Donelson View Baptist Church sits on Lebanon Pike in the Donelson neighborhood of Nashville, a brick-and-mortar fixture of the community since 1959 and a body of believers with roots that run all the way back to 1888. Known to its members as DVBC, the church grew out of what was once called Seventh Baptist Church, and in 2023 the congregation marked 135 years of continuous ministry. It is a Southern Baptist church that prizes warm fellowship, expository preaching, and a blended style of worship where the great hymns of the faith and contemporary praise songs share the same room.
The motto that frames everything at DVBC comes from Psalm 115:1: "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness." Everything the church does is meant to lift up the name of Jesus and make much of Him.
From Seventh Baptist to Donelson View
DVBC's story begins in 1888, when a small group of believers organized Seventh Baptist Church. For more than seven decades that congregation worshipped in its original location. Then, in 1959, the church moved to its present property on Lebanon Pike and took on the name Donelson View Baptist Church. Generations of Donelson families have worshipped in the same place since, and the church has continued to grow, sustain, and bless its members across decades of change in the surrounding community. The present-day members mark God's faithfulness in that long arc and frame every milestone as cause for gratitude.
Sunday Mornings: A Hug at the Door
Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m. and the morning worship service follows at 10:50 a.m. Visitors should expect to be greeted warmly. The church's own mission statement puts it plainly: "There is one guarantee about Donelson View - you visit, you WILL be greeted warmly! We are a hugging church!!" A spirit of unity among the members is something the congregation actively points to, and the warmth is meant to be evident from the very first handshake.
A nursery is available for the youngest children, and a Children's Church runs alongside the main service so that kids have age-appropriate teaching while adults remain in the sanctuary. The worship services themselves are described as pretty casual, and members and visitors come as they are.
Pastor Bo Fawbush preaches most Sundays, and other men fill the pulpit when he is away. Guest and supply preachers listed in the church's sermon archive include Ron Snyder, Drew Jones, Mike Byrum, and Ben Adkison. The sermon archive goes back through the COVID season and includes series walking through books of the Bible such as Mark, Philippians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, Hebrews 11, James, Ruth, Joseph, and 1 Peter, alongside topical series on prayer, the Holy Spirit, spiritual depression, the J-Curve, and the Psalms. Seasonal Advent and Easter series round out the calendar.
A Blended Sound from Instruments of Praise
The music ministry at Donelson View is led by Mike Byrum and is described as vibrant, exciting, and growing. Services follow a blended style, mixing the great hymns of the faith with contemporary praise songs. The praise band, called "Instruments of Praise," provides accompaniment for worship each week. The group is made up of musicians who love to play for the glory of the Lord and have a blast doing it.
An audio-visual team of volunteers handles the technical side of things, programming and running sound and video for the services so that the rest of the congregation can worship without distraction. Together the musicians and tech team shape a worship atmosphere that feels both rooted in tradition and engaged with the present.
Children's Ministry Led by Alicia Fawbush
Alicia Fawbush serves as DVBC's Children's Ministry Director. She came to the role with a deep well of experience: a Master of Divinity in Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth from seminary, years of homeschooling her own four children, and ongoing work tutoring and directing a Classical Conversations community.
Alicia grew up in church and became a Christian at a young age through the influence of her godly mother and the faithful volunteers around her. She had originally planned to serve as a missionary in Russia, but a different plan unfolded: Bo Fawbush asked her to marry him, the mission field shifted, and she has spent her adult life investing in children and families. Today her passion is teaching the Bible in upbeat, memorable ways and helping kids see how Scripture can shape their everyday lives. The Children's Service meets every Sunday morning, and a nursery is provided for infants and toddlers.
Sunday Morning Classes for Every Age
Sunday School at DVBC runs from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and offers classes for every stage of life. The Youth Class gathers the church's students together. The Adult 1 Class is open to all ages, and the Adult-Connect Class is the newest adult option and is also open to all ages. The Women's Class is connected to the D.O.R.C.A.S. mission, taking its cue from the Acts 9 woman known for her kindness and service. A nursery is available for the littlest ones during the Sunday school hour.
The teachers are described as a loving and dedicated group of volunteers. The ministry's own description of Sunday school captures its purpose well: it is a place to study the Bible in lessons that help believers grow in their walk with Christ, to sense belonging as God's children, to grow in the knowledge of God's love, to discover and use spiritual gifts, and to find Christian fellowship in a small-group atmosphere.
Reaching Out Locally and Across the Ocean
Outreach and missions are woven into the life of the church, and Donelson View runs several ongoing efforts that members can plug into. The church has packed shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child for many years. Members host fundraisers and packing parties, and groups have even traveled to the main shoebox distribution facility to lend a hand. DVBC also supports an orphanage in India. Through God's provision, the orphanage has received needed supplies and many other needs have been met. The relationship has grown close enough that the children there feel like part of the church, even though they are many miles away.
Closer to home, DVBC partners with the Fishes and Loaves Ministry in Kentucky, helping deliver to their food pantry and walking alongside a neighboring community in practical ways. Within Donelson itself, members have begun showing up at the Donelson Farmers Market and hosting a Coffee and Breakfast Drive Thru on certain mornings from 7 to 9 a.m. The goal is simple: to be present in the neighborhood, share a cup of coffee, and build relationships with the people who live there. The church's own summary of its outreach captures the heart of it: "God is among us and has given us a heart for people, whether down the street or across the ocean!"
Wednesdays at One for Prayer
The Midweek Prayer Service meets on Wednesdays at 1 p.m., offering a quieter pause in the middle of the week for the congregation to pray together. Recordings of the prayer services are kept in the same archive as the Sunday sermons, so anyone who misses a Wednesday can catch up later.
Deacons and Pastoral Care
Four deacons serve the congregation at DVBC: Ernie, Allen, Jeff, and Ron. Each one carries a Deacon Family Ministry Plan, with multiple families assigned to him on an alphabetized list. The intent is that every member of the church has a regular point of pastoral contact, and members with questions are invited to reach out through the church office.
What Donelson View Believes
The church holds to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, the confession shared by Southern Baptist congregations, and has published all eighteen articles on its doctrinal beliefs page. The church teaches that the Bible is divinely inspired, totally true and trustworthy, and the supreme standard for faith and life. There is one true and eternal God, infinite in holiness and all perfections, who reveals Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Christ is the eternal Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully man. He lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death on the cross, rose again bodily, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, convicts of sin, regenerates the believer, baptizes every believer into the body of Christ, and seals them until the day of final redemption.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, encompassing regeneration, justification, sanctification, and ultimate glorification. All true believers endure to the end, kept by the power of God. Christian baptism is by immersion of a believer in water, and the Lord's Supper is a memorial meal of bread and the fruit of the vine. A New Testament church is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, with pastors and deacons as its scriptural officers; the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture, while both men and women are recognized as gifted for service. The church looks for the personal, visible return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, final judgment, and the everlasting realities of heaven and hell.
Songs Around the Table: Singer and Songwriter Night
Once a month Donelson View opens its doors to local musicians for a Singer and Songwriter Night. The evening is built for singers and writers looking to share their work and find fellowship with other musicians. Refreshments are provided, and the night has become a small community hub for the wider music scene in Donelson. Those interested in performing can contact the church for the schedule.
Pastor Bo Fawbush
Bo Fawbush has served as pastor of DVBC since August 2009. A native of Greeneville, Tennessee, he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 1993 and worked for the State of Tennessee for about four years before sensing a call into ministry. He completed his Master of Divinity at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville in 2001, then served for two years as a hospital chaplain in the same city.
After his chaplaincy ended, Bo married Alicia, and for seven years the two of them faithfully served in their local church while Bo worked for the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District. They waited patiently for a clear call into the pastorate. That call came when God brought them to Donelson View. Bo preaches expositionally through books of the Bible, and his passion is to preach the Gospel in a clear and understandable way so that people can see the glory of Jesus Christ and the massive hope that believers have through Him.
Outside the pulpit, Bo enjoys spending time with Alicia and their four children. Alicia is his best friend and the love of his life. The family loves music: Alicia has an exceptional voice, and Bo plays the guitar. He roots for the Tennessee Volunteers and the Tennessee Titans, and in his quieter moments he roasts his own coffee.
Giving, Office Hours, and Staying in Touch
Giving to DVBC is available online through Tithe.ly, with options for one-time and recurring gifts by credit card, debit card, or ACH transfer. The church covers the transaction fees; givers are asked to scroll down on the giving form and click "no" on cover fees so that the full gift goes to the church.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can be reached by phone during those hours. Anyone who would like the church to pray for a specific need is invited to email the pastor directly at bofawbush@gmail.com.