Viewmont Baptist Church is at 1246 2nd St NE on Highway 127 in Hickory's Viewmont section, and it is known for a dynamic 11:00 a.m. worship service, an extensive music ministry, and a live television ministry begun in 1985. Its motto is "Receiving - Living - Sharing - Christ." The autonomous Baptist congregation serves families and all age groups through worship, Bible study, preschool, youth and senior gatherings, mission work, weekly meals and emergency food distribution, with its Sunday service reaching shut-ins, hospital patients and the wider community.
Sunday Worship on Highway 127
At Viewmont, Sunday has a clear rhythm. The Praise Team gathers in the sanctuary at 8:45 a.m., deacons lead prayer at 9:00 a.m., and Sunday School for all ages begins at 9:45 a.m. The main worship service begins at 11:00 a.m. and is led by the pastoral team. Its character is both active and rooted: the congregation sings hymns known for centuries alongside newer, more contemporary hymns, while piano, guitar, percussion and organ accompany a service built around participation.
For a first visit, the practical details are simple. There is plenty of free parking in surrounding lots, and the sanctuary can be seen clearly from Highway 127. Childcare for babies and preschoolers is available during worship. Sunday School volunteers help adults, youth and children find a class suited to their age and life stage.
A Live Service That Reaches Farther
Viewmont's live television ministry began in 1985, giving the 11:00 a.m. service a reach beyond the sanctuary. The service airs live on WHKY-TV Channel 14, Alexander CTV Channel 7, Caldwell CTV Channel 7 and Charter Cable-TV Channel 7, with streaming on Facebook and YouTube. Viewmont describes the ministry as a way to share worship with shut-ins, homebound people, hospital patients and the community, and the broadcast reaches Hickory, the Charlotte area and surrounding counties.
That long-running broadcast gives the congregation's singing and music a public role in the church's mission. The service is not treated as an event limited to those who can enter the building; it is carried into homes, hospitals and communities across the viewing area. For anyone unable to attend in person, the television and streaming options provide the same live 11:00 a.m. worship service.
When the Congregation Is the Choir
Music is not an add-on at Viewmont but a defining part of the church's identity. The congregation is described as the largest choir, singing together about the journey of faith as a body of believers. The music ministry seeks to sing a broad spectrum that connects people with the history of the church and its present and future, while participation is strongly encouraged for members and nonmembers alike.
The Sanctuary Choir and Praise Team lead the 11:00 a.m. worship each week. Their repertoire moves from classical and traditional anthems to newly composed pieces and praise songs. The Sanctuary Choir rehearses on Wednesday evening, and the pastoral team's music and worship minister welcomes people who want to participate.
The five-octave Viewmont Adult Handbell Choir rehearses weekly and plays in worship services and at other venues. A Wind Ensemble for high school students and adults also rehearses on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. and assists in worship eight to ten times during the year. Music therefore reaches beyond the choir loft and sanctuary into the life of the congregation.
Children also have a substantial musical life. Viewmont has choirs for four- and five-year-olds, first and second graders, and third through fifth graders. Older choirs sing in worship periodically and prepare seasonal programs. The children's ministry also includes a weeklong music summer camp, making music both a form of worship and a means of teaching and fellowship.
Sunday School for Every Age and Stage
Sunday School begins at 9:45 a.m. with separate options for preschoolers, elementary-age children, youth and adults. Preschoolers learn Bible stories through playtime, and elementary children use games and crafts to explore biblical lessons. Middle-school and high-school students enjoy fellowship and Bible study in a youth building behind the Fellowship Center, where they can socialize, play music, eat and study God's word.
Adult classes are organized by age and life stage and use study guides with open discussion. The classes have a mission focus on community needs and take part in projects such as the Sabbath Soup Kitchen. Named groups include Good News, Bible Seekers, Standing Stones, Shekinah, Koinonia, Gleaners, Master Workmen, Roseman, Sigmon and Caring Hearts. Some classes focus especially on senior adults or on the books of Daniel and Revelation.
Children's ministry is more than a Sunday class. It includes Bible study, missions education, children's choirs, Vacation Bible School, a weeklong music summer camp and summer attendance at Passport Children's Camp. This combination gives children regular teaching, musical participation and experiences that extend beyond the church building during the summer.
Youth Days and the Weekday Preschool
The youth group is an energetic community of middle-school and high-school students that meets throughout the week and on Sunday for fellowship, food, Bible study and activity. On Sunday during September through May, "Sunday Night Live" runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with food, fellowship, music, drama and games. A Youth Ensemble rehearses at 5:00 p.m. during that same season, and on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. students gather for Bible study, missions education and ongoing mission projects.
Youth activities are designed around Christian growth, community, relationships and active mission rather than entertainment alone. The group takes an annual mission trip built around hands-on service, and its yearly rhythm includes fall and winter retreats. Other gatherings have included ski trips, lock-ins, lake parties, movie nights and visits to theme or water parks, giving students a mix of devotional time, service and shared fun.
Weekday Preschool is a Christian outreach ministry with a strong developmental purpose. It operates weekdays from 7:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with chapel time each week led by Viewmont's ministers. The "Tree of Learning" approach treats play as the best way for young children to learn. Classrooms include creative art, literature, science, pre-math, dramatic play, and cognitive and small-motor development, with the aim of nurturing imagination, creativity, socialization, exploration and discovery. Children are encouraged to develop their individual gifts, reach their potential and grow in love for Jesus, learning and school.
JOY, Women on Missions and Small Groups
Fellowship groups give Viewmont's members and friends ways to spend time in worship and Christian learning. J.O.Y., or Just Older Youth, is an active senior group that takes day trips throughout the year. The men's ministry meets weekly and takes on service projects for the church and community. W.O.M., Women on Missions, provides missions education, prayer, ministry and witness for preschoolers, children, teenagers and adults.
The women of W.O.M. help create an environment in which people can hear the Holy Spirit and understand their call to mission service. Viewmont has adopted an unreached people group as a focus for reaching the world for Christ. Groups of many ages also join mission trips, with participating groups traveling for state, national and international efforts.
Viewmont describes spiritual formation as a regular part of church life through groups meeting on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights and at various times during the week. Bible study groups are offered throughout the year to help people grow in knowledge of Christ and the Bible, and retreats have included women's, deacons' and adult retreats. The emphasis is not confined to one gathering but is woven into Sunday classes, weekday meetings and small groups.
Meals, Food and 12-Step Ministry
Community outreach takes several forms at Viewmont. On the third Sunday of each month, the Sabbath Soup Kitchen serves a hot, nutritious meal to anyone in the community. Emergency food is distributed on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Viewmont partners with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, whose network distributes food and essential grocery items through hunger-feeding agencies, senior programs, shelters and low-income daycares across North and South Carolina.
The church's mission work extends across state and national lines and into other countries, with groups and families participating in mission efforts. Past trips have taken participants to Washington, D.C., Gulfport, Mississippi, Charleston, South Carolina, DeLand, Florida, Nashville, Tennessee, Boston, Massachusetts and Ontario, Canada. These trips are presented as mission service, and youth make their own annual mission trip.
Viewmont also hosts an Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step meeting in its Activities Building at 5:30 p.m. every day except Sunday and Wednesday. The meeting gives people seeking a 12-step ministry for alcohol addiction a regular place to gather. Wednesday evenings add a 5:00 p.m. dinner meal from September through May, followed by ministry and rehearsal gatherings across the church.
Pastors for Worship, Music and Children
Dr. Andrew Rawls serves as senior pastor. A native of Boone, North Carolina, he came to Viewmont from Sandy Run Baptist Church in Mooresboro. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2006, earned his Master of Divinity in 2009 and received his Doctor of Ministry from Gardner-Webb University in 2016.
Rev. Jimmy Rogers is pastor of music, worship and administration. He joined the ministerial staff in 2013 and brings more than 35 years of music-ministry experience, a Master of Church Music degree and a Master of Vocal Pedagogy degree. His work includes conducting, choral arranging and composing, as well as knowledge of audio, lighting and video systems.
Regiani Pereira is minister of children, youth and outreach. She previously directed Viewmont's Weekday Preschool from 2006 to 2010 and rejoined the children's ministry staff in 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a K-12 teacher certificate from the Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba in Brazil, along with preschool and children's ministry certification from Campbell University Divinity School.
These leaders serve a congregation that greets people "in the name of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus" and welcomes anyone and everyone. Viewmont describes God as loving people just as they are, not wanting them to remain as they are, providing a way for their deepest needs to be met and calling them to meet the needs of others. Its stated mission is to know God, minister to people of all ages and share worship in spirit and truth. For a Hickory church built around blended music, active teaching, recurring mission and practical care, Viewmont Baptist Church carries those convictions into both its sanctuary and its community.