Church Spotlight - The Church at West Franklin

              Happy Wednesday afternoon everyone! We’ve officially made it past the halfway point in the week. I’ve had a busy week thus far with no slow down in sight. I will be heading to one of my favorite places on Earth this weekend – Western Michigan. I will have a chance to see the band HighRoad in concert at the Gospel Barn in Hillsdale, Michigan and Sandy Pines in Dorr, Michigan.  Any more weekends on the road with HighRoad and I will be an official roadie (Or maybe just a groupie!).

              As I’ve been busy over the past few weeks, I haven’t had as much time to write as I would like. My current focus has been reading through the book of Ephesians as well as the book of James. Be on the lookout for a post connecting these two books in the near future. I want to take my time with this study to ensure I get from it what God intends.

              In the short term, I wanted to introduce a new segment. On a regular basis, I’d like to begin spotlighting local churches. Local churches have always and will continue to form and guide me in my walk with Christ. It’s the enthusiasm I developed through the local church that is the reason I write this very blog. Local churches are where we train up future leaders and send them out. Yes, the local church is much more than just a building. The church I am going to write about today exemplifies this ideal to the max.

Without further ado, here is the first of many church spotlights: The Church at West Franklin

Fast Facts:

Name: The Church at West Franklin

Location: 700 TN-96, Franklin, TN 37064

Affiliation: Southern Baptist Convention

Pastor: Dr. Matt Pearson

Other Notes: A regional campus of Brentwood Baptist Church

What to Expect

              The Church at West Franklin, located nearly halfway between downtown Franklin, TN and the Westhaven neighborhood, holds two weekly services. The services are at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on Sundays and are identical. Upon arrival, you will notice a spacious parking lot. I’m not always early and have never had difficulty finding a parking spot. A big amen just went up from all those who aren’t morning people! The entrance is usually manned by multiple friendly greeters, one of whom should hand you a bulletin outlining the order of service as well as various church happenings.

              The service is typical of most Baptist and other Evangelical churches. The service generally starts with approximately 20-25 minutes of praise and worship time. Most of the songs played are contemporary in nature, but there are hymns and other spiritual songs thrown in regularly for good measure. The musicians and choir are very talented and provide a very uplifting experience start to the service. The Christmas concert at The Church at West Franklin is one you don’t want to miss! The pre-sermon portion of the service nearly always includes announcements as well as a time of prayer.

              The preaching at West Franklin consumes the final 30-35 minutes of the service. Depending on the content, sermon series can last anywhere from three to twelve weeks. Preaching is generally expository in nature as opposed to topical. A typical sermon covers several verses in the Bible with frequent references to other relevant texts throughout the sermon.  Dr. Pearson is a terrific preacher and provides excellent illustrations and Biblical exegesis. I’ve never left with a feeling that I didn’t hear any Biblical truth that Sunday.

General Comments

              The Church as West Franklin is truly multi-generational and tries to provide enriching content for all age groups. In lieu of traditional Sunday school classes, West Franklin emphasizes Life Groups. These groups meet at various times during the week both on and off campus. As I mentioned in previous posts, I find these groups to be immensely helpful to me in persevering in the faith. In addition to the Life Groups, student ministry, choir practice, and adult Bible study takes place on Wednesday evenings during the school year.  There is no shortage of opportunities to get involved and develop friendships within this body of believers.

              A key distinctive of West Franklin (and Brentwood Baptist in general) is its heart for missions. The church regularly commissions members to mission fields both abroad and domestic. Several members of my Life Group have made the trip to India to proclaim the Gospel while others have participated in more local mission efforts.

              The relationship between The Church at West Franklin and Brentwood Baptist is symbiotic. The arrangement allows West Franklin to retain an intimate, small-church feel while simultaneously having access to the resources of a much larger church. Brentwood Baptist sets the general direction for all its campuses, but each campus retains its own unique feel. Although my theology and worship preferences have moved to the confessional, reformed end of the spectrum, I cannot say enough great things about the Church at West Franklin. Spiritually, I would not be where I am today without the witness of the fine folks at this church. If you are ever in the area, be sure to check out a service. You will be glad you did!

Find out more about The Church of West Franklin at www.westfranklinchurch.com .

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In Christ,

Kendal May