Canopy Roads Baptist Church sits on Bannerman Road in north Tallahassee, Florida, where it has shaped its ministry around a single conviction: that the most strategic way to change the future of a community is to transform families and the next generation. The church holds two Sunday morning services at its Bannerman Road campus, runs an entire wing of children's and student ministries, and sends its people out into the neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools of the city to share the gospel where they already are. CRBC, as members call it, is autonomous but affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, forms its own by-laws, and makes its own decisions without denominational oversight.
Sunday Mornings on Bannerman Road
Each Sunday, the church gathers twice for in-person worship at 9:30 and 11:00 am. Services include music, prayer, often a testimony of life change, and a Biblical message. The congregation is a mix of ages and professions, including families with children, students, teachers, business owners, and retirees. Dress is casual, and visitors are encouraged to wear whatever makes them comfortable.
Online worship is offered on Sundays at 11:00 am and Wednesdays at 6:30 pm through canopyroads.online.church. The Canopy Roads app (available in the iOS App Store and on Google Play) carries sermons, devotionals, newsletters, and event information. Messages are also available as a podcast and on the CRBC YouTube channel.
How Canopy Roads Began
Canopy Roads Baptist Church was planted in 1996. Senior Pastor Matt moved his family to Tallahassee on July 10 of that year with a vision to start a biblically sound, innovative church to help unchurched people become fully devoted followers of Christ. The first service was held on September 8, 1996, at Hawks Rise Elementary School, and the congregation continued meeting there for the next six and a half years. In 2002, the church moved to its present location on Bannerman Road. Matt had previously earned a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary after a decade in agricultural banking in Alabama, where he had served as an Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Enterprise and as a founding staff member of Vaughn Forest Baptist Church in Montgomery.
Living S.E.N.T.
The church's vision is summarized in an acronym called Living S.E.N.T. Over the next twenty years, Canopy Roads aims to raise up a new generation of Christ followers by becoming an outwardly focused church of neighborhood and marketplace missionaries. The four practices that make up S.E.N.T. are:
- S - See People Like Jesus
- E - Eat with People Like Jesus
- N - Neighbor People Like Jesus
- T - Talk with People About Jesus
CRBC teaches that these habits are simple, scalable, and reproducible, and when practiced with gospel intentionality, they help activate every person to live as an everyday, ordinary missionary. Associate Pastor of Discipleship Justin Wester, who holds a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Leadership from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary, released a book titled Living S.E.N.T. - Discovering How Everyday Habits Can Make an Eternal Difference in January 2023.
CLEAR Values and Beliefs
The values of the church are grouped under the acronym CLEAR:
- Community - building and preserving relationships, focusing on families, and caring for one another
- Life Transformation - cultivating Christ-like character and living a Christ-centered life
- Evangelism - engaging the community, befriending the lost, and sharing the gospel
- Authenticity - living with transparency and integrity
- Relevance - applying Scripture to everyday life, making truth understandable, and engaging cultural issues
As an SBC-affiliated congregation, Canopy Roads shares the broader Southern Baptist commitment to the authority of Scripture, and a brochure titled What We Believe is available for those who want to dig deeper into the church's doctrinal distinctives.
Canopy Kidz: Preschool and Elementary
Children's ministry at CRBC, called Canopy Kidz, exists to help kids experience Jesus and to partner with parents as they raise their children to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Children's Director Jenna Morris leads the team; she joined the staff in August 2019 after teaching Kindergarten at DeSoto Trail Elementary in Tallahassee.
Programming runs during both Sunday services. Preschool-age children from babies through Pre-K meet in Building A, while elementary-age children from Kindergarten through 5th grade follow a separate curriculum. Each child receives a check-in tag that matches a coded sticker given to the parent, and at pickup, parents present their sticker so children only leave with the right adult. The church uses a check-in system, screened volunteers, and on-site security personnel to keep the experience safe.
The preschool division uses the Awana Puggles curriculum to introduce early preschoolers to four Big Truths about God and His love. Elementary students walk through The Gospel Project for Kids, moving through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and learning that the gospel is one unified story of redemption. Parents can stay connected through the parent newsletter and follow Canopy Kidz on social media.
Converge Student Ministry
The student ministry at Canopy Roads is called Converge, and Student Pastor Jayce leads it. Jayce joined the team in June 2021 after serving for four years as Student Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Tallahassee. Converge exists to ignite a movement of missionaries who influence others to trust and follow Jesus by living S.E.N.T.
Converge Midweek meets every Wednesday from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at the church for students in 6th through 12th grade. The evening includes pizza ($2) or Chick-fil-A ($4), inspiring music, a message, and small groups. Students can purchase a $20 reloadable meal card. Summer and travel opportunities include Mission Fuge at North Greenville University and Student Leadership University 101 in Washington, D.C. Students participating in off-campus activities must have a notarized medical information and release form on file.
Adult Discipleship and Small Groups
Adult discipleship at CRBC centers on small groups. The church's groups meet every day of the week: Sunday groups meet at 9:30 am and 11:00 am on the Bannerman Road campus, and home groups meet at various times throughout the week. Each group is led by a husband-and-wife team or individual leader and is organized by day of the week on the church's groups page. Joining a community is presented as a regular rhythm for any fully devoted follower of Christ.
Specialized ministries gather alongside the small groups. Point-to-Point is the men's ministry; it meets every Monday at 7:00 pm at Lofty Pursuits in Tallahassee and is focused on providing a place for men to learn from one another, help one another, and stay focused on their walk in faith. Kanvas is the women's ministry, a multi-generational group that gathers to glorify God. Kanvas meets Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 am (with childcare available on request) and Thursdays from 10:00 am to noon. Recent studies have included Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver.
Reaching Tallahassee and Beyond
Canopy Roads is active in the Tallahassee community in several specific ways:
- Good News Club - A weekly after-school Bible club sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), Good News Club meets every Tuesday from 2:50 to 4:30 pm at Killearn Lakes Elementary School. Boys and girls in Kindergarten through 5th grade, regardless of religious background, enjoy dynamic Bible lessons, engaging songs, missionary stories, Scripture memorization, snacks, and prizes. The club follows the Leon County Schools calendar for holiday breaks.
- D.E.R.T. (Disaster and Emergency Relief Team) - DERT exists to share Christ in times of crisis, whether a natural disaster, a fallen tree, or vandalism. The team partners with Florida Baptist Disaster Relief and is open to new volunteers and to those who need help.
- International Missions - The church has taken trips to Nicaragua and welcomes involvement in future mission efforts through partnerships like Hands for Hope.
The Team
The pastoral and ministry staff at Canopy Roads Baptist Church includes:
- Matt - Senior Pastor. Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; planter of CRBC since 1996.
- Justin Wester - Associate Pastor of Discipleship. Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Leadership from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary; author of Living S.E.N.T.
- Jayce - Student Pastor. Bachelor of Arts in Ministry from the Baptist University of Florida; Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
- Dustin - Worship Director. Joined the team in September 2024; toured with Christian bands and writes and records his own music.
- Jenna Morris - Children's Director. Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from The Baptist University of Florida.
- Lindsey Wester - Preschool Ministry Associate. Master of Arts in Religion (Apologetics) from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
- Vance - Technology Director; previously served as Worship Director at CRBC.
- Cathy - Connections Administrator. With her family since moving from Michigan in 2011.
- Alicia - Financial Administrator. Joined summer 2025; background in healthcare administration and financial accounting.
Giving and Getting Connected
Giving to Canopy Roads is available online, by mail to 925 Bannerman Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32312, or in person each Sunday. Those interested in serving can connect through the church's groups, ministries, or staff, and visitors can plan a visit at any time.