Covington Church of Christ stands at 1690 Highway 51 South in Covington, Tennessee, in Tipton County. Serving since 1834, it is known for Bible-centered classes, unaccompanied congregational singing, the Lord's Supper, missions and direct service in Covington and Tipton County. Sunday Bible classes begin at 9:00 a.m., worship is at 10:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday classes meet from 7:00 to 7:50 p.m.
From Twenty Brethren to a Highway 51 Congregation
The church traces its beginning to May 7, 1834, when Peyton Smith, a student of Dr. B. F. Hall, preached at the Covington home of J. W. Jeffreys. About 20 people attended, shared the Lord's Supper and established the church with a desire to keep God's commandments. Three months later, the congregation numbered 28 and met at the courthouse. By October, it gathered in homes and in the old jail at Munford and Washington Streets. Peyton Smith and A. P. Smith were the first elders. Hall had pioneered the Restoration Movement in Covington, holding camp meetings while supporting himself by practicing medicine.
Tipton County was first settled in 1822, and by 1830 it had grown and industrialized enough to support Hall's work. The congregation continued regular meetings during the Civil War. In 1866, T. R. Richardson wrote that the congregation was healthy and doing well because it had kept meeting. In 1876, the Christians erected a frame church at the end of Shelton Street on two acres with a cemetery. A decline followed in the early 1880s when the Murphy and Goodman families moved away and preaching was limited across West Tennessee. The congregation was revived in 1889 when the Murphy family returned. R. C. Goodman then bought a Catholic church building on West Liberty for $500.
In 1921, the congregation bought the Presbyterian building at Munford and Pleasant for $2,500. N. H. Murphy, G. W. Harvey, William Fyfe, Bryant Phillips and J. D. Montgomery served as trustees and elders. A year later, the West Liberty property was sold. As the Munford and Pleasant building became crowded, the church began raising funds for a new location in January 1965. That April, Ross Faught, John Dickey, Jack Hall, H. D. Gordon and J. H. Gardner purchased 4.6 acres on Highway 51 South for $10,000, and construction began.
The transition to the Highway 51 property took place in December 1966. The final service in the old building was on the morning of December 18, when Max Miller preached Cleaning Out the Closets. That evening in the new auditorium he preached Let Us Rise Up and Build. Ben Petree led the first prayer, H. D. Gordon spoke and Roland Vandevelde gave the closing prayer. David Jamieson led the song service, including The Church's One Foundation, Anywhere With Jesus, Hark! The Gentle Voice and God is Calling the Prodigal. The first Sunday morning service in the new building took place on December 25, with Ernest Watkins, Jimmy McMahan and Grady Miller serving on the Lord's table.
The building continued to change with the congregation. Four classrooms were added to the south end in 1982. In 1992, a fellowship hall with a kitchen, two bathrooms and a supply closet joined the south end. Three multipurpose rooms were added in 2004 for classes or expanded fellowship space. At the same time, two restrooms were modified for handicap access, and the auditorium, foyer and hallways were renovated.
A Cappella Worship on Sunday and Song Night Wednesday
The rhythm of weekly worship is simple and regular:
- Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Bible classes for all ages, followed by worship at 10:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday from 7:00 to 7:50 p.m. Bible classes for children and adults.
- The last Wednesday of each month. A service devoted to congregational song, with no adult class that evening.
Those attending an assembly are described as honored guests and can expect a warm, friendly welcome. The congregation describes itself as people who love God and one another and who care about those struggling with sin, disappointment, pain and sickness.
The form of worship is distinctive. The church sings without instruments, prayers are led by Christian men, and the service includes an observance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus through the Lord's Supper. Unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine are used during this observance. The service also centers on Bible-based preaching and gives people an opportunity to return to God what He has blessed. The stated aim is to worship God with awe, praise and thanksgiving.
For those unable to attend in person, worship is available through the church's internet livestream and Facebook livestream. The recordings of previous streams are also available.
Bible Classes from the Cradle Roll Through ACTS
Bible education is designed to cover the life of the church family, from young children through adults. Classes use the Bible as their authority while addressing relevant needs and topics. Sunday classes run from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m., with adult classes in the auditorium and graded classes throughout the building. Wednesday classes meet from 7:00 to 7:50 p.m. Teachers serve the nursery, children, youth and adult groups.
Children's classes begin with the Cradle Roll for two- and three-year-olds. Additional classes group four- through six-year-olds, then move through separate grades or grade pairs from first through twelfth grade. Nursery care is provided during worship services and special church events. The young adult congregation also has a class with planned activities beyond the regular classroom setting.
The youth program is organized into three named groups:
- Children in Action, or CIA, serves birth through fifth grade and is intentionally family oriented. Parents and older siblings are included, and the group commonly gathers once a month.
- Kids in the Cross, or KIX, serves sixth through eighth graders. Its activities emphasize fellowship, preparation, leadership, service and a relationship with God.
- Awesome Christian Teens, or ACTS, serves ninth through twelfth graders. The group takes part in retreats, college visits, rallies, service projects, mission opportunities and youth camps.
Activities are planned throughout the year for all three groups. Parents and other responsible adults may volunteer as chaperones, especially for larger trips. The church has also made camp scholarships available so that financial cost does not prevent a young person from attending. West Kentucky Youth Camp is a longstanding connection, and the youth ministry is active in Lads to Leaders. Participation in that leadership program began in 2005, and Covington's youth have developed service skills through its Nashville convention.
Vacation Bible School is supervised by the education ministry and is usually held during the first week of June. It is designed to connect with children and families who do not normally attend the church. Each annual theme uses Bible lessons, skits, singing and snacks to teach the gospel and provide a welcoming connection to the congregation.
Monday Fellowship and Tuesday Study
Two gatherings extend the teaching rhythm beyond the main Sunday and Wednesday services. Monday Night for the Master is a weekly fellowship program that meets on every Monday. Ladies Bible Study meets each Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and is interactive, exploring different scriptures and topics. All ladies are invited to participate.
Teaching From the Bible and the New Testament Church
Covington Church of Christ seeks to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone and to be the church described in the New Testament. Those who hear and believe in Christ, repent of sin, confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God, are baptized for the forgiveness of sins and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit are added to the church.
The church teaches that God is revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant and infallible word of God. It believes that sin separates people from God and obedience to the gospel redeems them. Baptism represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus: the old person is buried in a grave of water, and a new person is raised cleansed from sin.
Jesus is identified as the Son of God who died for the sins of the world and will return. The church looks forward to the day when everyone will stand before Him and give account for his or her actions. It also teaches that the disobedient will suffer eternal condemnation while the righteous will have eternal life. These convictions shape a shared life of worship, mutual encouragement, teaching and service.
Mission Support From Covington to the Wider World
Mission work is grounded in the command Jesus gave in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations. Covington also draws on the harvest imagery of John 4, describing a mission field that begins close to home. The church understands that people can support ministry through many gifts, including teaching, leading, giving, showing mercy, writing cards, making calls, sending emails, visiting and praying.
Covington supports mission work and ministry through several partnerships:
- Grant County Church of Christ in Dry Ridge, Kentucky.
- Latin American Missions in Valdosta, Georgia.
- Apologetics Press in Montgomery, Alabama.
- West Kentucky Youth Camp in Marion, Kentucky.
Missionary work is not limited to distant locations. The church's local outreach, benevolence, children's-home support and House to House ministry all reflect its conviction that Christian faith should be active in everyday life as well as carried to the wider world.
Children's Homes Close to Home
Covington Church of Christ supports two children's homes located relatively near the church. The closeness is intentional so that people can take a more hands-on approach to these service ministries. Both organizations provide Christian care for children and families in difficult circumstances, and the church encourages participation through gifts, donations, volunteer work and prayer.
Children's Home Incorporated
Children's Home Incorporated in Paragould, Arkansas, provides residential education care, foster care and adoptive care through a network of homes. Ways to participate include donations, prayer and involvement in the Casting for Kids Bass Classic.
Tennessee Children's Home
Tennessee Children's Home serves children and youth who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or are otherwise without a secure family setting. Its care includes a home environment, school work, tutoring, worship opportunities, counseling, substance-abuse counseling and daily responsibilities. People can assist through monetary gifts, truck supplies, benefit dinners, golf events, donations and volunteering.
The two homes are a distinct part of Covington's mission. Rather than treating children's care as separate from church life, the congregation has chosen to support organizations within reach and encourage direct, ongoing service.
Benevolence, Sunday Servants and House to House
The Benevolence Ministry provides financial assistance with a spiritual focus to people in the Covington congregation and in the Covington and Tipton County area. Assistance is intended to support a long-term solution when financial help can make a meaningful difference.
Sunday Servants meets at 6:30 p.m. on each Sunday evening. Those participating write cards for guests, people who are ill and birthdays, and they make visits. The ministry combines simple acts of care with the church's emphasis on people who are struggling or absent from worship.
House to House is a direct-mail ministry that began in 1994 when churches of Christ cooperated to seek and save the lost through the mail. Its publication is produced every other month. On alternate months, the local group meets to label and address the newest edition for thousands of homes around Covington. The broader ministry has been translated into four languages and distributed by congregations in the United States and overseas.
The church maintains two passenger buses, and its transportation ministry supplies drivers to take older adults to regularly scheduled services. An enclosed trailer acquired after Hurricane Katrina stores disaster-relief equipment, allowing the congregation to preserve material for emergency service.
A 400-Seat Church on 5.72 Acres
Covington Church of Christ occupies 5.72 acres of deeded property on Highway 51 South. Its auditorium seats 400. The fellowship hall, kitchen, restrooms, supply closet and three multipurpose rooms support church meals, classes, meetings and expanded fellowship activities. The main auditorium also contains a baptistery, while a nursery and graded classrooms serve the church's educational program. A separate storage building and bus barn hold seasonal equipment, church vehicles and the disaster-relief trailer.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The office telephone number is (901) 476-8278, and the general email address is covingtoncofc@gmail.com.
Ministry Led by Jeff Phillips and the Deacons
Jeff Phillips serves as associate minister and youth director. He has held that role at Covington since 2009, after completing college and working as a teacher, electrician and full-time church minister.
Deacons coordinate specific areas of church life:
- Robert Trimm leads adult education.
- Ken Bringle Jr. oversees Vacation Bible School, Children in Action and nursery ministry.
- Terry Wall serves in benevolence and transportation.
- David Stewart and Craig Robinson oversee building and grounds.
- J. J. Brown coordinates fellowship and special events.
- Alan Otts leads new-member integration and the baptistry.
- Brad Evins oversees outreach and Sunday Servants.
- Brandon Matlock leads the security ministry.
- Benny Collins coordinates Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday worship.
Together, these ministries keep Covington Church of Christ centered on worship, Bible teaching, youth and family formation, missions, benevolence and direct service. At 1690 Highway 51 South, the church carries forward the mission it began in 1834: to honor Christ, seek and save the lost, serve God and others, and do all of it for God's glory.