Franklin Avenue Baptist Church sits on the I-10 Service Road South in New Orleans, a few miles east of Lake Pontchartrain, and it has long been one of the largest and most influential African American congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention. It is best known for its senior pastor, Fred Luter, Jr., who was unanimously elected in 2012 as the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention and was returned to that office a second time in 2013. The church's stated mission is to "spiritually impact our families, neighborhoods, city, and state by Exalting the Savior, Equipping the Saints, and Evangelizing the Sinners," and Pastor Luter sums up his own strategy for growth in a single word: FRANgelism, an acronym for friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors, the everyday people members are encouraged to bring to church with them.
From a White Southern Baptist Church to a 3,500-Seat Sanctuary
The Franklin Avenue Baptist Church building has a longer history than the present-day congregation. In the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, Franklin Avenue Baptist was an all-white Southern Baptist church. In the late 1970s, the surrounding neighborhood changed; longtime white members moved out and Black families moved in. The remaining congregation, still committed to missions, gave the sanctuary and educational building to the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans so the property could continue to serve the surrounding community.
In 1980, Franklin Avenue reopened as a mission of Gentilly Baptist Church, where Dr. Daniel O'Reagan was pastor. From 1980 to the spring of 1986, Bill Weathers, John Henry Thomas, and Robert Loggins served as the mission's pastors. In September 1986, the small but faithful group of about 65 members elected Fred Luter, Jr., a young street preacher from the Lower Ninth Ward, as their pastor. Three years later, FABC became an autonomous church.
The next decades reshaped the church. By 1989 the membership had passed 300 and a second Sunday morning service was added; a third Sunday service followed in 1993. In March 1997, the congregation moved into a new 2,000-seat sanctuary. A Family Life Center was built in 2003. By 2005, the church had grown to more than 7,000 members, and a satellite in New Orleans East had been started in 2002. In June 2005, the church purchased ninety acres in New Orleans East.
Then came Hurricane Katrina. On August 29, 2005, the sanctuary was flooded with nine feet of water. For several months, Pastor Luter and the leadership kept the scattered flock together with services in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Houston, with the Houston campus led by Pastor Sam Young and the Baton Rouge campus led by Pastor Manuel Pigee. The displaced church could be followed online each Sunday. In April 2008, the New Orleans congregation moved back into its renovated sanctuary. In December 2018, the church dedicated a brand-new 3,500-seat sanctuary, with separate areas for children's and youth worship. The mission has not changed: "To Exalt the Savior, Equip the Saints, and Evangelize the Sinners."
Sunday at FABC: Three Services in One Morning
Sunday is the rhythm of the week at Franklin Avenue. The day begins with Sunday School at 7:30 AM and again at 11:00 AM. The main Sunday Worship service gathers in the Main Sanctuary at 9:00 AM and is livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.
Children have their own worship alongside the adults. Children's Church meets in the Children's Sanctuary on the second floor at 9:00 AM on the second, third, and fourth Sundays of each month. On the first Sunday, children join the rest of the church for a combined worship service in the Main Sanctuary. The Children's Ministry is built on Matthew 19:14, with the purpose of "exposing our children to the gospel of Jesus Christ at a level that they can understand and appreciate, to ensure a fundamental understanding of salvation," and it accepts children from age 6 through 13. Youth Church worships at 9:00 AM on the second, third, and fourth Sundays as well. For the youngest, a clean and well-staffed Nursery is open from 8:30 AM to noon for children from age 1 through 5, with caregivers focused on a safe, loving atmosphere and a foundation of biblical truth.
The service is intentionally intergenerational, and the church takes its hospitality seriously. Ushers, dressed and ready, help direct members and visitors to comfortable seats. The Greeters' Ministry is charged with giving "the first introduction and welcome for visitors and members to our worship services and special events," a smile, a handshake, and a kind word at the door.
Wednesday: Morning Bible Study, Evening Prayer, and Evening Teaching
Midweek is anchored by three gatherings. At 11:00 AM, the Morning Bible Study meets for serious, verse-by-verse teaching. At 6:00 PM, the church gathers for Prayer. At 6:30 PM, the Evening Bible Study follows, with a separate Youth Bible Study for students and a Young Adults Bible Study and Fellowship for those 18 to 25, also meeting Wednesdays at 6:00 PM.
Teaching on Wednesdays is a shared responsibility. Pastor Will Lloyd, IV walks the 11:00 AM congregation through books of the Bible in series such as Ruth, Samuel, Amos, Isaiah, Acts, Joshua, Ecclesiastes, Exodus, Galatians, and a current teaching series on "How To Have Eternal Life." Wednesday evening teaching rotates among Senior Pastor Fred Luter, Jr., Senior Associate Pastor Chip Luter, Pastor Johnell Thomas, Pastor Sam Young, Jr., Pastor Earnest Salsberry, Jr., and Pastor Grant McCray, IV. Topical series have included "Why Church?" walking through the ordinances and practices of the church, a long arc on "Bible Prophecy: A Biblical View of the End Times," and studies in the Fruit of the Spirit. Every lesson has a downloadable handout, and the archive of lessons goes back to at least 2021.
What Franklin Avenue Believes
The church's statement of faith is a thoroughgoing Baptist confession. The sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments are the verbally inspired, error-free, and final revelation of God. There is one God, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-equal and co-essential. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, who died on the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin, rose bodily from the grave, and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He serves as Advocate and High Priest and from which He will return in person.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, gives spiritual birth, indwells, seals, sanctifies, guides, equips, teaches, and fills the believer. Mankind was created in the image of God, fell through disobedience, and is now unable to save himself. Salvation is the free gift of God's grace, received through personal faith in Jesus Christ, and is eternally secure. Two ordinances are committed to the local church: believer's baptism by immersion in the name of the triune God, and the Lord's Supper, both observed until Christ returns.
On the last things, the church looks for the personal, bodily return of the Lord for His church, followed by a seven-year tribulation, the return of Christ in glory, a thousand-year reign, the resurrection and judgment of the unsaved, and the eternal state of glory for the saved. The local church is the body of Christ on earth, autonomous under the lordship of Christ, governed by pastors and deacons. The family of churches with which FABC identifies is the Southern Baptist Convention, in friendly cooperation with the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans.
Children and Nursery: Building a Foundation Before Age 13
Children's Ministry at FABC is led by Pastor Elbert Williams, who oversees everything from the Nursery through the preteen years. The Nursery, for children ages 1 to 5, opens at 8:30 AM and runs to noon, with adult volunteers who minister to "the whole being of each child, their body, mind, and soul," grounding them in biblical truth and easing them into Children's Church when they are ready. Children's Church, for ages 6 to 13, meets in the second-floor Children's Sanctuary on the second, third, and fourth Sundays at 9:00 AM, with a combined service in the Main Sanctuary on the first Sunday.
The Children's Ministry runs events outside of Sunday morning, including family-friendly outings like skating parties for ages 6 to 12, and stays in touch with parents through a children's newsletter and the church's events feed. Adult volunteers, age 18 and up, keep the rooms staffed and safe.
Youth and Young Adults: Aimed at Real Life
The Youth Ministry is led by Pastor Grant McCray, IV, who also oversees the Young Adults Ministry. The stated aim is to build "winning children," students who love the Savior, learn the Scriptures, and live out what it means to be a living sacrifice. The Youth Bible Study meets on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM, with monthly fellowship, community service projects, sporting events, and a back-to-school rally. Sunday worship is available to students on the second, third, and fourth Sundays through Youth Church at 9:00 AM.
The Young Adults Ministry gathers 18- to 25-year-olds on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM for Bible study and fellowship, with the goal of learning the truths of God, tackling tough topics, and building community. Its signature events include community service projects, sporting events, and the Next Avenue College and Career Fair, which connects young adults to local colleges, training programs, and employers.
Men's, Women's, and Marriage Ministries
Men's Ministry is led by Pastor Fred Luter, Jr. himself, with a vision of men who are committed leaders, role models, witnesses, accountable to one another, good stewards, faithful in Bible study, praying, and men of integrity. The men meet on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall.
Women's Ministry is led by Elizabeth Luter, the pastor's wife, as Director, with Suzette Rankins serving as Director of Administration. The purpose is to help women handle life's everyday problems according to God's Holy Word, and the ministry hosts seasonal Bible study classes, fellowship, and a Sacred31: Wives of Faith class for women who want to grow in their faith and in their role as wives.
Marriage Ministry supports married couples at every stage, from newlyweds to those with young children, empty nesters, and beyond. Highlights include a four-week Married with Children Under 10 class on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour, a Sacred31: Wives of Faith class, and an annual Marriage Retreat, a weekend of spiritual growth sessions, vow renewal, and curated couples' activities, typically held in late summer at a destination resort.
Divorce Care, More Than Conquerors, and Holistic Health
Three ministries focus on the harder seasons of life. Divorce Care provides biblical, practical help for adults and a parallel track for children, addressing separation, divorce, remarriage, anger, depression, loneliness, finances, new relationships, single sexuality, forgiveness, reconciliation, and kids' care. More Than Conquerors is the church's addictions ministry, a "stronghold deliverance" ministry that focuses on the spiritual, moral, and emotional needs of people struggling with the works of the flesh, equipping them instead with the fruit of the Spirit. Led by Nate Williams, the group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 PM in Room 201 and is open to all ages.
Holistic Health Ministry promotes whole-person wellness, body, mind, and spirit, and meets on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in Room 126, led by President Tameka Blackstone and Vice President Cassandra Scott.
Entrepreneurs, Literacy, and the Business Directory
The Entrepreneurs' Ministry is for members 16 and up who want to build wealth, break cycles of debt, and pass on financial wisdom to the next generation. The group meets on the second Saturday of each month at 10:00 AM in Room 127 and maintains an Online Business Directory where members in good standing can list their businesses.
The Literacy Ministry offers Adult Literacy, English as a Second Language for immigrants from around the world, and Spanish classes for English speakers who want to learn the language. The Culinary Ministry assists other ministries with food at church events and helps feed the community in times of need. The Beautification Ministry cares for the church's appearance and creative environment, and the Music and Arts Ministry is a multi-age program for beginner, intermediate, and advanced dancers, artists, and musicians.
For the unmarried, the Singles in One Accord Ministry is a support group for adult men and women walking through the single years together.
Membership, Scholarships, and the Realm App
Becoming a member at FABC begins with a conversation with the pastoral office and typically a New Members class. Two ordinances are central to that journey: believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. The church also supports its college-bound members through a scholarship program for FABC high school graduating seniors, with renewable awards for up to four years, and a separate track for continuing students who have already received FABC scholarships.
Day-to-day communication runs through Realm, a private online platform for church members. Through Realm, members can update their contact information, register for events, sign up for groups, manage recurring giving, and check their giving history. The Realm Connect App is available for iPhone and Android.
Couples who want to be married in the sanctuary must be members of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church and must complete six premarital classes before scheduling a date. Baptisms are scheduled periodically and are a regular cause for celebration; on Baptism Sundays the worship service may begin slightly earlier than usual to allow time for the ordinance.
FRANgelism, FRAN-Defined, and the Heart of the Church
If Franklin Avenue has a single most distinctive idea, it is FRANgelism. The acronym FRAN, friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors, is the practical shape of the church's evangelism: bring the people you already know. Pastor Luter often says, "It's Not About the Pastor, It's About the Master," and his response when elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention was, "To God Be The Glory for the Things He Has Done." The strategy is simple, the theology is Baptist, and the goal is a changed heart, beginning in the homes of the people who already attend and spreading outward to the city, the state, and beyond.
Giving, the App, and the Live Stream
Four ways to give are offered: online through Realm, by texting FABC to 73256, by mail to P.O. Box 871205, New Orleans, LA 70187, and through the church's app on the App Store and Google Play. The Franklin Avenue Baptist Church app, available on both iPhone and Android, carries the livestream, sermon archive, events, giving, and Realm login.
Sunday worship is livestreamed each week. Wednesday Bible study is broadcast as well, with recordings shared on YouTube at the FABC NOLA channel. The church is also active on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), where Sunday morning, midweek, and special-event videos are posted.
Visiting Franklin Avenue Baptist Church
Franklin Avenue Baptist Church is located at 8282 I-10 Service Road South, New Orleans, LA 70126, with the church office accessible from Entrance E at 8181 Lake Forest Blvd. The Main Sanctuary seats 3,500, with a separate Children's Sanctuary on the second floor and dedicated space for Youth Church. Sunday School meets at 7:30 and 11:00 AM, the main Sunday Worship is at 9:00 AM, and the Wednesday rhythm is Bible study at 11:00 AM, Prayer at 6:00 PM, and Evening Bible Study at 6:30 PM. The pastor and congregation welcome first-time visitors at every service, and the Greeters' Ministry is at the door to help with directions, seating, and any questions about the rest of the week.