At Providence, we believe that spiritual formation begins and birth and is a lifelong process.  As such, we offer ministry areas for all ages and stages of life.

Children & Preschool Ministry

Our BLAST Preschool Ministry and SHINE Children’s Ministry cater to the youngest among us, offering age-appropriate biblical instruction and event programming for children from birth through Grade 5.

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Student Ministry

The Impact Student Ministry offers a dynamic environment for spiritual growth to students in grades 6 through 12 where the Gospel is always central, whether in group-based study, worship at high-energy monthly student worship events, service projects, or just enjoying time together at regular off-campus events.

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College & Career Ministry

Young, college-aged adults are invited to participate in our College & Career Ministry, studying God’s Word in a more self-directed way and learning to assume ownership of their spiritual development.

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Adult Ministry

Small groups (which we call “Grow Groups“) are the core of our Adult Ministry, offering interactive Bible study and the opportunity to serve together to adults of all ages.

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Senior Adult Ministry

Our most seasoned saints meet weekly for the Senior Adult Ministry (SAM) Bible study and worship, routinely participate in service projects for the community, and enjoy making memories at fun excursions both near and far.

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Women’s Ministry

The women of Providence are invited to enjoy faith, fellowship, and fruitfulness together under the umbrella of our Woven in Wisdom Women’s Ministry.

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Foster Care Ministry

The Overflow419 Foster Care Ministry serves local foster care children and caregivers with awareness, training, and practical wrap-around support of various kinds.

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Weekday Preschool

Providence Preschool is an affordable, Christian-based program offering half-day weekday care and education for children ages 1-4.

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Homeschool Co-op

Living Hope Academe a non-profit educational tutoring center that partners with homeschool families to provide encourage, support, and accountability in their homeschooling journey. 

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Additional Ministries

Trail Life USA

Trail Life USA is a Church-based, Christ-centered mentoring and discipleship journey for boys in Kindergarten through 12th grade established on timeless values derived from the Bible and set in the context of outdoor adventure.

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American Heritage Girls

American Heritage Girls is a Christ-centered character and leadership development program for girls 5 to 18 years of age dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community, and country.

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GATE Pregnancy Resource Center

GATE Pregnancy Resource Center offers free testing, ultrasounds, education and counseling for those in need of pregnancy and post-pregnancy care.

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Love. Intercession. Fellowship. Teaching.

The church isn’t a building.  The Church is a body with Jesus Christ as its head — a body that lives, breathes, moves, works, plays, shares, learns, hurts, and so on.  And as members of the body of Christ, we as individuals have some basic needs.  We need to love and be loved.  We need prayerful intercession on each other’s behalves.  We need fellowship with others.  We need a deeper knowledge of God and His Word.  We need a LIFT.

LIFT, Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm (through the school year)

Locations:

• Preschool- and school-aged kids:  Meet upstairs in the Family Life Center for biblical instruction, games, and crafts. 
• Middle- and high-school students:  Meet in the Student Center for teaching, games, and break-out groups. 
• College and career-aged young adults:  Meet upstairs in the Family Life Center for Bible study.  (See our ministry page for details.)
• All other adults:  Meet in the Family Life Center gymnasium for teaching and break-out discussion groups.

NOTE:  LIFT is typically offered only during the school year. We take summers and the end-of-year holiday season off to allow our leadership more time to spend with their families. 

We are a member church of the Southern Baptist Convention, thus our official position on matters of the faith aligns with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.  But in general, we’ve found the following things to be the beliefs held in common by the Providence family.

Biblical Truth

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” —2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)

We believe many people are at different places in their exploration of God. Some have not decided what they believe about God. Some are committed followers of God. We do not assume that everyone believes the Bible, or knows the Bible. We hope all who visit with us at Providence are open to exploring it. We believe the Bible to be the Word of God, with God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture or error as its matter.   (If you’d like to know more about salvation, please see “How to Become a Christian” at the website of the Southern Baptist Convention, which is the association of churches to which Providence belongs.)

Authenticity

“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” —Philippians 3:17 (NLT)

We believe we cannot be who God desires us to be as a church or as individuals if we are not transparent.  From our leadership to members of our church family, we are open about our successes and faults.  We do not fake things.  We’re a church family — faults and all.

Cultural Relevance

“The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly.” —Ecclesiastes 12:10 (NLT)

We realize the Bible was written in a different culture and a different time in history. However, the truths of the Bible teach us to feed the hungry, to share love with others, and to serve the community as God’s helpers.  We also believe we have the privilege of communicating the Bible in culturally relevant ways.  What point is there in trying to communicate in a manner others do not understand?  That’s not communication.

Community/Family

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…” — Hebrews 10:25a (NLT)

We love coming together for worship, but believe that as “life happens,” we need closer relationships.  We need community.  We need family.  We believe small groups are places we can explore God, building lasting relationships, help meet the needs of others, and have some of ours met in the process.  “Family” takes place when we get to know one another, love one another, and celebrate and serve together.

Excellence

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” —Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

We believe in doing our best.  Whether it’s in communication, music, or taking care of the babies God brings into our family, we believe in doing our best for God.

Evangelism

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…'” —Matthew 28:18-19 (NLT)

The message of God’s love is a message of hope. It is good news.  This type of sharing does not beat a person down, but shares the truths of God.  These truths, we believe, set people free to live.  We believe in sharing God with others that they might come to have an intimate relationship with Him.

Dr. John W. Cashwell

Senior Pastor

  jwcashwell@pbcharrisburg.org

Rev. Rody Carland

Minister to Senior Adults

  rodycarland@pbcharrisburg.org

Rev. Evan Smith

Minister to Students

  evansmith@pbcharrisburg.org

Dr. Thomas Ratchford

Minister of Discipleship and Missions

  thomasratchford@pbcharrisburg.org

Dr. Mike Smith

Minister of Pastoral Care

  michaelsmith@pbcharrisburg.org

Rev. Tony Emes

Minister of Latino Ministries

  antonioemes@pbcharrisburg.org

Mrs. Jennifer Pyne

Director of Children’s Ministries

  jenniferpyne@pbcharrisburg.org

Mrs. Cassandra Overcash

Foster Care Ministry Director

  cassandraovercash@pbcharrisburg.org

Mrs. Barbara Provin

Administrator & Music Director

  barbaraprovin@pbcharrisburg.org

Mr. C. Michael Pilato

Worship Leader & Technology Coordinator

  cmpilato@pbcharrisburg.org

Mrs. Christy McDufford

Ministry Assistant

  office@pbcharrisburg.org

Additional Staff Members

• Mrs. Cindy Crenshaw — Staff Musician
• Mrs. Kathy Epley — Staff Musician
• Mrs. Stephanie Baucom — Providence Preschool Director
• Mr. Tod Hipley — Custodian
• Mrs. Sarah Murphy — Custodian

Whether you were directly referred to this website or were ushered here by your favorite Internet search engine, we’re glad you found us! Below, we attempt to answer some questions that you may have as you plan your visit to Providence Baptist Church.

When and where are your worship services?

Providence Baptist Church is located on Hwy. 49 in Harrisburg, NC. We offer small group Bible studies and large-group worship services on Sundays year-round.  During the school year, we also offer age-appropriate programming on Wednesday evenings.  See the footer at the bottom of this website for specific times.

What should I wear?

There’s no dress code at Providence, and members and guests may routinely be found wearing everything from jeans and T-shirts to suits and dresses, and everything in between. You will be welcomed regardless of whether you show up ornamented or ordinary.

Do you offer small groups?

Yes! At Providence, small groups are a vital part of our overall ministry philosophy. The reason is simple: we believe that small groups offer an opportunity for interpersonal connection and personal spiritual growth that cannot be achieved in more densely populated settings. Our small groups (which we call “Grow Groups”) are the fundamental action units, too — small groups learn together, socialize together, serve missionally together both inside and outside of the church, and so on. Grow Groups meet, for the most part, at 9:00am on Sunday mornings. If you’d like some help finding a Grow Group, let us know and we’d be happy to direct you to a group of folks that may be of similar age or stage of life as yourself.

What kind of child care is available?

Providence offers safe, age-appropriate care and instruction for children through 5th grade. Our nursery is staffed to meet the needs of our youngest attendees. Preschool- and elementary-school-aged children will find instruction and activities in their Grow Groups. All staff and volunteers who work with children must undergo a background check, and we employ the use of a secure check-in/check-out system to verify that children are returned into the care of their parents or parent-approved adults only.

For the safety and security of all children, we limit access to the preschool/children’s ministry areas of the campus. If you’d like to tour these areas, meet your child’s teachers, or tend to your child’s special needs, we’re happy to escort you around! Some may think these policies are over-cautious, but we ask that you extend grace and understanding — these measures are in place so that all our little worshipers are safe, and so the “big worshipers” can worship freely without concern for their children’s well-being.

Of course, children of all ages are welcome to attend our worship services, too! Our Sanctuary features of pair of cry rooms that nursing mothers may use to discreetly attend to their child’s needs while still observing the service. And don’t worry too much if your young one decides to make a “joyful noise” in the middle of the sermon. As our senior pastor says, “Crying babies are a sign of life in a church; it’s the snoring deacons you should be concerned about.”

What can I expect from the worship services?

Rather like the architecture of our Worship Center’s Sanctuary, our Sunday morning worship services are a blend of the traditional and contemporary worship structures. The services’ liturgical elements don’t stray far from the formats employed in most other Southern Baptist churches, but may be presented in modernized ways. You’ll enjoy musical selections from many eras presented by both a choir and worship band, video presentations, and large-screen projected worship aids; but ours is not a “concert-like” atmosphere. The teaching is primarily of the “life application” variety as Biblical truth is used to help worshipers grow in their relationships with Christ Jesus and walk daily in His power and strength.

Do you have any programming for Spanish speakers?

Sí. Los domingos por la mañana, ofrecemos una Clase Biblica en español. Además, puede solicitar un audifono de traducción para escuchar el sermón traducido al español. Luego, a las 2pm, ofrecemos un servicio de adoración en español en el Edificio de Estudiantes.

Worship Online

We understand that not everyone is able to attend worship services in person on a weekly basis. Sickness, vacations, and other situations can disrupt the regular rhythm of gathering with other believers for corporate worship. Fortunately, technology can help us to participate in the worship life of the church even when in-person attendance isn’t possible.

Our 10:30am Sunday morning worship service is broadcast live on our YouTube channel.  Visit the channel to watch the live stream on Sunday mornings, or find there also all of our archived service recordings from previous weeks.

Those wishing to give their tithes and offerings online may do so using our secure online giving portal.  Set up an account to have greater control over your giving options, including the ability to configure automatic recurring gifts.

Stay Informed

Our weekly digital newsletter is the best way to keep in touch with what’s happening around our church.  And we never use our newsletter subscriptions as an excuse to spam you with other communications.

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Participate Online

While there’s nothing quite like the church gathered, we live in a digital age.  So for the benefit of those unable to attend services in person, we stream our worship services online and offer secure online giving.

Watch AND Give Online