On Coosada Road in the small town of Coosada, just outside Millbrook in Elmore County, Alabama, Coosada Baptist Church opens its doors three times every Sunday morning and once more on Wednesday night. Its mission is to help others find and follow Jesus. Dr. Jim Graham has served as senior pastor since December 2002, and the congregation describes itself as a Southern Baptist church connected to the Southern Baptist Convention, the Alabama Baptist Convention, and the Elmore Baptist Association.
Three Sunday Mornings, One Family
Coosada runs three Sunday morning services at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 AM. The first two feature a praise band and praise team leading worship. The 11:00 AM service keeps a more traditional feel and is the home of Celebration Choir, which rehearses each Sunday evening at 5:00 PM in the sanctuary. Adult small groups meet at 9:45 and 11:00 as well, with classes for every age and stage of life, from young adults to seniors. The children's ministry calls its children's wing "the KidsLife" area, and the preschool ministry calls its space "the Pond."
A Spanish-language Hispanic Church also meets on campus at 11:30 AM in a room called the Harbor, led by Pastor Enrique Garcia.
Wednesday Nights Around the Tables
Wednesday nights at Coosada Baptist begin with dinner. A weekly meal is served in the Fellowship Hall from 5:30 to 6:00 PM, with adult meals at $5 and child meals at $2.50. To-go plates are available. Reservations must be in by noon on Monday.
At 6:30 PM the building fills with studies and groups for every age. Pastor's Bible Study meets in the Fellowship Hall for all ages. His Daughters, a women's Bible study led by Katie Grantham, gathers in room B106. Women on Mission meets in B210 for Bible study and prayer for missionaries. Kids On Mission serves grades 1 through 6 in the KidsLife area, while Mission Friends and the nursery care for babies through kindergartners in the Pond. Refuge Student Worship, for grades 7 through 12, fills the Harbor at 6:30, and Deep Water Worship brings young adults together in the Meeting Rooms. Everything wraps by 7:30 PM.
Sunday Evenings for Students and Adults
Sunday evenings at 5:00 PM bring Celebration Choir back to the sanctuary for rehearsal. At 5:30 PM, The Bridge gathers students in grades 6 through 8 in the Harbor. At 6:00 PM, two studies run side by side. Rodney Culpepper, the Next Level Pastor, teaches a study called But God in rooms B208-209. Across the hall, a short course on sharing your faith meets in the Fellowship Hall. A midweek small group meets Mondays at 12:30 PM in B208/209.
Preschool and KidsLife
Ellen Miller directs the Preschool Ministry for children from birth through age 3, with care available during every service. The motto is "changing lives, not just diapers." Parents can sign up to receive text updates by texting CBCPRESCHOOL to 84576. Marsha Blankinchip directs KidsLife, the ministry for older children. The church uses KidCheck for child safety; every parent, grandparent, guardian, or volunteer who drops off or picks up a child must have a KidCheck account. Sign-ups are free.
Refuge Student Ministries
Jon LaMarque, the Student Pastor, oversees Refuge Student Ministries. Refuge meets for worship every Wednesday at 6:30 PM in the Harbor, with doors opening at 6:00 PM. On Sundays, students join the 8:30 and 9:45 AM worship services and gather for small group Bible studies at 9:45 or 11:00 AM. The Bridge, a separate ministry for grades 6 through 8, meets Sunday evenings at 5:30 PM. LaMarque was baptized and ordained at Coosada Baptist and joined the staff as student pastor in September 2023 after serving at First Baptist Haleyville.
College Students and Young Adults
Deep Water Worship, the young adult gathering for those in their twenties through forties, meets on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM in the Meeting Rooms. A separate young adult women's Bible study also meets Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM in B106.
Music and Worship Arts
Worship Pastor Darrell Jennings has led music at Coosada since May 2004. Celebration Choir, open to singers of all ages, rehearses Sunday evenings at 5:00 PM in the sanctuary and sings in the 11:00 AM service. Musicians, actors, and tech volunteers are invited to join, and the ministry has produced special presentations such as a virtual choir recording of "My Jesus I Love Thee."
Senior Adults and the Pacesetters
Joby Cheesman came on staff in 2025 as Minister of Pastoral Care and Senior Adult Ministries after 45 years of military and civil service with the United States Air Force. The senior adults are affectionately called the Pacesetters. Nine Sunday morning classes serve older adults, including the Journeymen for men 70 and up, the Ruth and Friendship classes for women 60 and up, the Golden Oldies and Boomer classes, and several coed classes for adults in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, all using the Explore the Bible curriculum. A group called Commorados meets the second Thursday of each month at 11:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall for a potluck and fellowship.
Small Groups Across the Week
Small groups are a backbone of the church. Adult groups meet Sunday mornings at 9:45 and 11:00. A midweek small group meets Mondays at 12:30 PM in B208/209. On Wednesday nights, dozens of groups meet across the campus, organized by age, stage of life, and language.
Missions and Local Outreach
Coosada Baptist supports a wide circle of missionaries, pastors, chaplains, and church planters across Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, and Nevada, along with seminary students preparing for ministry. Locally, the church partners with the WELCOME Center on the I-65 Service Road in Millbrook, which feeds families in West Elmore County. Members volunteer with First Choice Crisis Pregnancy Center in Wetumpka and teach Bible Education classes at Millbrook Middle School on Tuesdays for fifth and sixth graders and Thursdays for seventh and eighth graders. Senior adults have also traveled to Guatemala five times to teach Bible Training Centre for Pastors courses, with 18 pastors and church leaders graduating in 2024.
Legacy Ministries
The church partners with the Baptist Foundation of Alabama and Philanthrocorp to offer Legacy Ministries, providing free coaching on wills, advance directives, living wills, estate planning, and giving. Members who have used the service describe working by phone with a Christian estate planning coach, then being referred to a local attorney.
Beliefs and Connections
Coosada Baptist teaches in line with The Baptist Faith and Message, the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention. The church is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Alabama Baptist Convention, and the Elmore Baptist Association.
The Pastoral Team
Dr. Jim Graham, senior pastor since 2002, holds a degree in education from Samford University, a master's from New Orleans Baptist Seminary in New Testament Biblical Studies, and a doctorate from Southwest Seminary in Biblical Counseling. Worship Pastor Darrell Jennings, a 1994 graduate of UAB, has served in church ministry since 1989. Education and Administration Pastor Mark Wilson joined Coosada in 2012 as student minister and moved into his current role in 2017. Student Pastor Jon LaMarque holds an MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Children's Director Marsha Blankinchip, Preschool Director Ellen Miller, Senior Adult Minister Joby Cheesman, and Next Level Pastor Rodney Culpepper round out the team.
What to Know Before a Visit
Coosada Baptist sits at 5687 Coosada Road, with parking and entry on the campus. Services run at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 AM on Sundays, with Sunday evening programs at 5:00, 5:30, and 6:00 PM, and Wednesday night meal and studies from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Nursery is available during every service for children birth through age 3. Older children attend KidsLife. Giving is available online through Planning Center, and a text-to-give option is available by texting GIVE and the amount to 1-855-770-3831. A sermon podcast archive and a current monthly newsletter keep members connected throughout the week.