Finding a church home as a freshman, a transfer, or even as an upperclassman can be difficult. There are several different places to worship in and around Nashville. Whether you prefer more traditional worship or enjoy a more contemporary-style worship, a church home is out there waiting for you.
You’ve heard the rumors about different churches.
“That church is as boring as my parents’ church!”
“I’ve been there every Sunday for three months and they always do something different– I love it!”
Brentwood Hills Church of Christ
Brentwood Hills Church of Christ is located at 5120 Franklin Road in Nashville. It’s about a 10 minute drive from Lipscomb’s campus, and they offer worship services on Sunday at 8 am, 10:30 am and at 6 pm. They also offer bible classes on Sunday at 9:15 am.
Brentwood Hills provides youth group and small group studies on Wednesday evenings at various times, and other days of the week as well. Fun events such as See You at the Pole, Fall Retreat, pool parties and pick-up sports teams are other ways to get involved at Brentwood Hills. This is a great way to get involved with other students from nearby universities that hold similar beliefs.
“I started going to Brentwood Hills because one of my best friends saw that I was struggling with my faith in high school after some things that happened in my life and he asked me to go,” said Alex Harton, a sophomore business administration major at Lipscomb.
Brentwood Hills Church of Christ
“The difference between Brentwood Hills and different churches is the overall environment,” Harton said. ” Everyone is so kind and truly cares about everything that goes on in your life. It is a very large church, but we are all one big family and everyone knows everyone.”
Harton recommended Brentwood Hills to anyone looking for a church home.
“It is a great place to be,” Harton said. “It has a huge attendance record, and they will greet you with open arms. People hold you accountable for things, and they don’t expect anything but the best out of you.”
Brentwood Hills Church of Christ’s mission is to seek to worship God and obey his will by preaching the gospel, loving and edifying each other, and ministering to those in need. This is very much a traditional Church of Christ worship service.
Brentwood Hills has always had a strong interest in missions and supporting efforts both overseas and in other parts of the United States. They support local missions such as Inner City, Youth Encouragement Services, Room in the Inn, Disaster Relief Effort and Agape.
If you are looking for a place to worship with your peers, complete with a strong family environment and many opportunities to get involved, Brentwood Hills Church of Christ might be the place for you.
Ethos’ mission is one of few words but provides a powerful message and is impossible to be misinterpreted. They strive to Love God, Love People, and Awaken a Movement.
Ethos wants to awaken the movement that Jesus began, make a commitment to reach forgotten people, and continually try new, innovative ways to worship.
Ethos has a very non-traditional style of worship, and the presence of God is very evident during the services.
The meaning of the saying “church is not a building” is very real statement for those who attend Ethos. Church services are held on 3 Cannery Row, Suite 101 in Nashville. The reason it doesn’t sound like a typical church address is because it is far from the average church building. Ethos services are held in the Cannery Ballroom–a bar and music venue. The theory behind that is to welcome those that aren’t necessarily comfortable with the common coat-and-tie church service and find big sanctuaries somewhat intimidating.
A prayer during a Sunday evening worship at Ethos. Photo credit: ethoslove.com
Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday evenings at 5 and 7 p.m. Ethos also offers over 50 different house churches on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. House church is a small group of about eight to 12 people that meet each week to read the Bible, pray and discuss their spiritual journey.
There are over 50 locations in the greater Nashville area where the house churches meet, from Lebanon to Brentwood and everywhere in between. This year Ethos has created two types of house churches– discussion house churches and passion house churches.
The discussion house churches meet on Wednesday nights to discuss the lesson taught on the previous Sunday. Passion house churches meet at different times during the week, and Ethos’ website says their purpose is so church members can use their God-given gifts and talents to lead others to Christ:
“The goal is not to have House Churches based around our hobbies, the goal is to use our hobbies as a platform for connecting with God and one another on a more intimate level.”
Caitlin Mullins, a sophomore elementary education major, found Ethos early in her college career.
“As a freshman finding a church home is intimidating,” Mullins said. “A lot of people kept saying ‘Ethos, Ethos.’ So I figured I would go and see what all the talk was about. I’m so happy I decided to go out that first weekend of school. Ethos, the people who lead, and the family I have there have been such a blessing in my life.”
“There’s not a Sunday where I don’t feel like I’ve grown closer with my God. Dave Clayton, the main speaker, takes verses I’ve heard multiple times but sheds a new light on them. I’m able to read different scriptures and see what God’s saying. Before Ethos, it was hard for me to read into the meaning.”
Mullins not only enjoys the lessons given by Clayton but also the worship style.
“I also love the singing,” Mullins said. “Worshiping and singing praises with my church family is so uplifting.”
Taylor Geen, a sophomore English major, recommends that everybody try Ethos at least once.
“It is a place that is solely about the bible and Jesus,” Geen said. “There is no controversy. It is raw and real, just like the people that go there. It is about loving Jesus and showing others how the love has changed us. The worship is incredible and, although it is huge, it always feels like home.”
Sanctuary by definition is a place of refuge or safety. In the minds of students from the Nashville community, Sanctuary is that and so much more.
Sanctuary is held weekly on Thursdays at 9 p.m. and is a passionate experience for worshippers of all ages. From the moment you walk in, the lights are off, heads are bowed, and arms are raised, with people zealously singing praises to the Lord.
Jesse Baker, a recent Lipscomb graduate, said he loves his position as worship leader at Sanctuary.
Jesse Baker leads worship at Sanctuary.
“It’s an honor to be able to stand facing the immense energy and potential for change that is in that room each week,” Baker said. “Just knowing each one of those people will leave that building to start living lives of worship all over again each week and doing beautiful things in the name of Christ–our city needs those people, and I get to get just a small glimpse of their passion for God each week.
Students from Lipscomb such as Kevin Schmidt, a freshman history education major, found out about Sanctuary by word of mouth.
“Sanctuary is cool,” Schmidt said. “It’s a refreshing time to relax and disconnect from all the hassles of the week. It is a good community group with a bunch of Christian students our age that can relate to us.”
Jordan Owens, a senior at Lavergne High School, also attends Sanctuary on a regular basis with a group of friends.
“It is a better experience than the traditional church because the passion is higher here,” Owens said. “Everyone wants to be here and no one is forcing them to come.”
Baker describes Sanctuary as his fuel for the week and is encouraged by everyone who attends.
“There is nothing better for a weary heart than to see and know you’re not the only one running this race,” Baker said. “Quite the opposite really. In those moments we are truly surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.”
This Thursday, jump in the car with some friends and see what all the talk is about. Praise the Lord and possibly find your niche while meeting new friends and partaking in a unique worship experience.