Cedar Grove Baptist Church sits along Nails Creek Road in Maryville, Tennessee, in the rolling countryside south of Knoxville. The congregation has gathered in this part of Blount County since 1835, when a small group of believers from the Nails Creek community were constituted as a church after two years of shared meetings with Ellejoy Baptist Church. Nearly two centuries later, Cedar Grove remains a covenant community shaped by the same conviction that moved those first members: that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and the foundation of everything the church does.
A Congregation Constituted in 1835
The story of Cedar Grove begins with the men and women of the Nails Creek community who, in the early 1830s, began meeting for worship in homes and at the nearby Ellejoy Baptist Church. From August 7, 1833 to May 22, 1835, services were held alternately at the home of John Vineyard of Cedar Grove and at Ellejoy. On March 28, 1835, the church of Ellejoy met and agreed to a petition from the Cedar Grove gathering to be constituted as a separate church, allowing them to choose their own time and to call their presbytery for the constitution. Cedar Grove Baptist Church has continued in that same fellowship ever since, passing the work of ministry from one generation to the next on the same stretch of Nails Creek.
Lord's Day Worship and Sunday School
Sunday is the heartbeat of the week at Cedar Grove. Sunday school begins at 9:30 AM, with classes organized for Nursery, Preschool, K-5 Kids, Youth, and Adults. These classes are devoted to the reading and teaching of God's Word and to praying for one another, providing a place for every age to engage Scripture before the larger gathering.
At 10:40 AM the congregation assembles for Lord's Day Worship. This gathered service moves through a sequence of elements that the church believes the Bible prescribes: congregational singing, the reading of Scripture, prayer, the preaching of God's Word, the giving of tithes and offerings, and the monthly observance of the Lord's Supper. Visitors who want a closer look at the flow of the service can find a sample order of service linked from the What to Expect page.
The Shape of the Worship Service
The worship at Cedar Grove is centered on the gospel and shaped by Scripture. Congregational singing is a defining feature: the church sings psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and although the instrumentation is described as acoustic and folk-like, the leaders emphasize that the voice of the congregation is the most important instrument. A member of the church reads a passage of Scripture that pairs with the sermon text for the day, and every element of the service is designed to support what is read.
Prayer is woven throughout the gathering, grounded in texts such as the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 and the promise in 1 John 5 that God hears the prayers of those who abide in him. Preaching is expository, meaning that the pastor typically works through entire books of the Bible verse by verse, drawing out all that a passage teaches. The church regards the preaching and hearing of God's Word as central to corporate worship, in keeping with Acts 2:42 and 2 Timothy 4:2.
After the sermon, a time of response includes more singing, prayer, and silent reflection on the Word preached. The Lord's Supper is observed once a month at Cedar Grove and is open to Christians who have given their lives to God in faith and repentance, have been baptized, and are in good standing with their local church. Giving is presented as an act of obedience rather than a routine, and members are encouraged to give according to their means and beyond their means as a way of demonstrating love for God, the church, the community, and missionaries supported by the congregation.
Wednesday Evenings Around the Table
During the school year, from August through May, the church gathers on Wednesdays for two connected activities. At 5:30 PM, families and friends sit down together for a fellowship meal - a weekly rhythm described simply as a time to connect, reflect, and enjoy the joy of gathering around the table. At 6:00 PM the focus shifts to singing, Bible study, and prayer, with classes organized for Nursery, K-5 Kids, Youth, and Adults. These midweek gatherings extend the work of the Lord's Day by giving members another opportunity to know one another and to study God's Word together.
Teaching the Bible Book by Book
Beyond the regular schedule, Cedar Grove offers courses designed to deepen biblical literacy and understanding of the Christian faith. The Courses page lists two offerings: "What Is the Bible?" and "Foundations of Faith." These courses serve as an introduction for newcomers and a refresher for longtime members, complementing the book-by-book preaching of the pulpit ministry. A sermon library is available, and additional sermons and the livestream can be found on the church's YouTube channel.
Children and the Gospel
The church takes seriously the call of Jesus to welcome little ones. During the Sunday morning worship service, children's classes are provided for infants through four-year-olds, where children learn how all the Bible points to Jesus through singing, teaching, and hands-on crafts that help them remember what they have learned. Families are also welcome to keep their children with them in the worship service. As the church puts it, Jesus calls little ones to himself, and the congregation wants to point them to the Savior in every way possible. Wednesday evening classes extend the same commitment to discipleship for K-5 Kids, alongside the Youth and Adult offerings.
A Covenant Community on Nails Creek
Cedar Grove describes itself as a covenant community of Christians transformed by the gospel and brought together by God for his glory and the good of others. The members see themselves as the family of God, the bride of Christ, and the body of Christ - images from the New Testament that signify a community bound together by grace. Fellowship is taken seriously and spills over into the life of the church beyond Sunday and Wednesday: members spend time together before and after gatherings and informally throughout the week, seeking to live out Christ's new commandment to love one another as he has loved them.
The church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Chilhowee Baptist Association. Its mission is the same as that of every true church in the world: to be an intentional community that connects others to Jesus Christ in a true and transformative way. The leaders describe that work as "not trying to be fancy but faithful," leaning on the ordinary means of grace God uses to feed and lead his people - the preaching of the Word, the sacraments, prayer, and fellowship. The vision that shapes everything is summed up in a phrase drawn from Colossians 1: presenting everyone mature in Christ.
Beliefs Rooted in Scripture and the Creeds
As a Southern Baptist congregation, Cedar Grove affirms the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as its confession of faith and summary of basic Christian doctrine and theology. The church also affirms the historic Christian creeds. The full text of the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed are published on the What We Believe page, signaling a deep respect for the orthodox Christian tradition across the centuries.
The gospel page walks through the storyline of Scripture in four movements. God is the perfectly holy Creator who made us for relationship with himself. Humanity has fallen short of his glory through sin, which brings physical and spiritual death. In his great love, God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again in victory over sin and death. The appropriate response is to repent and believe, turning away from sin and placing complete trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, with baptism serving as the outward sign of that inward change, in obedience to Matthew 28:19.
Leadership and the Life of the Church
The church is served by Pastor Levi Sanders, who leads the preaching and pastoral ministry. Levi Fortner serves as Gathered Worship Director, and Virginia Fortner serves as Pianist. The deacon board is chaired by Charlie Cunningham and includes Sharon Coker, Hunter Harrison, Chuck Jones, and Wayne Lowe. Together they oversee the work of ministry and the care of the congregation.
Gary McCammon, who served as pastor for a decade, retired at the end of 2024. The church has expressed deep gratitude for his and Penny McCammon's years of ministry among the saints, and an article and video interview have been shared in honor of his lifelong service.
Visit, Connect, and Listen In
Visitors can find the church at 5302 Nails Creek Road in Maryville. The invitation is simple: come as you are. On any given Sunday you will see members in shorts, dresses, and sport coats - a wide range that reflects the church's relaxed approach to attire. The building is handicap accessible, and the What to Expect page offers a fuller picture for first-time guests. For those who cannot attend in person, the service is livestreamed on YouTube every Lord's Day at 10:40 AM.
Those who want to learn more, ask questions, or get involved can reach the church by email at cgbctenn@gmail.com or by phone at 865-983-0270. Because the office is not staffed during regular hours, callers will likely need to leave a voicemail, but the Connect page lists the staff members and their roles, and members are glad to meet visitors after any gathering. A monthly newsletter and a weekly bulletin keep the wider community informed, while the sermon library and the courses "What Is the Bible?" and "Foundations of Faith" offer paths to grow in the knowledge of God's Word.