Tucked along John Jones Drive on the north side of Burleson, Texas, the Burleson Church of Christ has been gathering for worship in this Johnson County town for more than nine decades. What began in 1933 as a small group of five members meeting in a borrowed Presbyterian building has grown into a large, multigenerational congregation that fills an auditorium twice on a Sunday morning. The church's stated mission is short enough to memorize - passion for God, connection to the body, heart for service - and everything from its a cappella singing to its deaf ministry and marriage classes is built around those three commitments.
From Five Members to a John Jones Drive Campus
The story of the Burleson Church of Christ is a story of steadily outgrowing buildings. After meeting for several years in rented spaces on Main Street and Commerce Street, the five original members moved in 1940 into a 30-by-40-foot building at 141 East Renfro Street. By 1960 the congregation had grown enough to build a brick building across the street at 116 Clark Street with seating for 365. A decade later, in May 1969, the church dedicated a new home at 820 SW Wilshire Boulevard with 800 seats. An annex added in 1973 brought nine classrooms and a fellowship room, and a 17,000-square-foot multipurpose building followed in 1978.
When a second worship service was added in 2000, the classrooms were again pressed to the limit. The congregation began a building fund in 2003, and in June 2012 the first worship service was held at the current campus at 1150 NW John Jones Drive. The Wilshire site still stands as a reminder of the church's growth, while the Renfro and Clark buildings have long since been repurposed.
A Cappella Worship with Weekly Communion
Worship at Burleson Church of Christ is shaped by two long-standing practices of the Churches of Christ: singing without instruments and sharing the Lord's Supper every Sunday. The Sunday schedule on a regular week includes a first worship service at 8:30 AM, Bible classes for every age at 9:45 AM, a second worship service at 10:45 AM, and an evening devotional at 5:00 PM in the chapel. On combined-service Sundays, Bible classes shift to 9:00 AM and a single worship gathering is held at 10:00 AM, with no evening devotional.
A typical service runs about 65 minutes and includes congregational singing, prayer, the weekly observance of communion, scripture reading, a sermon, and what the church calls family moments. Members describe those moments as times to celebrate newborn children, recognize milestone anniversaries, baptize new believers, or pray for those who are hurting. Communion is open to all who wish to participate, and the bread and cup are passed to each person individually as a way of remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Singing is a cappella - voices only, no instruments - and the worship ministry describes the practice as a sacrifice of praise in which every voice matters equally. The giving of money, called the Grace of Giving, is part of each assembly as well. Members are encouraged to give as they have decided in their own hearts, while guests are never expected to contribute.
Bible Classes for Every Age, Every Day of the Week
Bible study is just as central to the rhythm of the church as Sunday worship. Adult classes meet at 9:45 AM on Sunday mornings and again at 6:30 PM on Wednesday evenings, with the chapel adult class also streamed online. Additional adult studies gather throughout the week: a ladies' Bible class meets in the Quad on Tuesday mornings from September through May, men's Bible studies meet in the Duplex during the week, and another men's group gathers in the Family Life Center lobby on Friday mornings at 6:30 AM.
Children's classes mirror the adult schedule, meeting at 9:45 AM on Sundays and 6:30 PM on Wednesdays, with classrooms organized by age from nursery through fifth grade. Teens in sixth through twelfth grade meet in their own rooms at the same hours, with junior high and senior high usually separated for age-appropriate teaching.
A Children's Ministry That Starts Early
The children's department is led by Children's Director Cathy Sosebee and supported by a team of volunteer teachers, all of whom are background-checked. For the youngest children, the church offers Children's Worship during the first service from September through May. Children ages 2 through kindergarten are dismissed after communion and gather in the God's Grove room (PK-103), where they learn through songs, prayer, scripture, puppet lessons, crafts, and activities. After Children's Worship they transition into their regular Bible classrooms so parents can pick them up at the end of Bible class.
Quiet activity bags are available in the foyer for younger children who remain in the auditorium, and a nursery room (PK100) is available during worship for infants through 24-month-olds. In the summer, the children's team hosts Branching Out mornings for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade.
Right on the church campus, Bright Start Christian Preschool operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, offering classes for two-, three-, and four-year-olds. It is one of the most visible bridges between the church and families in Burleson who are not yet members.
The BYG: A Youth Ministry of About 150 Students
The youth ministry, known as the BYG (Burleson Youth Group), serves roughly 150 students in grades six through twelve with the support of a large team of youth deacons and volunteers. Junior high and senior high students meet separately for Sunday Bible classes at 9:45 AM and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM. Wednesdays include a time of a cappella singing, prayer, and a message or open discussion. Outside of those weekly meetings, the BYG hosts service projects, devotionals, retreats, and fellowship events throughout the year.
Mason Hill leads the senior high ministry and Dylan Holland leads the junior high ministry. Information about upcoming BYG events is shared through the church's online community, text, email, and printed calendars in the youth rooms.
A Young Adults Ministry with a Podcast
The Young Adults Ministry gathers on Sunday mornings at 9:45 AM in FLC-102 for Bible study, with monthly lunches or dinners and quarterly outings designed to build community. The group is led by JeffAnthony and Edith Garcia and is geared toward singles and young adults navigating college, careers, and the early years of adult life. Their weekly podcast, called the NaH BrO podcast, recaps each Sunday's class discussion for those who cannot attend in person.
A Whole Congregation in Sign Language
The Deaf Ministry is one of the newest additions to the church, having launched in September 2022 with a small group of deaf believers. After Michael Cantrell preached at the Global Missions Conference that October, the church appointed him as Deaf Minister and his wife Kim Cantrell as assistant minister, with the ministry officially beginning on July 1, 2023. The ministry now offers a Sunday Bible class at 9:45 AM in room W-107, a Deaf worship service in the chapel at 10:45 AM, and a Wednesday Bible study at 7:00 PM. One Sunday each month the Deaf congregation joins the main hearing gathering in the auditorium.
Worship services and Bible classes for the Deaf are conducted in American Sign Language, and archives of recent Deaf worship services are available online.
Life Groups Across Johnson and Tarrant Counties
Because the Burleson Church of Christ is large, the church intentionally pushes people into smaller circles through its Life Groups ministry. Life Groups meet in homes across Johnson and Tarrant counties from September through May, gathering around a shared meal and moving into conversation, prayer, and Bible study. Each group sets its own day and time. Sign-ups run in late August each year through Bible class interest cards, foyer sign-up sheets, the MyBCOC online community, or a Life Group card at the Welcome desk.
Marriage, Counseling, and Recovery
Kody Speer, the church's Marriage and Family Minister, leads Re|Engage, a fourteen-week marriage study built around teaching, story, and small-group discussion. Open to couples in any condition, from thriving to struggling, Re|Engage runs each fall with pre-registered childcare for children through fifth grade.
For individual and family care, the Burleson Counseling Center operates on the church's campus and offers professional counseling by licensed counselors in a Christian setting, with a sliding fee scale for those in financial need. Appointments can be scheduled through the church office. On Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM, the church also hosts 12 Steps to Wellness, a faith-based Christian support group for those dealing with sin or addiction.
Worship and Song as a Whole-Life Practice
The Worship Ministry, led by Worship Minister Mark Simmons, oversees the music of the assemblies and sees a cappella singing as a means of grace that extends beyond the building. The ministry points members to a cappella-focused resources such as Zoe Group and Acappella for personal devotion and family worship at home.
Leadership Training for Christ
Each year the church participates in Leadership Training for Christ, a weekend convention held at the Anatole Hotel in downtown Dallas. Students in the LTC program choose from dozens of leadership events that develop skills in areas such as Bible teaching, preaching, song leading, puppetry, and drama. Practices typically begin in late January and run most Sunday afternoons until the convention weekend in the spring.
Missions Locally and Around the World
The Burleson Church of Christ supports a long list of missionaries and ministries, both close to home and abroad. International partners include preaching works and family ministries across Mexico, missions in Nicaragua (Misión Para Cristo and Hope For Life), Eastern European Missions, Healing Hands International's water wells in Haiti, Threads of Life clothing ministry, Ukraine camps, solar-powered Bibles in Haiti, China Now Missions, and Northeast US Mission.
Locally, the church supports Harvest House, Meals on Wheels, Nextstep Women's Center, ChristianWorks for Children, Hope Farm, a prison ministry, Siempre Familia in Fort Worth, Sojourners, spring and summer campaigns, the Tri-C UTA Student Outreach, World Bible School, and World Christian Broadcasting. A Threads of Life sewing ministry run by church members produces clothing that is shipped to foreign countries.
What the Church Believes
The church's statement of faith centers on one true God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - who created all things and has always desired relationship with humanity. It teaches that sin separated people from God and that redemption is found only through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, was buried, and rose again three days later. Salvation is described as a process of confession, baptism, and ongoing submission to Christ, by which believers are justified and sanctified. The Holy Spirit is understood as a present helper and giver of spiritual gifts, while the Bible is held to be the inspired, sufficient word of God. The church looks for the return of Jesus Christ and the final reconciliation of all things.
Elders, Deacons, and Ministers
The congregation is shepherded by twelve elders, including Scott Barkley, Troy Burnett, Alan Dubose, Paul Elkins, Brett Fitch, Carter Mahanay, Ken Qualls, Gary Smith, Keith Stewart, Jerry Thomas, and Buster Williams. Each elder oversees a different set of ministries, from children's education and the Family Life Center to missions, the deaf ministry, the budget, and senior citizens. A large team of deacons serves in areas ranging from building maintenance and campus safety to children's education, fellowships, technology, and youth.
The preaching staff is led by Hutt Hutson, with Mark Simmons as Worship Minister, Kody Speer as Marriage and Family Minister, Terron Talley as Equipping Minister, Jim Lampley as Spiritual Formation Minister, Mason Hill as Sr. High Youth Minister, Dylan Holland as Jr. High Youth Minister, Michael and Kim Cantrell in the Deaf Ministry, Cathy Sosebee as Children's Director, and Collin Elk as Technology Minister.
Planning a First Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed at every entrance by greeters and can stop at the Welcome Center in the main foyer with any questions. Guest parking spaces are available on both sides of the lot close to the building. Dress runs the full range from jeans to more formal attire, so newcomers can wear whatever they feel comfortable in. Church bags with quiet activities for children are available in the foyer, and the auditorium is family-friendly - the wiggle in children is expected and parents are encouraged to come back if they need to step out with a young one.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and both Sunday morning worship services and several Bible classes are streamed live on Facebook and online. Online giving is available through the church's e-Giving platform, and a mobile app brings sermons, weekly news, event registration, and prayer requests to a phone or tablet. Individual communion packs can be picked up from the church office during regular hours.