A Church in the Middle of a Growing Community
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church sits at 3934 Sunnyside School Road in the small community of Vander, just east of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Although the address carries a Fayetteville zip code, the church considers itself part of Vander, a friendly, developing neighborhood where Sunnyside Elementary School stands right next door to the church grounds, Mac Williams Middle School sits a couple of miles away, and Cape Fear High School is also within a short drive. That cluster of schools, along with the new families moving into the area, gives Pleasant Grove a steady stream of neighbors to walk alongside.
The church's three-fold motto captures how members talk about their life together:
- Knowing Christ: His redeeming love, His power, and His passion for making disciples in His name.
- Growing in Christ: A family of faith, passionately pursuing Christ and growing in our love and service for Him.
- Sharing Christ: Seeking to spread the Good News about Jesus as "fellow workers" with God (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Members describe their approach this way: pursuing intimacy with Christ and walking closely with Him is where the power and passion for ministry comes from (John 15:5).
Sunday in Two Parts
The Sunday rhythm at Pleasant Grove follows a classic Baptist pattern with two gatherings in the morning.
Small groups meet at 9:45 a.m. for Sunday School. The weekly calendar lists this hour simply as "Sunday School," and the broader church calls it Small Groups. It runs until 10:30 a.m., giving adults, youth, and children their own time in classrooms before the larger gathering.
Morning Worship begins at 10:45 a.m. and runs through 11:45 a.m. The worship service takes place in a recently renovated sanctuary that anchors the church campus. Members of the choir lead congregational singing, with Daryle E. Nobles, Minister of Music, directing. A native of Fayetteville with more than 29 years in music ministry, Nobles often quotes Psalm 100:2 to the congregation: "Serve the Lord with gladness; and come before His presence with joyful songs."
The preaching at Pleasant Grove walks steadily through books of the Bible. Recent sermon series have included a long journey through Joshua ("A New Day Is Just Around the Corner," "A New Day Is Here!," "Crossing Over Your Jordan," "Conquering the Canaan in Your Life," "Experience the Victory"), a study on the person and work of Christ through John's Gospel, and a multi-part series on worship drawn from Exodus and Matthew titled "The Setting of True Worship," "What Is True Worship?," "The Scent of Worship," "The Significance of Worship," and "To Worship Is To Sacrifice." Older sermon recordings, including a December 2025 Christmas service and the 2025 Easter cantata "Crimson Love" by the choir, are kept in the sermon archive and remain available for listening.
Wednesday Nights: Prayer, Study, and Choir
The church's middle-of-the-week gathering begins at 7:00 p.m. with Prayer and Bible Study, lasting an hour. This is the setting for the church's deeper teaching and corporate prayer.
At 8:00 p.m., the choir gathers for practice, running until 9:00 p.m. The choir plays a central role in Sunday worship and also prepares special presentations such as the Christmas cantata. The Pleasant Grove choir has joined with the choir of Macedonia Baptist Church for combined Christmas presentations, an example of the friendship between the two area churches.
A Campus Built Around Children, Youth, and Recreation
Pleasant Grove's buildings and grounds are described by the church as "perfectly suited for ministering to the community around us," and the layout reflects a focus on families and young people.
The recently renovated sanctuary anchors the worship life of the church. Adjacent to it are an indoor fellowship hall and a visitor welcome area for newcomers.
Classroom facilities occupy both upper and lower levels of the educational building, accommodating every age group for Sunday School and midweek Bible study.
An upper room youth area features game rooms where students can enjoy electronic darts, ping-pong, air hockey, and foos ball during designated times.
A nursery and children's educational area is staffed with caring adults, and the church emphasizes that safety is always the first concern for children at Pleasant Grove.
Outside, a fenced-in recreation area includes a basketball court, a volleyball court, a softball diamond and field, and plenty of additional field space for soccer, football, or other team sports. The recreation area is equipped with a covered pavilion that seats 75 guests at picnic tables, with ceiling fans and restroom facilities nearby. The pavilion often hosts fellowship meals, community gatherings, and the kind of large group meals that follow baptisms, homecoming services, and other church-wide events.
Partnering with Sunnyside Elementary
Because Sunnyside Elementary sits right next door, the church has built a working partnership with the school. Members serve as volunteers, mentors, and supporters of the school's programs, and the relationship shapes much of how Pleasant Grove sees its role in the community. The proximity means that families who walk to school on weekdays often end up walking into the church on Sundays.
Each summer the church hosts a Bible Day Camp for children in the area, an outreach that uses the classrooms, recreation fields, and youth spaces to bring kids onto the church grounds during the warmer months. The camp has been a recurring part of Pleasant Grove's summer rhythm for years and is one of the main ways the church reaches families who are not yet part of the congregation.
Inspiration and Fellowship
Beyond the weekly schedule, Pleasant Grove keeps a calendar of annual and occasional events that bring the church family together and open the doors to neighbors:
- Baptist Men's Day, a February focus on the men of the church and their service, paired each year with a sermon such as "Baptist Men's Day: Aligning Our Hearts With The Heart of God."
- Valentine's Party, a fellowship for couples and families.
- Christmas Cantata Fellowship, built around the choir's seasonal presentation.
- Myrtle Beach Carolina Opry Trip, a group outing the church organizes for members and friends.
- Community Thanksgiving Service, a worship gathering shared with neighboring congregations.
- Vander Community Pig Cookoff, a local cookout the church helps host.
The combined choirs of Pleasant Grove and Macedonia Baptist Churches gather at Christmas for a cantata, including "Hope In A Manger," a tradition that strengthens the bond between the two nearby Baptist congregations.
Leadership
The pastoral ministry of Pleasant Grove is led by Pastor C. Randall Collins, who serves alongside his wife, Martha Collins.
Daryle E. Nobles serves as Minister of Music and is also an ordained deacon at the church. Born and raised in Fayetteville, he brings more than 29 years of music ministry experience to his role.
The deacon body is chaired by Gary Blakely, with serving deacons Margaret Collier, Donna Byrd, and Daryle Nobles. The deacons work alongside the pastor in the spiritual care and decision-making of the congregation.
Crystal Martin serves as Administrative Assistant, handling the day-to-day office work that keeps the church running.
A Simple Path to Get Involved
Visitors who want to plug in can step into the rhythm fairly quickly. Sunday morning begins with Sunday School for every age at 9:45 a.m., followed by worship at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday nights add an hour of prayer and Bible study at 7:00 p.m., with choir practice following at 8:00 p.m. for those who like to sing. Families with children will find a staffed nursery and children's area during the Sunday morning hours, and youth have their own game room and recreational fields.
The church's stated mission is straightforward: know Christ, grow in Christ, and share Christ. The schedule, the campus, the partnerships with the neighboring schools, and the music program all exist to support that work in the Vander community east of Fayetteville.