The Portland church of Christ gathers on North Russell Street, two blocks north of downtown Portland, Tennessee, in a congregation that traces its beginnings to a Civil War era gospel meeting led by pioneer preacher David Lipscomb in July of 1866. Sixteen souls were baptized during that eight day meeting at Cold Springs School, and the small fellowship that formed there has been on the same Russell Street property since 1896. Today the church sits on a lot donated by one of those pioneer members, J.O. Blain, who is remembered for presiding over services in a chair on the pulpit and for the railroad crossing that still carries his name.
From Cold Springs School to the Present Building
For its first thirty years the congregation met in the Cold Springs schoolhouse. In 1896 a new one room frame building was constructed on the corner of Old Franklin Road and Russell Street at a cost of $1,017.63, on land from the Blain estate. The first sermon in that building was preached by E.A. Elam on the fifth Sunday in May 1896, and by 1898 membership had grown over eight fold to 135. The bell that still hangs above the church sign has a story of its own: Miss Willie Pond and Miss Emily Gibson rode on horseback through the community collecting funds, and the bell was purchased through David Lipscomb for $36.20 to summon people to worship.
The original 1896 building served for fifty two years before being sold in 1948 for $1,525 to be moved and replaced by a new auditorium seating 477 with ten basement classrooms, completed in the spring of 1949 at a cost of $46,000 and paid off in 1951. In July 1950 the church held its first Vacation Bible School, which averaged 176 in attendance across the week. An educational wing with fourteen classrooms, a minister's office, and two restrooms was added in 1966 at a cost of more than $92,000, just in time for the centennial celebration. On Family Day that year, 737 attended, a number some consider the largest single worship crowd in the church's history. The podium in the foyer dates to the 1896 building, and the silver decanter once used to pour the fruit of the vine remains on display in the vestibule.
Sunday and Wednesday Around the Word
Bible classes meet on the church grounds at 9:00 AM on Sunday mornings. The morning worship service follows at 9:50 AM, and the congregation gathers again for an evening service at 5:00 PM. On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM, Bible classes resume for every age from nursery through adult. Two additional weekly studies round out the rhythm of the week: a men's Monday morning Bible study at 6:15 AM and a ladies' Wednesday morning Bible class at 9:30 AM. Bible classes on Wednesday and the 9:00 AM Sunday class are livestreamed, as are both Sunday worship services and the Wednesday evening class, on Facebook Live and YouTube. The Sunday morning service is also broadcast on WQKR 1270 AM and 101.7 FM at 10:00 AM.
Five Acts of Worship on the First Day of the Week
Following the New Testament pattern, the church observes five acts of worship each Sunday. Communion, the Lord's Supper, is observed every Sunday with unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, in remembrance of Christ's death until He comes again. The congregation sings psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs without instrumental music, a practice rooted in the conviction that the Bible's instruction to sing does not authorize the addition of instruments. Prayers are led by Christian men each time the church gathers. A sermon drawn from the Bible is preached, following the example of Acts 20:7, and members give a portion of their income through collection boxes near the entrances, following the pattern of 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.
Bible Classes for Every Age
Sunday morning Bible classes are organized by age, beginning with two nursery classes for infants up to twenty four months. From two years old through high school, every child has a class of his or her own, and adults gather in several groups: an auditorium class taught by Minister Bud Woodall, a fellowship building class led by Elder Don Curry, two upstairs classes led by Elder Chuck Thornton and a rotating team, and a young adult group called M.A.S.H. (Married And Singles Heavenbound). Wednesday evenings follow a similar arrangement, with a young adult ladies' M.A.S.H. class in addition to the standard curriculum.
Shepherds and a Written Statement of Faith
The congregation is overseen by a plurality of elders, also called shepherds, who have published a written statement titled "Stand Fast in the Faith." In it, the elders write that the Bible is their only authority and that the Lord's church has "no creed except the Bible." Their statement walks through the Bible's teaching on the authority of Scripture, creation, salvation through the blood of Christ, the identity of the church, the worship of the church, the differing roles of men and women in the public life of the church, and marriage and the family.
Salvation, in their understanding, requires hearing the Word, faith, repentance, confession that Jesus is the Christ, and baptism into Christ for the remission of sins, followed by a life of faithfulness. Communion and the collection are observed on the first day of each week. The church of Christ, in their words, "is not a denomination, or even a collection of denominations," and they identify themselves by the Biblical name that honors Christ.
Missions at Home and Abroad
More than thirty percent of the church's budget supports mission work. Foreign efforts include World Christian Broadcasting, which airs the gospel to places with little other access to the message, Gospel Chariot Missions, which trains disciples across Africa and beyond, and World Bible School, which offers free Bible courses by mail and online in many languages and is described as a ministry of the churches of Christ.
In the United States, the church supports twelve preaching students per semester through three schools: Memphis School of Preaching, Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies, and Heritage Christian University. Other supported works include Taylor Christian Camp, a summer camp hosted by area churches of Christ since 1986, Apologetics Press, which has published materials for more than thirty years, and the Grant County church of Christ in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, which Portland helped to plant and continues to support. An annual local mission trip has taken members to Virginia, North Carolina, South Dakota, and other states. Since 2014 the church has also conducted a jail ministry at the Sumner County jail, including worship services, classes, correspondence courses, assistance with baptisms, and the purchase of Bibles for the incarcerated.
Counseling Next Door
A counseling house sits beside the church building at 103 Victor Reiter Parkway, and the church partners with AGAPE Nashville to provide professional Christian counseling there. Sessions are offered every Friday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with fees set on a sliding scale so that anyone in need can be seen. Dr. Daniel (Danny) F. Camp, D.Min., LMFT, sees individuals, couples, and children middle school age and above. Concerns addressed include anxiety, depression, grief, marital issues, parent and child relationships, anger, stress management, boundaries, trauma, and spiritual issues.
Visitors, Children, and Families
Visitors who schedule a visit are welcomed with front row parking, a greeter at the front door, help getting children to their age appropriate classes, and a saved seat if they would like one. The congregation describes itself as "a loving fellowship of people from all walks of life and all ages serving our Lord Jesus Christ in Portland, TN and surrounding communities," and the children's Bible program is one of the church's stated priorities, with the goal of "raising the next generation of Christian leaders." The first Vacation Bible School in 1950 averaged 176 children, and the church has continued that tradition through the years.
Online and On the Air
Beyond the livestreams, the church maintains a library of online sermons and brief "Minute Messages," an online Bible reader, and an online giving page at portlandchurchofchrist.org/give. Members can access a secure church directory and a ministry scheduling tool through dedicated apps. Prayer requests can be submitted online, and anyone interested in studying the Bible on their own can connect with World Bible School through a partnership link on the church's site.