About Us:   Church History

Friendship Baptist Church began as the desire of eight couples to begin a work for God in north Raleigh. Desire became reality on May 2, 1965, when the first Sunday service of Friendship Baptist Church was held in a restaurant building on Wake Forest Road with Rev. Marvin Deitz of Bob Jones University. On July 21, 1965, Terry Herman was called as the first pastor, serving until March 1967. On Sunday, September 5, 1965 the church was officially organized with 28 charter members.

On March 22, 1967, Al G. Price was called as the second pastor. On April 30, 1968 the church purchased 5.5. acres of the property on which Friendship Baptist Church now stands. Bonds valued at $125,000 were sold in 10 days!

The first service in the new building was held on February 23, 1969 with Dr. W. Jack Hudson as speaker. On February 1, 1970, Rev. R.E. Peterson joined the staff as the church's first assistant pastor. Later that year, Mrs. Peterson became the teacher of the first kindergarten class of Friendship Christian School.

Rev. R. Gene Payne began serving as Friendship's third pastor on April 15, 1971. Friendship Christian School continued its development with the first senior class graduation being held in 1980. the church auditorium was expanded, additional classrooms were added, and a full gymnasium facility was built. Dr. Payne served as pastor until December 31, 2000 when he retired and assumed the role of pastor emeritus.

Rev. Bob Vradenburgh, a missionary to the Cayman Islands, was called as the fourth pastor and assumed the position of senior pastor on January 1, 2001. Under his leadership, the present auditorium was built and then dedicated on January 4, 2004.