NC Baptists

Join Todd Unzicker and Andrew Hopper as they discuss the theological connection between believers’ spiritual adoption in Christ and the call to care for the orphan. Discover how your church can grow from “guilt-driven” ministry to become a community of “rope holders” for the vulnerable and the families caring for them. In this episode, Todd Unzicker sits down with Andrew Hopper, pastor of Mercy Hi...

Are our churches actually making disciples, or are we just barely passing? Brian Upshaw and Drew Dabbs dive into the latest LifeWay Research findings and discuss how pastors can move their congregations from a ‘D’ average to vibrant, Great Commission impact.  The latest  State of Discipleship study  reveals a startling disconnect in the pews: while churchgoers score high on “seeking God,” they are...

Gen Z is outpacing other generations in church attendance. God is stirring something in the hearts of young people. In this live conversation recorded at the N.C. Baptist Annual Meeting, Daniel Rose sits down with Shane Pruitt to talk about calling, discipleship and why this unique moment is significant. Check out this episode to learn how church leaders can help students discern a call to ministr...

What a year! In this special end-of-year episode, N.C. Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker takes you behind the scenes at the N.C. Baptist building, stopping by offices to celebrate how God moved through churches, ministries and partnerships in 2025. From disciple making to disaster response, this is a look at kingdom impact across North Carolina. In this special year-end video, Tod...

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 conversatio...

The church is in a ‘strategic moment’ to reach a generation hungry for truth. In this episode, Todd Unzicker sits down with Shane Pruitt, National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board, to talk about how God is at work among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Generations Z and Alpha are often marked by their values of authenticity and transparency, and their cause-driven motivations. Shane Prui...

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 Redee...

In today’s cultural climate, many people – even in the church – view faith as a tool for personal fulfillment rather than a life transformed by Jesus. Author and ministry leader Trevin Wax joins Todd Unzicker to explore how churches can break through expressive individualism, build a counter-cultural community, and engage an increasingly open yet spiritually confused world. In this episode, Trevin...

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 ch...

This summer marks Merrie Johnson’s 25th year serving as N.C. Baptist student ministries strategist and leading the BeDoTell team. In this special episode, she and Todd Unzicker explore the grounds of Fort Caswell, which this year celebrates 75 years as an N.C. Baptist retreat and conference center. Tune in as Merrie Johnson shows Todd Unzicker places where she’s prayed for every new week of summer...

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 U...

How can you live out Acts 1:8 in simple, practical ways? In this episode, Todd Unzicker sits down with Scott Hildreth, professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and author of the new book, A Short Guide to Evangelism and Missions. The two discuss how Christians can be obedient to Jesus’ command to make disciples. Hildreth offers insights on finding confidence to share the gospel, equi...

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 Ann...

North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the United States and is predicted to have doubled in population over the last three decades by 2030. Three significant trends in the state’s demographic shifts are: the rise of cultural and religious diversity; the rise of Gen Z’s influence on society; and the rise of post-retirement possibilities.  In this episode of the On Mission Together...

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 o...

In 2024, N.C Baptists have seen God do more than we could have imagined. From record-high summer camp attendance to serving the hurting in Jesus’ name following Hurricane Helene, the Lord has been glorified through our ‘on mission together’ spirit. Listen as Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker answers questions featuring some 2024 highlights.  On this week’s episode of the N.C. Baptist podc...

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 Dire...

How does church growth connect to the command to go and make disciples? Hear the answer from N.C. Baptist Pastors’ Conference President Andrew Hopper as he shares a preview of this year’s gathering. In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker joins Andrew Hopper, pastor of Mercy Hill Church in Greensboro and director of the N.C. Baptist Pastors’ Confere...

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 T...

What role does the associate pastor play in our churches? How important is it for the lead pastor to have a supporter? Listen to the second half of this two-part discussion on the N.C. Baptists Podcast. In this episode, continue hearing from Dennis Conner, Chris Autry, Andrew Barclift and Luke Lunceford as they discuss the importance of the associate pastor in the life of the church. You can find...

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 L...

God has called everyone in the church to live on mission for Him. But sometimes, this call to live on mission can feel overwhelming. On this week’s episode, hear from NAMB’s Women’s Evangelism Director Catherine Renfro as she shares encouragement and advice as we step in faith to share the gospel with those around us. In this episode of the N.C. Baptists Podcast, Ashley Reffit, women's leadership...

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 enc...

In early August, communities across North Carolina were met with open arms by nearly 1,200 N.C. Baptist churches through an “on mission together” initiative known as “ServeNC.” But now that the weeklong emphasis has wrapped up, what’s next for churches?  On this week’s episode of the N.C. Baptist podcast, three N.C. Baptist team members — Antoine Lassiter, Barry Murry and Casey Norkett — share sto...

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 discu...