Following the Bible on Edmondson Pike
Tucked along Edmondson Pike in south Nashville, Woodson Chapel Church of Christ is a multi-generational congregation built around a single conviction: the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice. Members describe themselves simply as "followers of Jesus Christ committed to the sole authority that we find in the Bible." From Sunday morning through Wednesday evening, and from nursery classrooms to mission fields a hemisphere away, the church organizes nearly every part of its life around Scripture.
A Sunday Built Around Worship and the Word
Worship at Woodson Chapel follows the simple pattern of Churches of Christ. Members gather for a cappella singing, prayer, a sermon, the Lord's Supper on the first day of each week, and a collection for the work of the church. No musical instruments accompany the singing; the singing itself is the offering. There is no clergy-mediated formality that separates the congregation from the elements of the gathering, which is part of why first-time guests often describe the assembly as direct and heartfelt.
The order on a typical Sunday looks like this:
- 9:00 a.m. - Sunday morning worship in the main auditorium, including the Lord's Supper.
- 10:15 a.m. - Bible classes for all ages across the building.
- 5:00 p.m. - Sunday evening worship.
Dress is casual, and greeters meet visitors at the door with a smile and a handshake. Members are known for inviting newcomers to lunch. Guests are not asked to stand or be introduced, and a Welcome Center near the entrance holds printed information for anyone who wants to learn more about the church before they leave.
What the Church Believes
The purpose statement at Woodson Chapel lists four aims: glorify God, be disciples, make disciples, and make a difference. The first three flow out of passages such as Ephesians 3:21, Mark 16:15-16, and Matthew 28:18-20; the fourth ties good works to the example of Jesus in Acts 10:38.
The doctrinal summary on the church's own site is concise. Salvation comes by grace through faith, repentance, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. Worship consists of a cappella singing, the Lord's Supper every first day of the week, preaching, public prayer, and contributing to the Lord's work. The whole congregation is encouraged to know the Bible directly - the sermons and classes move verse by verse, and members are expected to bring their own Bibles and follow along.
Bible Classes for Every Stage of Life
Bible teaching at Woodson Chapel is treated as seriously as the worship hour. On Sunday morning and again on Wednesday evenings, the building fills with classes for every age group, taught by volunteer teachers.
Adults can choose from several classes on Sunday mornings:
- The Auditorium Class meets in the main auditorium.
- The Fellowship Room Class and Fireside Room Class meet in the south fellowship wing.
- On the second floor of the south wing, the Young Marrieds and Young Professionals class meets in Room 200S, the Families Class in Room 204S, and the International Class in Room 202S.
From September through May, women have two additional options: a Ladies Bible Class on Wednesday mornings in the Fireside Room, and a Wednesday evening ladies' study as well. The Wednesday evening schedule also includes a Wednesday-night fellowship meal during the school year and a deeper adult Bible study at 7:00 p.m.
The CAYAC (College And Young Adult Class) meets twice a week for intentional Bible study and gathers again on Wednesday evenings for dinner and fellowship. The group partners with Room in the Inn and welcomes newcomers regularly.
Children's Ministry: WCKids and Children's Bible Hour
Children's ministry at Woodson Chapel is led by Tammy Hackett, who oversees an energetic rotation of themed events and Bible-centered learning known as WCKids. Throughout the year, children rotate through four learning centers - Storytime, Science, Game, and Craft - that together walk them through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation on a three-year scope and sequence. Skits, blacklight drawings, puppets, and campfire scenes bring each story alive, while the Science Center shows that faith and reason sit comfortably together.
The Children's Bible Hour, grounded in Luke 2:52 ("Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man"), meets weekly and is divided into two classrooms: ages 3 through kindergarten, and first and second grade. Each month features a theme and a memory verse, followed by group worship and a classroom lesson.
Special events fill the calendar year: Trunk-or-Treat in October, a Christmas Gingerbread Party, a winter Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland, a spring Egg Hunt, summer Vacation Bible School (with English and Spanish registration forms), a Backpack Giveaway before school starts, a Bike Bash, a Game Camp, and mission projects such as Magi Box packs.
Club 56 and the Youth Group
Fifth and sixth graders get a class of their own called Club 56, where students engage a more mature curriculum covering Christian evidences, Creation, Christian values, and practical application of Scripture. Club 56 also bonds through service projects and outings - Room in the Inn, trampoline parks, Christmas lights tours, and laser tag. Chad and Dayla Calendine lead this ministry.
The Woodson Chapel Youth Group (WCYG), led by Youth Minister Hunter Kennamer, gathers teens for weekly Bible study, fellowship, and an annual trip to events such as the DEEP Youth Experience. Bible study nights vary in location from week to week, so youth families stay tuned to Hunter's announcements through the Church Center app.
Heartfelt Friends and the Dorcas Sewing Ministry
Women's ministry at Woodson Chapel is organized around two large programs. Heartfelt Friends, led by Amy and Ann Tarkington, is a multigenerational community of women from roughly age 18 to 108 - mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends - who meet to build real, mutual-care relationships and grow together in faith. The ties formed through Heartfelt Friends cross generations: older women mentor younger women, and younger women bring energy and friendship in return.
The Dorcas Sewing Ministry meets on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesdays of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon in the Dorcas Sewing Room. Women of every skill level cut, sew, press, and finish children's clothing, sanitary bags, and blankets that are then sent to Healing Hands International for distribution. Sewing experience is not required. In 2019 alone, the group produced 3,391 finished items, and the ministry now ends each December with a Dorcas Brunch in the Fireside Room as a celebration.
A separate weekly Ladies Bible Study runs from September to April on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room.
Prime Timers and Widowed Warriors
Older adults have two dedicated ministries. The Prime Timers program, shepherded by deacons Bill Alderson and Tommy Eubanks, gathers adults 50 and older for outings, brunches, and book events throughout the year. The Widowed Warriors ministry is a smaller gathering for widows in the congregation, providing community and prayer among women who share that season of life.
Reaching the Neighborhood: Room in the Inn, the Food Pantry, and Counseling
Woodson Chapel is widely known in its south Nashville community for hands-on benevolence. The Room in the Inn program partners with a city-wide effort to house men during the winter. Each Friday night from November through March, the church hosts 12 to 13 men for an overnight that includes a hot dinner, a shower, fresh clothing, breakfast, a sack lunch, and conversation with the volunteers who stay the night. Members cook, drive buses, wash linens, and spend the night alongside their guests. Deacons Frank Peeler and Russell Crouch coordinate this ministry.
A food pantry and benevolence program operates Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for neighbors in need of groceries and short-term assistance. Deacon Richard Spear keeps the effort running. The church also distributes gift cards from ThriftSmart on Nolensville Road to community members who need clothing or household items. Free ministerial counseling is available through Outreach Minister Philip Heffington, who is certified by the International Holistic Christian Counseling Program. Monthly support groups meet for those affected by grief, divorce, trauma, or the pain of an adult child walking away from the faith.
Through God's Word for Warriors, the church offers free counseling to veterans. Other programs include an annual Community Backpack and School Supply Giveaway before school starts, a Pack the Pulpit drive that delivers gift bags to local senior living facilities, Monday Night for the Master, bus trips to partner mission points, medical mission trips, and disaster relief work coordinated by deacon Adam Goode.
Global Outreach from Nashville to the World
Woodson Chapel's Global Outreach ministry supports a long list of works in the United States and abroad:
- Carbon Emery Church of Christ in Price, Utah, one of the congregation's longest-running mission points, currently pastored by David Malley.
- West Panama Church of Christ, where Gonzalo Salinas and his family Mayra, Abigail, and Daniel lead a growing ministry, a ladies' group, and a youth ministry that visits local elementary schools.
- National Bible College in Chennai, India, directed by Dr. Peter Solomon, which operates satellite schools throughout southern India and Myanmar to train preachers in their own languages.
- Jovenes en Camino (a boys' home) and Esperanza Viva (a girls' home) in Honduras, alongside the wider Honduras Jovenes en Camino mission.
- The Healing Hands International MAGI Project, a shoe-box-style ministry reaching children in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Romania, and Texas/Mexico.
- Anameti Akpan in Nigeria, who works with the World Bible School correspondence program.
- Harvest Field Church of Christ, a church plant in western Omaha, Nebraska, led by Russell Bowers, Rob Sinclair, and Travis Heppner.
- Daybreak Bible College near Lusaka, Zambia, founded by David French, where students train in both biblical studies and self-sustaining skills like water-drip irrigation and chicken farming.
- Wycliff Afuma Odwari's work establishing congregations throughout eastern Kenya.
- The Center Point Church of Christ near Birmingham, Alabama, led by David Parker, which formed after local Church of Christ members helped with tornado rescue efforts.
- A long-running partnership with the Claybrick Road Church of Christ in Guyana for VBS in local public schools.
- The Berkshire Church of Christ in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, planted by David and Paula Tarbet and pastored by J. Cleve and Melinda Stafford.
Closer to home, the church partners with Potter Children's Home, Tennessee Children's Home, Mt. Dora Children's Home, the Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry, and an Inner City Ministry.
Shepherds and Ministers
Spiritual oversight rests with a team of seven shepherds (elders): Mark Gaw and John Starling (both appointed in August 2026), Ford Holman and Jimmy McCollum (since April 2012), Kendall Harris (since February 2006), Tim Caylor (since March 2021), and Tim Smith (since March 2020). Many of them are long-time Nashville residents with ties to Lipscomb University, and several are still active in healthcare, law, and education.
The ministry staff includes:
- Wesley Walker, Preaching Minister, whose passion is helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus.
- Philip Heffington, Outreach Minister, who serves the community through counseling, the food pantry, and ongoing Bible studies.
- Hunter Kennamer, Youth Minister.
- Greg Adams, College and Young Adult Minister, who has led the CAYAC class since 2014.
- Mike McPherson, Domestic Missions Minister, who also teaches and coaches at Nashville Christian High School.
- Tammy Hackett, Children's Ministry Director.
Thirteen deacons keep the daily work of the church running: from Technology and Disaster Relief to Transportation, Fellowship, Worship Production, the Food Pantry, Visitation Teams, Room in the Inn, Security, and Camp.
Tuesdays with Philip and Online Access
Wesley Walker and Philip Heffington keep the congregation engaged between Sundays. Each Tuesday, Philip posts a short three-to-five-minute devotional titled "Tuesdays with Philip" on the church's YouTube channel, which also carries Sunday services and other video content. Giving is available online through the church's PayPal link, and a Church Center app supports internal communication for Youth Group families.
Visiting Woodson Chapel
The church is located at 5800 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211, on the south side of the city. Visitors can let the office know they are coming through the "Plan a Visit" page, or simply show up on Sunday morning. Sunday morning begins at 9:00 a.m., Bible classes follow at 10:15 a.m., and a second service gathers the body again at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday nights add a fellowship meal and a 7:00 p.m. Bible study, with an earlier 5:00 p.m. study added during the colder months. The building has a strong history - generations of members have grown up in its classrooms, its midweek meals, and its wide web of mission partnerships - and on any given Sunday the parking lot is full of cars running up to its doors before the singing even begins.