A Nashville Congregation on Old Murfreesboro Pike
Una Church of Christ stands on Old Murfreesboro Pike in southeast Nashville, just down the road from Una Elementary School and a short drive from Nashville International Airport. The congregation first opened its doors in 1878 and has stayed at the same address ever since, making it one of the older continuous church bodies in this part of Davidson County. Today Una runs a fully bilingual ministry, with an English-speaking congregation alongside the Ministerio Hispano, a Spanish-language work that launched on August 23, 2004, to reach Nashville's Spanish-speaking community.
Sunday Rhythms
The week at Una centers on Sunday morning. Worship begins at 9:00 am, followed by a coffee and doughnut fellowship at 10:15 am and Sunday School for all ages at 10:30 am. A second worship gathering closes the day at 6:00 pm. On Wednesday nights the congregation gathers for Bible study at 7:00 pm. A newly completed nursery, equipped with a private bathroom, a private nursing station, and fresh books, toys, and furniture, sits ready for families throughout the week. Visitors are invited to grab a cup of coffee and a doughnut from 10:00 to 10:30 am each Sunday before Sunday School begins.
The Ministerio Hispano
Since August 23, 2004, the Spanish-speaking ministry at Una has carried out its own weekly rhythm on the same campus. Mauricio Funes, the Hispanic Minister, leads services in Spanish, and the congregation also maintains its own Facebook presence as unaiglesiadecristo. Sundays begin with worship, called Adoración, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by Clase Bíblica (Bible class) from 10:00 am to 11:00 am and an evening Bible class from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Wednesdays bring another Bible class at 7:00 pm, Thursdays are set aside for Estudio en hogares, home Bible study groups, at 7:00 pm, and Fridays close the week with Estudio Bíblico at 7:00 pm, with the last Friday of each month given over to singing and prayer. The ministry remains actively connected to ongoing mission work in El Salvador.
What Happens in a Una Worship Service
Una shapes its pattern of worship from the first-century church described in the New Testament. Each service includes a-cappella singing, the observance of the Lord's Supper, giving, prayer, and the teaching of God's Word. No instrumental music is used in the assembly, which is part of Una's deliberate effort to follow the scriptural example it sees in Acts. The combination of these elements, repeated in the same order each week, gives the Una service a steady, easy-to-follow rhythm for newcomers and long-time members alike.
Core Beliefs
The Bible is the sole basis for everything Una teaches. Five commitments sit at the center of that teaching.
Faith is belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the confession that He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. At a deeper level, Una describes faith as trust and obedience rooted in that belief, the kind of trust Paul describes in Romans 1:17 as determining a person's standing with God from beginning to end. Trusting God is something Una says must be learned and grown into.
Repentance is more than feeling sorry for wrong. Una teaches that repentance is literally running from sin and toward God, changing the path of one's life in a way that draws closer to Him, as described in Acts 17:30.
Confession begins with the public acknowledgment that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, as Paul writes in Romans 10:9-10. Una also teaches that confession continues as a daily practice of honesty and accountability among believers, following James 5:16.
Baptism by immersion is taught as the moment a believer enters into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-4). Una teaches that this is the point at which forgiveness, justification, and reconciliation with God are received, and the moment when a person is added to the Lord's church.
Marriage is defined as the union of a man and a woman, instituted by God with Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:24 and affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:4-5.
Becoming a Member
Una welcomes anyone who would like to attend, but reserves formal membership for those willing to make a long-term commitment. The church frames that commitment in biblical, cultural, practical, and spiritual terms: the New Testament shows believers belonged to local congregations, commitment counters the casual-attendance culture of the surrounding community, rosters identify who can be counted on, and accountability fuels spiritual growth. Baptism by immersion is required for membership, mirroring Acts 2:41, where new believers were baptized and that day about three thousand souls were added to the church. Those who have already been immersed and are looking for a church home are invited to talk with the ministers about joining the local congregation.
Children, Youth, and NextGen
Every Sunday, after the Lord's Supper, children through the fourth grade are dismissed with leaders and volunteers to Children's Church, a space designed to teach, equip, and strengthen their love for Christ. The youth ministry, called The U, gathers students in grades 6 through 12. Describing itself as culturally diverse and a true reflection of the city it lives in, The U meets three times a week for fellowship, prayer, and Bible study. Seasonal retreats, service projects, youth rallies, and gatherings with other congregations give students regular opportunities to grow as Christian leaders and as brothers and sisters in Christ. NextGen gathers adults after the Sunday morning service downstairs for a combined community of young professionals, singles, and young families who would otherwise be split across separate classes.
The GYCS and Prison Ministry
The GYCS, the Golden Years Christians, is Una's active seniors group. They meet the second Thursday night of every month for a potluck fellowship meal and take day trips together, and their members stay involved in every other ministry at Una. Every other Sunday, members of the congregation commit themselves to a prison ministry that provides for the educational and spiritual needs of those who are incarcerated, extending the work of Una beyond its walls.
Leadership and Oversight
Una is served by two ministers. Darrick Shepherd has served as Preaching Minister since September 2022. Originally from Henderson, Kentucky, he holds a Bachelor of Biblical Studies from Bear Valley Bible Institute, a Masters of Biblical Studies from World Bible Institute, and a Masters of Christian Ministry from Amridge University. He teaches Bible classes at Goodpasture Christian School for grades 9 through 12 and has helped found two conferences that continue in Oklahoma City: the MOVE youth conference and the Momentum Men's conference. He has done mission work in Tanzania and South Africa and has spoken at lectureships, youth conferences, and marriage conferences across the country. He and his wife Kathryn have been married for 16 years and have a son in the fifth grade and a daughter in the second grade, both at Goodpasture Christian School.
Mauricio Funes serves as the Hispanic Minister. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, he moved to California in 1979 at age 15 because of the civil war, met his future wife Ana Maria at the Van Nuys Church of Christ in 1991, and served there as a deacon for 13 years. In 2004 he stepped down as deacon and moved his family across the country to Tennessee to help begin the Hispanic work at Una, a ministry he continues to lead and which remains closely tied to mission efforts in El Salvador.
Six elders watch over the spiritual well-being of the congregation and provide its vision and direction: Robert Beard, Brent Donegan, Mauricio Funes, John Green, Johnny Mitchell, and Bob Turner. Three deacons oversee specific ministries: Billy Castro leads audio, video, and IT for the Spanish work; Kevin Compton oversees worship; and Daniel Martinez leads youth and family ministries.
Listening Online, Giving, and Connecting
Sermons from Una are posted online through Series Engine, with a deep archive of messages from preachers including Darrick Shepherd and elder Robert Turner. Recent series have moved through the Gospel of Matthew, the Psalms, faith foundations, and seasonal topics, and the archive goes back several years. Giving is available online through Tithe.ly, so members and friends can give even when they do not have cash or a check on hand. Visitors who want to learn more can fill out the online connect form, and the Una team promises to reach out personally rather than simply adding names to a list, answering questions about the church, about membership, or about volunteer opportunities to serve, help, or lead.