A Simple Pattern of Worship on Jenks Avenue
Jenks Avenue Church of Christ sits on a tree-shaded stretch of Jenks Avenue in Panama City, Florida, where it has long served families across Bay County. The congregation identifies with the churches of Christ tradition and traces its roots through earlier assemblies that met at St. Andrew and Beck Avenue, a heritage documented on the church's history page. Visitors are greeted at the door and welcomed regardless of background or experience, and the building itself has been arranged to care for every age, from an attended nursery for the youngest infants to a quiet nursing mothers' room fitted with monitors so that moms can follow the service while caring for their babies.
The services themselves are deliberately simple, shaped by what the church reads as the pattern of the early church in the New Testament. Each gathering includes prayer, a cappella singing, the Lord's Supper, scripture reading, a collection for the ongoing work of the church, and a lesson from God's word. There are no musical instruments in the assembly, a choice the church has explained in a three-part teaching series called "Why A Cappella."
Sunday and Wednesday Rhythms
Worship begins at 9:00 AM on Sunday morning, followed by Bible classes for all ages at 10:30 AM. A second worship gathering meets at 6:00 PM on Sunday evening, with children's programming running alongside it. On Wednesday evening, a devotional and Bible class gather at 6:00 PM. The Sunday morning service is also livestreamed, and recordings of services are kept on Vimeo for later viewing.
An attended nursery cares for infants through 24 months during both the Sunday morning and Sunday evening services. Children older than that move into training rooms during the assembly. Each Sunday evening, Kingdom Kids provides an interactive children's worship for ages three through second grade, using a puppet show, singing, and hands-on activities while the rest of the church meets for worship.
Six Pillars of Belief
The congregation states its convictions in six short statements, each anchored in a small list of Bible verses. Love calls members to love God and others with the same unconditional love shown by the Lord, drawing on Matthew 22:37-39 and 1 John 4:7-21. Unity points to Jesus' prayer that his followers be one, citing Ephesians 4:3-6 and John 17:23. Truth holds the Bible, "inspired by the one True and Living God," as the primary authority for life, supported by 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:105, and 3 John. Grace teaches that salvation is a free gift from God, paid for by the blood of Christ, with Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, and 1 Peter 3:18 as touchstones. Ministry recognizes that God gives each believer abilities to serve one another and the world, not to earn salvation but to express gratitude for eternal life. Worship describes the Sunday assembly as a continuation of the apostles' pattern, with the Lord's Supper, Bible study, prayer, singing, and giving at its center.
On the same page, the church identifies itself as "a non-denominational church with Christ as the head of the church and the Bible as our primary authority." A group of elders serves as shepherds of the congregation, following the leadership model found in the early church.
Children, Teens, and Families
Children's ministry runs from the nursery through fifth grade and is organized around the P226 curriculum, a structured set of Bible lessons taught on Sundays after worship and on Wednesday evenings following a brief devotional. Vacation Bible School takes over the Family Activity Center each summer, transforming it into a Bible-times setting with crafts, games, music, and drama. Recent themes have taken children to ancient Rome to explore the caves of the Underground Church and meet the Apostle Paul. Kids for Christ plans seasonal events including an annual Easter Egg Hunt with a hot dog cookout, kites, and games; the summer VBS; and Trunk 'n' Treat, a fall evening when members decorate car trunks and hand out candy to children dressed as Bible characters.
Older children have a path toward leadership through Lads to Leaders, also known as L2L, a program that develops Bible knowledge, leadership skills, and service habits from a young age and culminates in an annual convention. Summer also brings Camp Wiregrass, a Christian camp the church sends groups to for students in third through twelfth grade each summer, with friends going for free when a Jenks camper brings them along.
Teens meet for fellowship, spiritual growth, service opportunities, trips, and extra-curricular activities under the youth ministry. The teen program uses a John Crist video series for discussion on topics like Christian relationships, judging, church attendance while traveling, and being a man or woman of God, paired with written lesson guides. A youth events calendar and a medical release form are kept online for parents.
Adults in Fellowship
Adult ministry centers on Bible classes and relationships. The Tuesday Ladies' Bible Class meets weekly at 10:00 AM in the Family Activity Center during the school year, giving women of all ages a regular opportunity to study God's Word together. Monthly ladies' fellowship activities add a social rhythm to that teaching. The Men's Prayer Breakfast gathers on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:45 AM in the Family Activity Center, with men of all ages welcome to share coffee, donuts, devotion, and prayer before work; fathers are encouraged to bring their sons, teaching them the importance of prayer and time spent with Christian brothers.
Adult education is built around the conviction that the Bible is the only authority for what is taught in the classroom. Elders oversee the program and select teachers who can "encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." Outside the building, members have access to a library of written Bible studies produced by the church itself. The Riches of His Grace walks through God's plan for salvation in thirteen chapters; The Word of God Is Spiritual Milk, a follow-up, addresses topics that shape young faith and church practice; and What About Church, the third in the series, explores God's purpose for the church and the Christian's place in it. Each study is available in spiral-bound hard copy from the office for a small fee. The Resources page also links to RightNow Media for streaming Bible study content.
A Place for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
A dedicated Deaf Ministry provides sign language interpretation for every worship service and Bible class. The team of interpreters is also available at other special events such as gospel meetings, fellowship meals, and student and young adult activities. Visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing will not be singled out, the church notes, and the ministry is built around the same simple desire to worship together that shapes the rest of the congregation.
Plan a Visit
Anyone considering a first visit can expect reserved parking spots marked for guests. There is no dress code; some attenders wear suits, others wear jeans, and everything in between is welcome. Worship follows the pattern described above, with a cappella singing, a Biblically-focused lesson, and an observance of the Lord's Supper every Sunday. A "Plan a Visit" form lets first-time guests let the church know they are coming, share how many children will be in Bible classes, and request that a minister reach out personally before or after the visit.
For those who cannot be there in person, the Sunday morning service is livestreamed on Vimeo, and recordings of recent services are kept online. Giving is available through an online giving platform, and prayer requests can be submitted by phone, email, or a form on the church's online form, with an option to keep requests private to the elders and ministers only.
Shepherds, Ministers, and Deacons
The congregation is shepherded by a panel of nine elders: Hal Burleson, Paul Calhoun, Joel Chapman, Jim Holsombake, Jim Hurley, Bart Lewis, Lawrence Peavler, Carl Scott, and Gary Witham. Several of these men have served continuously since January 2000, drawing on careers in the military, business, and years of teaching and leading within the church. The ministerial staff includes Daniel Cherry as Lead Minister, Nick Rice as Discipleship Minister, and Brian Crosby as Youth Minister. They are supported by two church secretaries who keep the ministry connected with members and visitors alike.
A wide team of deacons oversees specific areas of congregational life, including information technology, senior saints and widows, the main building, administration and organization, security, visitation, worship, the Family Activity Center, young adults, sound room and technology, grounds and pavilion, men's activities, youth ministry, L2L and community outreach, congregational activities, crisis intervention, the men's prayer breakfast, new member orientation, and finance. Anthony DuBose serves as deacon over finance and also directs Kingdom Kids, tying the financial and children's work of the church together in one family.