the passage in which Jesus commissions his followers to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The team oversees the entirety of PBC's missions programs, ensures a holistic and coordinated approach to ministry, and leads the training and mobilization of members for evangelism.
The church's international focus is Kenya, where the team organizes around three roles: PRAY, GIVE, and GO. Members can join the prayer team or the giving team to help defray costs for those who go, or they can join the GO team itself. The church also partners with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB) to spread the gospel at home and across the world.
Beliefs, Staff, and Office Hours
Paramount Baptist Church summarizes its beliefs and convictions through the doctrinal statement of Southern Baptists known as The Baptist Faith and Message 2000. The church's mission is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unbeliever and to equip believers to grow spiritually; its vision is to bring God's truth to the world by aggressively proclaiming the gospel, promoting missions, and providing Bible-based teaching and preaching.
The pastoral staff is led by Frank H. Duncan, who has served as Lead Pastor since June 2015. Duncan came to faith in 1992, has been preaching since 2000, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Floyd Robinson serves as Associate Pastor of Pastoral Care; he is a Marine Corps veteran, a graduate of Chapman University, and was ordained in 1990 at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Bremerton, Washington. Bryan Hoover serves as Director of Worship Ministries, having joined the church in June 2025 with a degree in Music Education from Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. Andrew Shives joined the staff in May 2026 as Associate Pastor of Student and Family Ministries; he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Master of Divinity from Cedarville University.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Friday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The address is 13234 Marsh Pike, Hagerstown, Maryland 21742, and the phone number is 301-739-2821. Giving is available online through the church's giving portal, and sermons are posted to an archive that includes messages from Pastor Frank Duncan as well as Pastor Geoff Mason, Pastor Josh Fields, and Pastor Michael Cloer. New visitors can learn more through the church's I am New page.