Northport Baptist Church sits on Main Avenue in Northport, Alabama, just across the river from Tuscaloosa, and its identity is built around a single sentence. The church's motto, displayed at the bottom of every page and spoken by its members, is "We Exist To Lift People Up To See Jesus." Everything else at the church - the two Sunday morning services, the Wednesday night meals and classes, the day school, the missions trips, the English language classes, the children's wing, the student building, the GriefShare group - is built to serve that purpose.
The church describes itself plainly: "When you visit Northport Baptist Church, you'll quickly feel at home as we help you discover the love of Jesus in a way that delivers hope and peace." Guests are told to come as they are. The leadership says, "We care about YOU, not your money, your status, or your past," and the goal of a first visit is for newcomers to encounter the living God in a place of joy and to be loved, heard and valued by a community of believers.
Two Sunday Mornings on Main Avenue
Weekly worship is offered on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM, with Sunday School meeting at 9:00 AM for everyone from two-year-olds through adults. Both services share the same focus on biblical preaching and congregational worship, led by a worship team that includes Associate Worship Leaders Todd and Aimee Cowart alongside Contemporary Worship Leader Eric Ott. Services are livestreamed on YouTube so members at home or out of town can worship alongside those in the room.
Children are cared for throughout the morning. Nursery is available at 9:00 and 10:30 AM for babies, crawlers, walkers and toddlers. Preschool-age children worship at 10:30 AM in a space called the Tree House, and kindergarten through fourth graders attend Children's Church at 10:30 AM in the Hideout. Sunday School at 9:00 AM covers two-year-olds through fourth grade. The check-in process uses kiosks in the children's hallway; each child receives a name sticker and each parent receives a matching pickup sticker.
Visitors can plan a visit online and download a guest booklet that explains what to expect. Once a month, immediately following the morning service, the church hosts "Welcome to NBC" - a relaxed gathering in the Fellowship Hall with light refreshments where guests can meet staff and members, ask questions about Sunday School, ministries, and serving, and learn the next step for getting connected.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday is the second main gathering of the week. The night is built around a shared meal in the Fellowship Hall at 5:00 PM, where families register in advance and pay six dollars a person to eat together before heading into classes. The menu rotates by week - Guthries or Chick-fil-A chicken the first week, a taco bar from Pastor's Kitchen the second, pizza and salad the third, and home cooking from Dwayne McIntosh the fourth - and a monthly schedule is posted online.
At 6:00 PM, classes and studies begin across the campus. Children meet in their own rooms. Students gather in the Student Building for games, open gym and pizza at 5:00 PM, followed by student worship at 6:00 PM. Preteens play games in open gym at 5:00 PM and worship together in Room 205 at 6:00 PM.
For adults, the Wednesday menu is unusually full. The "Wednesday Word," taught by Senior Pastor John Jenkins, meets at 10:00 AM in Room 422 and is also recorded as a podcast available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. In the evening, multiple studies run at the same time: a Co-Ed Class led by Scott Green in Room 109, a journey through Hebrews called "Jesus is Better" led by Joseph Givens and Derek O'Quinn in Room 104, "Revelations from God's Word" led by Laura Sprayberry in Room 424, and women's studies including "Everyday Theology" (Hayley Johnson, Room 422) and "Come Home" (Judy Hall, Room 105).
From Nursery to Launch: A Full Span of Ministries
One of the defining traits of Northport Baptist is the breadth of its age-specific ministries, each with its own staff and its own programming. The premise is that every stage of life deserves its own community.
Lil' Kids and NBC Kids. The children's ministry is split between Lil' Kids for birth through preschool and NBC Kids for kindergarten through fourth grade. The program runs during both Sunday services and on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM. Beyond weekly programming, NBC Kids hosts Vacation Bible School, summer camp, parents' night out, an Easter egg hunt, a Pumpkin Party and a Friendsgiving. Children's Pastor Lane Vanveckhoven leads NBC Kids, with Preschool Director Amy Blethen overseeing Lil' Kids. All teachers and helpers must submit to a background check and attend mandatory training.
Preteens. Fifth and sixth graders have their own ministry aimed at making them "gospel centered, missional and inviting." On Sundays, preteens attend Sunday School at 9:00 AM in Room 205, then join the 10:30 worship service; the first Sunday of each month is "Missions Sunday," when they stay in the student building for breakfast and a lesson on evangelism. On Wednesdays, preteens play open gym at 5:00 PM and meet for worship and lesson in Room 205 at 6:00 PM. The ministry is led by Preteen Minister Turner Dees.
Students. The student ministry exists, in its own words, to help students and parents "believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, unite with others in Him, and go with boldness to make disciples." Students meet at 9:00 AM for Sunday School in the Student Building, attend worship at 10:30, and eat breakfast together the first Sunday of every month. Wednesday nights are a second gathering, with games, open gym and pizza at 5:00 PM and student worship at 6:00 PM. The ministry is led by Student Pastor Daniel Buckhannan, with Youth Minister Bryton Fowler also serving on the team. Trips include an annual STS Conference over Christmas break and a Spring Break Retreat.
Launch (College). College students meet as Launch, a ministry that aims to "help college age kids and college students know Jesus as Lord" and prepare them for adult life. Through corporate worship, Bible study, small groups, discipleship and mission trips, Launch walks alongside students during a season of transition.
Young Adults. For ages 18 to 29, the church runs a Young Adults ministry organized around three commitments: to pray with a purpose, to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus, and to go on His mission. Nearly and newly married couples and young professionals meet at 9:00 AM in the Chapel on Sundays, and on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM in the Chapel there is worship and Bible study. Trey and Emily Chesser lead the ministry.
Men. The Men's Ministry is built around four statements: A Real Man Courageously Follows God's Word; Loves and Protects God's Woman; Excels at God's Work; and Betters God's World. Quarterly gatherings feature a devotion led by Pastor John Jenkins. Smaller connection happens through men's life groups and the BetterMan group study. The ministry also runs Equipped, a movement for dads of children from babies through college age that begins with an annual retreat. Discipleship and Missions Pastor Scott Green oversees the men's ministry.
Women. The Women's Ministry gathers women of all ages for encouragement and study. Resources include a women's Bible study ("Our Covenant God" by Kay Arthur), Wednesday evening studies ("Everyday Theology" and "Come Home"), and access to a Women's Ministry Toolbox and Group Women's Ministry Resources. The Women's Ministry Leader is Daeon White.
Senior Adults. The Trailblazers senior adult ministry meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall for fellowship and connection. The church also maintains a resource page with links to senior care information.
Day School and ESL: Ministry Beyond Sunday
Two weekday programs distinguish Northport Baptist from a typical Sunday-only church.
Northport Baptist Day School offers a Christian preschool for ages three months through four years. Structured classes run two days (Tuesday/Thursday), three days (Monday/Wednesday/Friday) or five days for two- and three-year-olds, and five days only for four-year-olds. The Mom's Morning Out program for younger children (3-11 months and walking one-year-olds) can be taken one, two or three days a week. Day School Director Amy Brooks oversees the program, and enrollment forms and a parent handbook are available for download.
Adult ESL is a free English-as-a-Second-Language program led by Gina Miller and a team of volunteers. Classes meet every Tuesday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM from August through May. Students may join at any time, and childcare and bus services are provided so that attendance is not limited by transportation or family situation. The program is a mission field in itself: volunteers are needed for childcare, teaching, transportation and hospitality, and no teaching experience or foreign-language skill is required.
Global and Local Missions
Missions are central to the life of the church. A Missions page lays out a steady rhythm of international trips with specific costs, partners, and work, alongside local outreach in Tuscaloosa, Moundville and surrounding communities.
Recurring international trips include Mexico (a week in Tapachula, partnering with Send Me Refuge and led in part by Joseph Givens, with construction, medical, children's, men's and women's opportunities), Honduras, Taiwan, Kentucky (a family mission trip to Lynch), Ecuador (children's Bible clubs and community outreach) and occasional trips to Indonesia and North Africa. Most trips fall in the spring and summer; deposits and applications are handled through the website, and an annual Missions Opportunities Meeting each August introduces the next year's calendar.
Locally, the church partners with Tuscaloosa International Friends and other ministries, supports Operation Christmas Child through a "Christmas in July" supply drive each summer, and runs Families Count, a ministry for families. Members are encouraged to view missions as a three-step journey - pray, contact, commit - rather than as a one-time trip.
GriefShare, Counseling, and Care
For those walking through loss, GriefShare is a 14-week, video-based support program led at the church by Chris Jones and Charity Guyton. The group meets on Wednesdays from 5:45 to 7:00 PM in Room 424; workbooks cost $15. Whether a loss is recent or years old, the group offers biblical encouragement and a safe place to share.
Biblical counseling for women and girls is offered through Laura Sprayberry, the church's counselor. The ministry is rooted in the compassionate love of Christ and offers biblically-based support through emotional, spiritual, and relational challenges. Anyone interested can request a meeting through the church's Grow page.
Discipleship, Bible Reading, and Scripture Memory
For those who want to deepen their roots, the church offers several layers of intentional growth.
Starting Point is a 12-week journey designed for guests and new members, led by Scott Green. Two semesters are offered each year - one beginning in August and one in January - meeting Sundays at 9:00 AM in Room 415. The class covers what it means to follow Jesus, the core beliefs and mission of Northport Baptist, and how to build meaningful relationships with others taking the same next step.
The annual church-wide Bible Reading Plan is a five-day-a-week reading schedule with a weekly reminder by text. Anyone can opt in by texting "Bible" to the number on the church's Bible Reading Plan page, and a downloadable PDF is posted for those who prefer to print it.
NBC Scripture Memory is a church-wide program committing the entire congregation to memorizing Romans 8 - one verse per week over the course of a year.
LifeGroups are the church's small-group network, described as the heart of life at NBC. Groups meet in homes and around the area for connection, prayer and Bible study, and new participants can request more information through the church office.
Discipleship is offered for those who want to grow deeper through intentional study, prayer and fellowship, and Christian counseling is available as a separate track for personal support.
Staff and Leadership
Senior Pastor John Jenkins leads the church with more than ten years of service and a heart for missions. He teaches the Wednesday Word each week and leads the quarterly men's gatherings. The rest of the ministry team includes:
- Scott Green, Discipleship and Missions Pastor, and men's ministry leader
- Todd and Aimee Cowart, Associate Worship Leaders
- Eric Ott, Contemporary Worship Leader
- Joseph Givens, Online and Outreach Pastor
- Trey and Emily Chesser, Young Adult Leaders
- Daniel Buckhannan, Student Pastor
- Bryton Fowler, Youth Minister
- Turner Dees, Preteen Minister
- Lane Vanveckhoven, Children's Pastor
- Amy Blethen, Preschool Director
- Amy Brooks, Day School Director
- Gina Miller, ESL Ministry Coordinator
- Laura Sprayberry, Biblical Counselor for Women and Girls
- Daeon White, Women's Ministry Leader
- Hayley Johnson and Judy Hall, Women's Bible Study Leaders
- Chris Jones and Charity Guyton, GriefShare Leaders
Giving, Volunteering, and Staying Connected
Members can give in three ways: by placing cash or checks (made out to Northport Baptist Church) in the lobby offering boxes, by mailing them to the church office at 1004 Main Ave, or online through the church's giving page. All gifts support the church's mission of "Lifting People Up To See Jesus" through ministry, outreach, and missions.
Volunteer opportunities cover every corner of the church, from Audio Visual (sound, camera, lighting, photography, presentation) to Children's Ministry, Events, Facilities, Guest Services (ushers, greeters, parking), Global Outreach, Men's Ministry, Prayer (a team gathers every Sunday at 6:45 AM in the sanctuary), Safety and Security, U.S. Outreach, Women's Ministry, Worship, Young Adults, and Youth. Volunteers may serve teens through adults; positions in more sensitive areas require background checks and approval, while others only ask that a volunteer know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The church maintains an active social presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and the Wednesday Word and other teaching are distributed as a podcast on Apple Podcasts for members who want to keep up between Sundays.