A Church of Christ on Waterview Drive
Tucked along a tree-shaded stretch of North Waterview Drive in Richardson, Texas, the Waterview Church of Christ is a congregation shaped by a simple conviction: the Bible, in its New Testament form, is the blueprint for the church. From its single building between Melrose Drive and the neighborhoods to the south, the church has grown into a family of several hundred believers that meets in two languages, educates preschoolers in its own facility, and supports missionaries on five continents.
Visitors driving up to 1409 N. Waterview Drive find three parking lots, multiple entrances, and a sprawling schedule of activities that begins before 9 a.m. on Sunday and continues into the evening five days a week. The motto that headlines the church is four words long: Learn. Worship. Serve. Grow. In a city better known for tech corridors than for storefront churches, Waterview has earned a quiet reputation as a place that takes seriously both the words of Jesus and the everyday rhythms of North Texas family life.
What Sundays Look Like: A Cappella Worship and Five Acts of Faith
Like most Churches of Christ, Waterview gathers on the first day of every week to follow a worship order drawn directly from passages in Acts and the Epistles. A Sunday at Waterview has five moving parts.
Bible class begins at 9 a.m. for every age group, from infants to adults, on a sprawling second floor with classes for toddlers, elementary children, middle and high schoolers, college students, young adults, women, and general adults. The auditorium classes discuss the same passage in a group format that goes back to a method the church helped pioneer in the late 1960s.
Worship follows at 10 a.m. and includes five elements: congregational singing without instruments (a cappella, with voices only), prayer, the Lord's Supper, a free-will collection, and a sermon. Communion is observed every Sunday in keeping with Acts 20:7, with unleavened bread and grape juice passed to each row. Giving is voluntary, and guests are not expected to contribute.
Evening worship gathers at 5:30 p.m. in the auditorium, except on the second Sunday of the month, when the meeting moves to the Chapel and is part of a wider afternoon of small-group Bible study. On fifth Sundays, the whole church shares a potluck and condenses the schedule so the evening service starts at 12:15 p.m.
Midweek class meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. for a one-hour Bible study that draws all ages together, followed in the spring and fall by a parallel ladies' Bible study at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and a grief support group at 7 p.m. for any adult walking through loss.
The atmosphere is unpretentious. Ushers greet at the doors, classes rotate through different teaching approaches to fit a range of learning styles, and singing fills the auditorium with a sound rooted in the command to "speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:19). Newcomers are welcomed, handshakes are warm, and the message is preached straight from the Bible with applications to daily life.
Following the New Testament Blueprint
Waterview's statement of belief is concise and self-consciously restorative. The church confesses one true and living God, the inspiration of Scripture, the deity and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the reality of sin, and salvation by grace through faith expressed in baptism by immersion for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). The Lord's Supper, observed every Sunday, remembers the cross; contributions support the work of the church and help those in need.
Leadership follows the pattern of the New Testament congregation: Elders who shepherd the flock, Ministers who preach and teach, and Deacons who serve in assigned ministries. There is no denominational hierarchy above Waterview. Each family of believers is its own self-governing body, accountable to the Word of God and to one another.
Ten elders currently shepherd the congregation: Jim Alexander, Jerry Barker, Michael Danielson, Ronnie Honeycutt, Michael Howell, Dewey Leggett, John Orr, Russell Scott, Jim Stigers, and James Withrow. They are appointed by the church body, meet the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3, and serve as sources of comfort, counsel, and wisdom. Many of them teach a class, host a meal in their home, or visit a member in the hospital.
Deacons are organized into four teams: Congregational Life (Jeff Beall, Michael Danielson, Wes Lackey, Abel Ramirez, and Blake Travis), Missions (Reagan Morgan, with Eric Alexander, Dannie Cummings, Chris Maxwell, and Glenn McMillon assisting), Family Development (Eric Franz, Daniel Huddleston, J.P. Nabers, and Scott Riley, with Dewey Leggett and Justin Roberts assisting), Community Evangelism (Matt Cheshier, Michael Howell, and Ron Wilson, with John Cagle and Scott Heft assisting), and Infrastructure (Martin Casey, Dennis Chappell, and Cole Roberson). Each team has a clear assignment - from member involvement and small groups, to overseas mission oversight, to Sunday greetings and guest follow-up, to the technology, finances, and facilities that keep everything running.
Ven a Adorar con Tu Familia: The Hispanic Ministry
What makes Waterview especially distinctive among Churches of Christ in the Dallas area is its thriving En Español ministry. Led by Hispanic Minister Lenin Munguia, the Spanish-language work meets in the south side of the building for Bible class on Sundays at 9 a.m. and on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. (both on the second floor) and for a bilingual worship service in the Chapel at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Munguia grew up in Managua, Nicaragua, was baptized in 2003, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Bible from the Baxter Institute in Tegucigalpa before completing a Master of Divinity at the Harding School of Theology in 2014. He taught at Baxter for four years before Waterview brought him on staff in 2013 as a supported graduate student - a relationship that has since become a full-time local mission effort.
On the second Sunday of each month, English- and Spanish-speaking Link Groups meet in homes across the area for more intimate fellowship and study, while those who prefer a larger setting gather for a 5:30 p.m. sermon in the Chapel. The Hispanic ministry also runs a free FriendSpeak English program that pairs English-speaking teachers with adult learners using a Bible-based curriculum. Over time, teachers and students build deep friendships that often carry into the wider congregation.
Children, JourneyLand, and Waterview Christian Preschool
Children are at the heart of Waterview's family ministry. From the nursery through fifth grade, every child is checked in through a digital system using Breeze, the church's database software. Visitors are added on the spot at the check-in desk and walked to their rooms.
Infants and toddlers hear songs, see toys, and absorb the simple truth that God loves them. Preschoolers build on that foundation with age-appropriate Bible stories. Elementary children move into JourneyLand, a rotation-based program in which kids cook, perform science experiments, craft, study geography, act out Bible accounts, listen to the story, sing, and play interactive games - all built around the same passage each week. The varied teaching methods help every child retain what they learn, regardless of learning style.
Alongside JourneyLand, the 66 Club rewards children who can recite or write the 66 books of the Bible, with progressively harder tests as they grow. The program turns Bible literacy into a family affair, with parents and children studying together at home.
For preschoolers ages two through pre-K, the church hosts Waterview Christian Preschool two days a week in the same building. Each day begins with a Bible story, and the curriculum is designed to nurture age-appropriate development alongside a wholesome spiritual foundation. A separate phone line connects families directly to the preschool office.
Summer brings Camp Canaan, a weeklong camp for second through fifth graders organized with area congregations, and Vacation Bible School, a highlight of the season for all ages. The church also participates in the North Texas LTC (Leadership Training for Christ) convention each spring, where students in third through twelfth grade compete in chorus, Bible trivia, art, drama, speech, song leading, and other events.
Youth Ministry: Camp Ichthus, Mission Trips, and the Ichthus Road Trip
Waterview's youth ministry is built around a single line: "Helping the family make and mature disciples." The group, led by Youth Minister Warren Shepherd, meets multiple times a week for Bible study in a variety of formats - lecture, group discussion, application activities - designed to build on whatever foundation a teenager already has.
Shepherd graduated from Harding University in 2002, married Lacey, and began full-time ministry at Waterview in the same month. Twenty-plus years later he is a familiar face at student sports events, band concerts, and family gatherings. His role also includes administration for the church: technology, finance, facilities, and communication. He and Lacey have four children.
Each summer, middle and high schoolers pack for Camp Ichthus, a weeklong July retreat co-led with area congregations, while older teens serve as counselors at Camp Canaan for the younger set. Fall brings the Ichthus Road Trip, a retreat that pulls teens from several local churches together for a long weekend of study and fellowship. In February, the T3 youth rally gathers high schoolers from across the region, and the church periodically sends groups on Trek (a mountain-discipleship hike), Uplift (a Harding University gathering in Searcy, Arkansas), and a Work Camp where students spend a week painting houses and serving in the community.
Every year the youth also go on a mission trip - recent destinations have included Arizona, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Jamaica - where they lead Vacation Bible Schools, set up Bible studies, and partner with missionaries the church supports year-round.
Adults in Every Season: College, Young Adults, and General Adults
Waterview has a deep bench of adult classes designed for every stage of life.
The College and Young Professionals group welcomes students and recent graduates with cookouts, ultimate frisbee nights, and rotating social activities. Many of them also gather in homes for Link Groups and in midweek classes for in-depth Bible study.
Young Adults focuses on families with small children. The class supports parents with an annual marriage seminar ("One Man. One Woman. For Life."), a monthly Mothers of Young Children class led by older women of the church, and an affordable monthly babysitting service so couples can have a real date night. Young men and women are encouraged to teach, serve as deacons, and help coordinate weekly worship.
General Adults is intentionally varied: single, married, widowed, younger, and older, with many classes and topics to choose from. The church places a deep value on studying scripture in context, and Bible classes are designed both to dig deeply into specific books and to tackle a wide range of practical topics.
Women, Primetimers, and the Wisdom of Generations
The church's Women's Ministry is built on Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Wednesday mornings in the spring and fall are reserved for a Ladies Bible Study that includes both fellowship time and small-group work through a Christian book each semester. During the spring, an additional Wednesday Night Ladies Class offers practical wisdom for modern living. A yearly Ladies Retreat invites women of all ages away for study and rest, and the long-running Sisters in Service ministry has, in more than twenty years, sewn, quilted, and knitted over 17,000 items distributed to hospitals, nursing homes, and Waterview's own members.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the Primetimers ministry tends to the spiritual, emotional, and physical health of the church's seniors. Monthly fellowship meals, holiday events, and service opportunities connect older members with younger families. The November lunch is a standing tradition, and the calendar of activities is published well in advance.
Missions on Five Continents
Waterview's mission statement reads: "Since its inception, Waterview has always had a passion and drive to spread the Gospel across the world." The list of partnerships backs it up.
On the international side, the church supports the Camrose church of Christ in Alberta, Canada through David and Dianne Friesen, who are Canadian missionaries to their own country. In Ghana, Frank Essien teaches at the Swedru International Bible School and preaches at the University of Cape Coast church of Christ. Gospel Chariot Missions in South Africa uses a mobile 18-wheel truck to hold evangelistic campaigns across southern Africa, with dozens of churches planted as a result. In Jamaica, Dave Osbourne preaches at the Linstead church of Christ, and Oliver Bembridge oversees a breakfast program in Tydixon - a ministry that Waterview's own children help fund by saving quarters at the end of each thirteen-week Bible class cycle. In the South Pacific, Chris Miller works from Otumoetai, New Zealand, equipping churches across New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Cambodia, and Thailand.
Domestically, Kirk and Karen Israel serve the small but growing Castleton church of Christ in Vermont (one of only six churches of Christ in the state), while Russell DiGiorgio preaches in Media, Pennsylvania, and runs the Northeast Institute of Evangelism in the church building. Evan Todachine, a Kayenta native, works with the Navajo Nation church in northeast Arizona. The church also funds teachers at the Bear Valley Institute of Biblical Studies in Denver, with ministers periodically traveling to teach there, and supports HomeMission, which trains struggling churches across the United States.
Every fall, the congregation takes up a special collection on Great Commission Sunday to fund new mission programs and travel to visit missionaries in the field. The Trey Curington Memorial Missions Grant Fund, established in 2022 in memory of a founding member of the Missions Committee, encourages young men and women to take mission trips of their own by reducing the financial burden.
Reaching the Neighborhood Around the Building
If the missions effort is wide, the community outreach is deep. Waterview maintains a long-standing relationship with Jackson Elementary in Plano, a few blocks north of the building. The Operation School Bell program provides physical and financial help to families in need, the Student Mentoring program pairs Waterview members with students for a weekly lunch and mentoring time, and the Faculty Friends initiative provides monthly encouragement to the school's teachers and staff.
The FriendSpeak English program, mentioned above, teaches conversational English using a Bible-based curriculum and is open to anyone in the community. The Love Your Neighbor ministry organizes yardwork, painting, and home-improvement projects, then extends the work into an invitation to Bible study. House to House, Heart to Heart reaches homes across Richardson with a mailed Bible-teaching publication. A Community Benevolence effort, including a food pantry, provides physical and (where possible) financial help to those in need, while a Wednesday-evening Grief Support group walks with adults who have lost a loved one.
Ministers, Preaching, and the Long View
Four ministers serve on staff, and each carries a distinct portfolio. Warren Shepherd is the Youth and Administration Minister. Dustin Jones, hired in June 2014, is the Family Development Minister and a familiar face at the front of the auditorium most Sunday mornings as a song leader. Lenin Munguia is the Hispanic Minister. Robert K. Oglesby, after a fifty-two-year tenure as the pulpit minister, now serves part-time, focusing on developing young ministers and leading the Oglesby Foundation, which provides scholarships to preachers in training.
Oglesby has been central to Waterview's identity for more than half a century. In 1967 he began studying small-group processes, and the discussion-based Bible class model he helped pioneer is still in use at the church. He has produced two major video series - The One Story and The Story, the latter shot on location in Israel and Greece in 1996 - and has trained hundreds of members in Personal Evangelism Training (PET). He and his wife Willora have two children; she developed the church's teachers' workroom and helped start cradle roll classes within Churches of Christ. Oglesby holds degrees from Abilene Christian University and an honorary doctorate from York College, and serves on the boards of both ACU and the Christian Chronicle.
The result is a congregation that preaches from experience, holds its ministers to a long view, and invests deeply in the next generation of preachers.
Sermons, Podcasts, and Staying Connected
Every worship gathering is broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo, so anyone unable to attend in person can follow along at home or on the road. The church maintains an active archive of sermons stretching back more than a decade, with recurring summer series ("2026 Summer Series"), winter preaching through New Testament books, and special services for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and the church's annual Great Commission Sunday.
Sermon audio is available on the Waterview Church of Christ Sermons podcast through Apple Podcasts, and the church publishes a regular newsletter, a People of the Book study guide, an online member directory through Breeze, and a calendar of upcoming events that includes the regular Link Groups, Boardgame Nights, Men's Breakfasts, and PrimeTimers Lunches, plus seasonal events like ladies' retreats and youth trips.
Contributions can be made online, with separate giving links for the general budget, the Great Commission Sunday fund, the Jamaica breakfast program, and youth activities. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a member care line is available for those needing extra support.
For all of its programs, partnerships, and parking lots, Waterview still comes back to the four words of its motto. To learn is to study the Bible together. To worship is to sing, pray, take the Supper, give, and hear the Word. To serve is to walk across the street, across the ocean, and into one another's homes. To grow is to do all of it again next Sunday, and to bring someone along.