
Our History
Friendship Chapel Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC was founded on the principles of love and a desire to worship God freely. It was so yesterday and still is today.
The actual church movement began with slaves conducting secret worship services sometime between 1845 and 1865. From 1865 to 1867, some of the slaves were allowed to attend the services at Forestville Baptist Church, while others continued to worship under a bush arbor.
During a revival meeting in 1866, "Uncle" Nelson Ligon was so moved by the Spirit that he jumped from the gallery into the white audience. This incident gave way to the founding of Friendship Chapel Baptist Church. From 1867 to 1890, several structures replaced the bush arbor. The structure housing the old sanctuary was dedicated in May 1929.
The effective leadership of eight pastors, from Rev. George Harris (1870) to our present pastor, Dr. Enoch E. Holloway, is evidenced by varied spiritual and structural improvements at Friendship Chapel Baptist Church.
The current sanctuary, dedicated in December 2000, will allow us to provide holistic ministry for the new millennium. Time is filled with swift transition... From the bush to a multi-roomed edifice, from an open hearth to central heating and air, from bare splintered floors and hard benches to carpeted floors and padded pews, from 1866 to the present.
We are looking forward to the future. We are a church doing God-sized things, a church doing kingdom building.

"Uncle" Nelson Ligon
Founding Member

Senior Pastor