NC Baptist Church Records

The North Carolina Baptist Historical Collection’s church records collection is composed of original records (some dating back to the 1700s), photocopies of records, and microfilmed records.

We have digitized our paper finding aids and lists to assist researchers interested in our Baptist church records. Patrons can browse and search our collections by church name, association name, and county name. In addition, we have added lists of independent Baptist churches, information about African American Baptist churches and ministers, and alphabetical lists of obituary notices from the Biblical Recorder and obituary notices from the North Carolina State Baptist Convention.

We also have vertical files on almost all of the North Carolina churches which may contain: timelines of constitutional dates, Associational memberships, and any name changes, divisions, or mergers the church may have gone through; newspaper clippings; brief historical sketches; lists of former and current pastors; church directories; and photographs.

In some cases, we may have one of each of these types of records, and in other cases may only have a vertical file. In addition, some published church histories have been cataloged and can be found in the library’s online catalog.

Church history committees and individual researchers are welcome to visit the collection and view these church records. Visiting researchers are required to make an appointment at least three business days in advance of a proposed visit. To make a research appointment please use our request form or call the department at 336-758-6175.

Although the NCBHC no longer does in-house microfilming of church records, we purchase copies of all North Carolina church records microfilmed by the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee. Churches are strongly encouraged to have their records microfilmed by the SBHLA. For information on the microfilming program call 1-615-244-0344.