About

Providence Baptist Church shares a rich history in the community of Shawboro, NC. Originally presented in 1816 as a Baptist Meeting house for the Indian Ridge community, the church was formally established in 1826 as the Baptist Church of Christ at Providence.  The original meeting house that the church established was built with pledges raised by 52 men and one widowed woman, contributing $537 (approximately $11,680 in 2024) to the formation of this first structure.

Today, the sanctuary that we utilize for weekly worship is on the same tract of land as the original meeting house of 1816. Providence Baptist Church has never been in a position to necessitate a move away from where God began a work over 200 years ago. We know that God has continued to keep us here to create a community of believers in our county.

From the beginning, the goal of this meeting house has been to establish a formal meeting place where people can hear the good news of Jesus and allow others to share in the work together. These core principles still hold true today. The meeting house has changed over the years as the church has grown and expanded, but the heart of the ministry has remained.

In 1973-74, the church embarked on a new journey to increase its Sunday School abilities. They broke ground on the new building in 1974, dedicating the next year upon completion.  That portion of the church remains today, housing our children’s wing and youth areas, as well as a few of our adult Sunday School classes. The current sanctuary was built and dedicated on May 20th, 1984. One interesting piece of history is located at the front entrance of the Sanctuary. Upon walking up the steps, you will notice a fan shaped stained glass window that is displayed in each picture. This window has survived every building that has housed our church family.

In 2006, Providence began the process of building the Family Life Center (FLC) in order to better serve the church through fellowships and children/youth activities. The FLC plays a vital role in the overall ministry of Providence, supporting our Wednesday night meals and the various ministry activities that take place. Through the commitment of the members of Providence, the church was able to pay off the mortgage on FLC in only six years and held a note burning in 2012. The congregation of Providence has remained faithful in its endeavors to further the kingdom of God through the use of our facility. 

Since its establishment, Providence Baptist Church has been under the leadership of 31 pastors and interim pastors. Even today there are a few pastors whose names still come up in topics of conversation: Rev. Charles Wellons (served 32 years) and Rev. Charles Stevens (served 16 years). Currently, Providence is led by Pastor Charles Rikard (serving since 2023) who follows the great leadership of the pastors before him.

The future of Providence Baptist Church is bright and purposeful. As we desire to continue the ministry work set forth in 1826, we seek God to give us directional guidance to reach our community for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Everyone deserves to hear about God’s grace, and we believe every member is a minister to that message.  

Ethos is defined as the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc.  At Providence, we are always seeking to define our ethos as a church family. Every group has values that they hold and aspire to achieve, and this is no different for a church.

1. Ethos of Gospel Saturation: Gospel saturation is in essence the desire of God’s people to speak and live in such a way that the glory of God can be made known through all the earth. As a church, we believe that God has given us a responsibility to walk in a manner worthy of the Good News that Jesus came to proclaim, and the most effective way to do that is by saturating ourselves in God’s Word in order to better reflect the beautiful call of God in our lives.
2. Ethos of Welcome: A welcoming church is essential. Our goal as a church is to help individuals from various walks of life become integrated members of the congregation. In order to effectively do that, we find it necessary to welcome everyone into our church and allow them the opportunity to worship. 
3. Ethos of Discipleship: Discipleship is an ongoing process of believers to be transformed into the image of Jesus. It goes beyond an initial decision to follow Jesus, and into the depths of becoming like Jesus. As a church, we believe it is essential to not settle for “cheap grace”, instead adopting the attitude of spiritual formation and depth.
4. Ethos of Purpose: Just as God was intentional with his passionate pursuit of us, we also believe that the church must be intentional in its pursuit of the community where God has rooted them. Therefore, we believe it is important to operate with a relevant purpose to reach our community, effectively seeking to meet the ever-changing needs of the community.
5. Ethos of Excellence: Excellence is a key component of Christian community and character. At our heart, we strive to take the gifts that God has given us and work them with all our might. The work of ministry is an important undertaking, and we believe that we have a responsibility to create an environment that allows people to grow into maturity in their relationship with God.
6. Ethos of Freedom: Freedom enables us to worship God without bounds or limitations. The desire of our church is not to restrict people in their ability to worship with us or in their ability to grow in relationship with the Lord. Rather, we desire for them to exercise the freedom that Christ has granted to them through salvation. Freedom does not grant us permission to serve the flesh without consequence, but enables us to submit ourselves under the authority of God.