A Faithful Congregation on New Hope Road
Longview Baptist Church sits on the north side of Raleigh at 2308 N. New Hope Road, in a corridor between Poole Road and U.S. Highway 1 North. The congregation has worshiped, served, and grown in this corner of Wake County since the mid-1990s, but the church itself stretches back to the summer of 1950, when roughly thirty to forty neighbors gathered under a tent to begin what would become a multi-generational Baptist community. Today Longview is known for something distinctive in Raleigh: it shares its building with two other congregations, a Hispanic church and a Montagnard church, and the three communities worship side by side each Sunday in English, Spanish, and Montagnard.
From a Tent to a Sanctuary
Longview Baptist Church was organized in the summer of 1950. The first worship services were held in a tent on the original site at 200 N. King Charles Road. Within months a quonset hut replaced the tent, and in the spring of 1951 Don Appleton was called as the first pastor. As the congregation grew, the quonset hut was expanded several times and eventually Sunday services overflowed into Longview Elementary School.
A permanent building was completed at the King Charles Road location in 1954. Over the next four decades, eight pastors would shepherd the church, including M. Fred Scott Jr., J. Groce Robinson, Robert L. Weatherspoon Jr., B. Carroll Owenby, C. Michael Shook, and Jesse T. Yarbrough. In the early 1990s, a Long-Range Planning Committee chaired by Bob Moreland recommended that Longview relocate to a site between Poole Road and U.S. Highway 1 North. Worship was held at Vena Wilburn Elementary School for about a year and a half while the new building rose, and the congregation moved into its present home in May 1996. The sanctuary was expanded in 2012 and 2013 to accommodate steady growth, and an addition provided new Sunday School space.
Dr. Randall (Randy) Lee McKinney served as the eighth pastor from 2010 until August 2024, when he was called as Associate Pastor of Senior Adults and Missions at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh. Rev. Jack Glasgow followed as Interim Pastor until November 2025. In October 2025 Longview called Rev. Weston Henderson as its ninth senior pastor. A North Carolina native and graduate of Catawba College and Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Henderson had previously served as Minister to Children and Youth at Pelham Road Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina, where he was ordained in 2022.
Worship with a Choir, a Hymnbook, and a Handshake
Longview's Sunday rhythm begins with fellowship over coffee before the 9:45 AM Sunday School hour. Worship follows at 10:55 AM and typically ends around noon. The order of service follows a thoughtful, formal pattern that includes corporate prayer, scripture readings, hymns, special music, and a sermon. Hymn numbers are listed in a printed order of worship and the lyrics also appear on screens, so worshipers can choose a hymnal or follow along on the wall. A large adult choir leads the congregational singing each week, supported by an organist and a pianist.
Parking is straightforward, with open spots available in both the front and the back of the building and no reserved spaces. Guests are welcome to dress business casual or come as they are. Children of all ages are invited to stay for the worship service, and a nursery is available for those who prefer it.
(A temporary schedule change is in place as the church recovers from a recent fire: through at least September 2026, Sunday worship is held at 10:00 AM.)
One Building, Three Congregations
What makes Longview unusual among Raleigh churches is that it shares its campus with two other worshiping communities. Each Sunday morning, English-speaking, Hispanic, and Montagnard believers gather in the same building for services in their own languages. The three congregations come together most visibly for an annual tradition called The Gift, a free drive-through nativity staged each December on the second weekend of the month. The drama moves from Gabriel's announcement to Mary through the empty tomb, and English, Spanish, and Montagnard voices take turns telling the story. Many who have driven through describe it as a moving and meaningful way to encounter the Christmas and Easter narratives.
The shared life of the three congregations is also marked by regular leadership gatherings. A Tri-Congregation Leadership and Prayer Gathering meets monthly on Tuesday evenings, bringing together the deacons and leaders of each group for prayer and planning.
A Music Ministry Rooted in the Choir Loft
Longview considers the music ministry one of the strongest arms of the church. The Adult Choir, open to adults of all ages, numbers roughly thirty members and provides service music and choral selections each Sunday. The church also supports handbells and small vocal or instrumental ensembles.
Longview's organist, Judy Parrott, has served since 2005. She studied under concert organist Stephen Hamilton at Virginia Intermont College and is the owner of Silver Expressions in Raleigh. Pam Carroll, the church's pianist, currently serves as Interim Music Director as the church searches for a part-time Music Director to provide trained leadership and oversight of the program. Longview's longtime Minister of Music, Rev. J. Garner Keel, retired in early 2026 after thirty-four years of service; the choir room has been dedicated in his name.
Children, Youth, and Young at Heart
Longview's Children's Ministry, led by Children's Director Allison Given, offers three Sunday School classes, Vacation Bible School each summer, fall festivals, a Christmas party, and an Easter egg hunt. Allison grew up in Raleigh and graduated from North Carolina State University, and has coordinated the preschool and children's ministry since 2014.
The Youth Ministry welcomes sixth through twelfth graders. Students meet for Sunday School at 9:45 AM and gather again on Monday nights at 7:00 PM for a lesson, with monthly fellowship activities, service opportunities, and summer and fall trips rounding out the year. (An earlier Monday evening Adult Bible Study and choir time slot now blends youth and choir rehearsal.)
Longview's senior adults belong to the Young at Heart ministry. The group gathers on the second Tuesday of each month at 11:00 AM for Bingo and lunch, and also takes part in the Senior Adult Luncheons on Wednesdays. Twice a year the group joins other Raleigh Baptist Association churches for a Senior Adult Rally hosted at a different church.
Discipleship Through Sunday School and Bible Study
Sunday School is the backbone of Longview's discipleship life. Three children's classes, a youth class, and five adult classes meet at 9:45 AM each Sunday, ranging from multi-generational groups to age-specific classes. Some classes focus on structured Bible study, others on relational discussion, and deacons are ready to help newcomers find a comfortable fit.
Two Adult Bible Study groups meet on Mondays, at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, giving members two chances during the week to dig into Scripture together. Quarterly Business Meetings, held on Sunday evenings, keep the congregation informed and involved in church decisions.
Missions: Baptist Men, Baptist Women, and Beyond
Longview organizes its mission life around two long-standing groups. Baptist Men meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM, and Baptist Women meet on the second Sunday of each month at 1:00 PM, beginning with desserts and fellowship. Both are actively involved in collecting supplies for organizations in the Raleigh area and supporting missions beyond the city.
What Longview Believes
Longview Baptist Church confesses faith in one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and holds that salvation is a gift of grace received through faith in Jesus Christ. The congregation affirms the Bible as the divinely inspired revelation of God, celebrates believers' baptism by immersion, and welcomes all Christians to the Lord's Supper, remembering Christ's sacrifice and anticipating His return.
Rooted in historic Baptist principles, Longview upholds soul freedom, the priesthood of all believers, and the autonomy of the local church. The church is committed to religious liberty and the separation of church and state, and it partners freely with other congregations and mission organizations for fellowship and ministry. The church affirms God's call to both men and women in ministry.
Longview is affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina and the Raleigh Baptist Association, which provide fellowship, missions support, and opportunities for cooperation with other Baptist churches across the state.
Giving and Staying Connected
Gifts to Longview support worship, discipleship programs, and community outreach. Offerings can be given online, dropped in the offering plate or shared with the deacons at the door after worship, or mailed to the church office. The church office, staffed by Administrative Secretary Kim Hill - a lifelong Longview member - can be reached at 919-231-3747 or at longviewbaptistraleigh@gmail.com.
From a tent on King Charles Road in 1950 to a shared sanctuary on New Hope Road today, Longview Baptist Church continues to grow as a community that takes the long view of following Christ together.