NC Baptists

In this special live recording from the N.C. Baptist Annual Meeting, episode host Aaron Wallace talks with Global Missions Coordinator Janet Packard and Pastor Neal Thornton about why caring for missionaries is part of the core identity of a Great Commission church. With more than 500 IMB missionaries from North Carolina alone, the opportunity to support them is vast and fruitful. This conversation explores what happens when churches take missionary care seriously. Janet Packard, N.C. Baptists’ new global missions coordinator, highlights the value of starting with a missions assessment, a simple tool that helps churches identify how to build relationships with missionaries and engage strategically in the Great Commission. Neal Thorton, church planter and pastor of Coram Deo Baptist Church in Raleigh, shares why caring for missionaries enriches the entire church, creating a culture of “one another” compassion and helping believers see their Bibles and communities through a missionary lens. The conversation points to practical first steps, from praying for missionaries to reading biographies to forming long-term friendships with those serving overseas. Listen in to hear how N.C. Baptist churches can link arms with the hundreds of missionaries from North Carolina who need ongoing care, prayer and partnership.

What does it really mean to belong to a local church? Pastors Josh Wredberg and Matt Capps join us to talk about their new book Every Member Matters, exploring why church membership is a joyful opportunity to grow, serve and join God’s mission together. They unpack how committed membership strengthens discipleship and fuels the church’s mission. In this episode, Josh Wredberg, lead pastor of Redeemer Community Church in Fuquay-Varina, and Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, join Brian Upshaw, director of N.C. Baptists’ Ministry Strategies group. Wredberg and Capps wrote a new book called Every Member Matters: Why Your Church Needs You and Why You Need Your Church. In this conversation, the pastors share a compelling vision for church membership as more than just names on a roll, but active participation. They present a vision of membership that centers on discipleship, community and living on mission together. They talk about the biblical pattern of membership, the joys and challenges of being part of a committed body of believers, and how strong membership can lead to powerful mission.

If your church faced legal trouble, would it be ready? In this episode, Seth Brown sits down with Isaiah Turner of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)’s Church & Ministry Alliance to talk about how churches can be both faithful and legally prepared in today’s shifting cultural landscape. From restroom policies to youth retreats and staffing questions, Turner shares real-world legal challenges churches are facing across the country. He explains how the ADF Church & Ministry Alliance helps local churches stay protected and aligned with their biblical convictions, so you can stay focused on the Great Commission. Alliance Defending Freedom, a trusted partner of N.C. Baptists, offers tools to help churches steward their mission, documents and policies. Through the Church & Ministry Alliance, churches gain access to religious liberty assessments, legal reviews, and attorney support — all at a discounted rate for partnering N.C. Baptist churches. This service helps ensure your church is equipped to live sent, stand firm and keep proclaiming the gospel. Take a listen to hear how your church can be ready before a challenge ever arises.

If the Bible mentions money more than 2,000 times, why do many pastors find it challenging to preach about? If finances affect every person in the pew, with many struggling in some area of their finances, there is a significant need for discipleship around money and generosity in churches. What makes financial generosity a difficult spiritual discipline for many Christians? In this episode, Todd Unzicker sits down with Art Rainer, founder of Christian Money Solutions, to unpack why generosity should matter to Christians, what the Bible teaches about giving, and the resources available to N.C. Baptist partnering churches. Listen in as they explore the heart behind the “8 Money Milestones” curriculum, and learn more about how your church can benefit from a new partnership between N.C. Baptists and Christian Money Solutions.

This spring will see the overlap of several prayer, evangelism and baptism initiatives – all with the same shared goal of reaching the lost with the good news of Jesus. As the Week of Prayer for North American Missions kicks off this week, Todd Unzicker sits down with Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, to talk all about it. The two discuss sending culture, prayer, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, 3:16 on 3/16 and Fill the Tank. In this episode, listen and discover how to measure a legacy in church planting, what first step to take to foster a heart for planting and how churches can participate in two upcoming intentional initiatives for evangelism and baptism – 3:16 on 3/16 and Fill the Tank on April 27. Take a moment to celebrate 46 new N.C. Baptist church plants in 2024, and how North Carolina Baptists’ leading generosity has played a part in planting more than 11,000 churches since 2010.

Disciple-making isn’t only about individuals growing deeper – it’s about multiplying. With the 2025 Disciple-Making Conference just weeks away, this episode unpacks characteristics and metrics of disciple-making and why multiplication is at the heart of the Great Commission. In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker talks to J.D. Greear, lead pastor of The Summit Church and this year’s keynote speaker. Listen in as they discuss Jesus’ call to make disciples, how to evaluate multiplication in a church’s disciple-making strategy, and cultivating a sending culture. Plus: A sneak peek at the upcoming Feb. 25 conference, where you’ll walk away with a practical plan for multiplication.

After Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, N.C. Baptists have been working day and night to bring relief and hope to those who are hurting. In this episode, hear more about how churches and Baptists on Mission volunteers are partnering with the community to respond and rebuild. In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, listen to a panel discussion between Convention Relations Director Seth Brown and Tom Beam, disaster response coordinator for Baptists on Mission, and Baptists on Mission Executive Director Richard Brunson. Together, the three discuss N.C. Baptists’ response to Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina and how N.C. Baptist churches can provide relief in the weeks, months and years to come.

For 20 years, Dr. Danny Akin has faithfully served as president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In this special episode, Dr. Akin joins EDT Todd Unzicker to share updates about the seminary’s Hurricane Helene response and give a sneak peek of this year’s annual meeting convention sermon. In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, Dr. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS), joins Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker to discuss how N.C. Baptists and SEBTS are responding to Hurricane Helene and what we can expect at this year’s annual meeting.

The role of associate pastor can often be neglected or misunderstood. In this episode, hear directly from a pastor and his associate about the essential role this position plays in the life of the church. In this episode, Mission Catalyst Dennis Conner and Chris Autry, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Fayetteville, join two other pastors — Associate Pastor Andrew Barclift and now former Pastor Luke Lunceford (now a mission catalyst with N.C. Baptists) — to discuss the role and value of an associate pastor. Together, the pastors share personal experiences, reflect on the relationship between a lead pastor and an associate, and explore how this essential role serves and supports the flock of God.

Listen in to a conversation between Todd Unzicker, Executive Director-Treasurer for N.C. Baptists, and former Executive Director Treasurer Milton Hollifield as they share ministry updates and celebrate how God is moving across the state and beyond. During a recent N.C. Baptist “Staff Day,” former EDT Milton Hollifield addressed staff for the first time since his retirement in 2021. Hollifield encouraged N.C. Baptists to “let Christ be magnified.” In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, Chad Austin, managing editor of the Biblical Recorder, caught up with Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker and Milton Hollifield, who now serves with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to assist with strategic partnerships with state conventions. Listen in to their conversation as they share life and ministry updates, and celebrate God’s work among N.C. Baptist churches.

What does a supporting church and a sending church look like? SendNC stands ready to help churches plant churches — everywhere for everyone. Listen to how your church can support and send church planters across North Carolina. In this episode, SendNC Director Mike Pittman and SendNC Church Planting Strategist Paul Ortiz sit down with Pastor Robert Hefner of Pleasant Garden Baptist Church to discuss how N.C. Baptist churches — regardless of size — can be supporting and sending churches. They discuss why your church should support church planters and how you can become a sending church.

Recent studies show that 9 out of every 10 churches need some form of revitalization. In the latest episode of the N.C. Baptists’ Podcast, hear from a panel of guest speakers about how they’ve seen revitalization bring life back into churches. In this episode, hear from a panel of ministry leaders featured at the recent Reconstruct Conference as they discuss the variety of methods for church revitalization, including church fostering, merging and replanting. Hear powerful testimonies of how God is using revitalization efforts to grow and strengthen His church. List of panel speakers include: Ben McRoy, mobilization pastor; Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville Dave Kiehn, lead pastor; Park Baptist Church, Concord Joey Baynes, lead pastor; Restoration Church at the Rock, Greensboro Randy Titus, executive pastor of worship services; Mercy Hill Church, Greensboro Jonathan Yarboro, executive pastor of sending; Mercy Hill Church, Greensboro Aaron Wallace, lead pastor; Hephzibah Baptist Church, Wendell John Wilson, associate pastor; Hephzibah Baptist Church, Wendell Mark Gray, N.C. Baptist contractor for the Church Revitalization Team