Knowing, Growing, and Going on Cunniff Parkway
Parkway Baptist Church sits on Cunniff Parkway in Goodlettsville, tucked between Dickerson Pike and Gallatin Road, a few minutes from Hendersonville, Madison, White House, and downtown Nashville. The congregation gathers around three words that shape everything: Knowing, Growing, and Going. Members seek to know who God is and what He has done, to grow in their relationship with Him, and to go tell others about God's truth and love both locally and abroad.
Parkway is a bilingual congregation. English is the primary language of worship and Bible study, but the Hispanic Ministry, Ministerio Hispano, runs its own Spanish Bible study on Sunday mornings and offers simultaneous translation from English to Spanish at the main worship service. Free English as a Second Language classes are held on Wednesday evenings during the school year. That diversity shows up in everything from the International Women's Friendship Group to the monthly men's breakfast at Cracker Barrel.
Visitors are greeted warmly. Senior Pastor Matt Megginson leads a staff that includes ministers for education, students, and family life, alongside a team of active volunteers. The Wednesday night meal, the Family Life Center, and the wide range of classes for every age all serve a congregation that takes seriously the call to make disciples across cultures and generations.
Sunday Mornings: Sunday School and Worship
The Sunday schedule at Parkway is built around two anchors: Sunday School at 9:00 AM and the worship service at 10:30 AM. Adult Sunday School at Parkway offers classes for every stage of life: single or married, younger or older, men's or women's, plus coed options. The classes are designed as circles of friendship that meet throughout the week, encouraging one another as members seek to know God more deeply.
The 10:30 AM worship service is the heart of Sunday morning. It is also the service that is live streamed on Facebook each week and archived on the church's YouTube channel. Members and visitors traveling or feeling unwell can join from home, and a podcast carries the messages on the go.
Children have their own schedule. Sunday School for children from birth through sixth grade begins at 9:00 AM with Bible stories, music, games, and caring teachers. Preschoolers aged four and five attend Children's Church during the 10:30 AM service, where they follow a themed curriculum with music, video, puppets, crafts, and hands-on activities. Children in first through third grades start in the worship service for praise and worship, then are dismissed for a Bible lesson on their own level.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday evenings at Parkway revolve around a fellowship dinner at 5:00 PM. The dinner is hot, ready, and meant to take the burden of cooking off families. Adults pay $5, and kids eleven and under pay $3. After the meal, the building fills with classes and groups for every age group.
At 6:00 PM, programming splits by age and interest. Children return to Team Kid in the Family Life Center game room. Preschoolers aged four and five meet in Room E-107. Students head to "the Whole," the student ministry area, for Relevant, a Wednesday night worship service that runs from 6:00 to 7:15 PM with games, live music, prayer, and Bible teaching.
For adults, 6:00 PM offers several choices. A weekly prayer gathering in Room F-207 lifts up specific requests for the church, the community, and the world. A variety of Bible studies runs from August through May in different rooms. Women's studies have included Precept classes on books of the Bible, with study guides available for purchase. Men's ministry meets in Room F-204 to work through books of the Bible or topical studies. The Wednesday lineup is refreshed periodically, with new Wednesday Night Recharge classes rotating through the year.
Hispanic Ministry: Bible Study, Translation, and ESL
Parkway's Hispanic Ministry, Ministerio Hispano, gives Spanish-speaking families a clear home at the church. A Spanish Bible study for youth and adults meets every Sunday at 9:00 AM. Children's and adult Bible study classes in English are also available for those who prefer that language. The main 10:30 AM worship service offers simultaneous English-to-Spanish translation for anyone who prefers to worship in Spanish.
Free English as a Second Language classes meet on Wednesday evenings during the school year. Registration takes place in late summer, with classes beginning in early September and running from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Childcare during ESL is provided for children from birth to two years old and for those in first grade through sixth grade and youth, but not for children ages two through five.
Questions about the Hispanic Ministry and ESL classes go to 615-349-7811 or ESL@Parkwaybc.net.
Students at Parkway
Alan Jenkins, Minister to Students, leads Parkway Students. The student ministry meets on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM for Sunday School, beginning with a large group activity before dividing into age-appropriate small groups. On Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM, discipleship groups use the Master Teacher format, opening in a large group and then breaking into smaller groups for deeper discussion.
The midweek gathering is Relevant, the Wednesday night worship service for students, held from 6:00 to 7:15 PM in "the Whole." Students gather to play games, worship through live music, build friendships, pray together, and hear Bible teaching. Parkway emphasizes that the Bible is relevant to daily life and that worship is essential to following Jesus. Retreats, camps, and mission projects extend the ministry beyond the weekly schedule.
Children's Ministry from Birth through Sixth Grade
Children's ministry at Parkway is built around Proverbs 22:6: "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Programming runs from birth through sixth grade, with both Sunday and Wednesday options.
On Sunday mornings, children from birth through sixth grade meet at 9:00 AM for Sunday School. At 10:30 AM, Preschool Children's Church for ages four and five uses music, video, puppets, crafts, and hands-on activities. Elementary Children's Church for grades one through three starts in the worship service and is then dismissed to a Bible lesson at their level.
On Sunday evenings at 4:30 PM from January through April, fourth through sixth graders participate in Bible Drill, an in-depth Scripture mastery program that can advance to associational and state levels. Children's Choir for ages two through sixth grade meets at 6:00 PM on Sunday evenings, with two musicals a year, one at Christmas and one in spring. GRAPPLE, a preteen study for grades four through six, also meets at 6:00 PM.
Wednesday nights bring Team Kid, a high-energy program for children ages three through sixth grade. Elementary Team Kid runs from 6:00 to 7:15 PM; Preschool Team Kid from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Parkway adds Servants in Action to Team Kid, giving kids monthly service opportunities. All children's choirs join Team Kid on Wednesdays, working toward the Christmas musicals in the fall.
The Family Life Center
The Family Life Center, called the FLC, was built with members in mind. Current FLC hours are Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to noon. Joining the FLC costs a one-time fee of $10 per person, and members receive a keytag that grants access to the facility.
The FLC includes a basketball court, a weight room with a free weight bench and a Precor Stack station, and a game room for hanging out. A walking track lines the perimeter with workout stations; the padded indoor track is gentle on the knees and is paired with Christian music played over the sound system. The FLC desk is the place to sign up for membership.
The weight room is open to those ages 14 and older. Beyond fitness, the FLC is a gathering place after Wednesday night activities, where adults and children enjoy time together.
Women, Men, and the Primetimers
Parkway's women's ministry is called Thrive. Ladies of all ages gather on Wednesday mornings and Wednesday evenings throughout the school year to study God's Word. Studies have included eight-session studies on books of the Bible, and Precept classes are taught both morning and evening. The quilting ministry group, the Parkway Quilters, also meets under women's ministry. The International Women's Friendship Group meets every second Monday at 10:00 AM, where women new to the United States can find friendship, crafts, snacks, and occasionally childcare or transportation help.
Men's ministry gathers on Wednesday nights at 6:00 PM for Bible study. Parkway men also gather monthly at Cracker Barrel in Goodlettsville for breakfast, fellowship, and brotherly encouragement at 8:00 AM.
Primetimers is Parkway's senior adult ministry for adults age 55 and up. The group meets monthly for game days, banquets, and tours. Primetimers focus on Christian fellowship, growth in Christ, and community projects.
The Quilting Ministry
The Parkway Quilters meet every Thursday, taking summers off in July and a holiday break from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. The group was born in the heart of the late Mrs. Betty Selby in 2006; member Shirley Arnold offered her basement as the original meeting place. Today, the quilters cover every quilt with prayer.
The ministry is self-funded: each member puts in a dollar each week to cover batting, backing, and additional material. Donations from church members supply additional fabric. Each Christmas, the quilters auction quilts and quilted throws, with proceeds going to the Lottie Moon International Missions offering. Beyond the church, the quilters have donated to the Ronald McDonald House, local prison ministries, the Linus Ministry (which has provided more than 150 child-sized quilts to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, St. Jude's, and similar facilities), and the Hope Center, a ministry that came to mean a great deal to Parkway through the late Bob and Becky Couts, former International Mission Board missionaries and Parkway members.
A House of Prayer
Parkway longs to be known as a house of prayer. A 24-hour prayer line, 615-865-PRAY (7729), takes requests from anyone who needs prayer for themselves or a loved one. The prayer ministry team provides several ongoing opportunities to pray together.
Men Pray Together on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings at 7:15 AM in the church foyer. A Prayer Room "Power Team" allows members to sign up for specific prayer times; this continuous prayer ministry began in September 2011. Cards of Encouragement meets the third Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM to update prayer request cards and send notes of encouragement. Personal Intercessory Teams, or P.I.T. Crews, pray for specific staff members on a quarterly basis. Triple Cord Groups are groups of three or more who meet at a specific time and place to pray for the lost and concerns of the church and nation. The Revival Prayer Group meets Wednesdays at 4:00 PM in the Prayer Room. On the first Friday of each month, Fasting First Fridays calls members to go without at least one meal and pray for personal revival. The Prayer Band prays throughout the Sunday morning service. The Prayer Quilt Ministry is the quilters themselves.
Kingdom Kids Preschool
Kingdom Kids Preschool Program, also called Mother's Day Out, exists to support families by providing biblically based, age-appropriate education for preschoolers. The preschool operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:45 AM to 1:45 PM, beginning in late August and concluding in May each year. Tuition is paid monthly, with a $15 discount for each additional child. One child is $190 per month, and two children are $365 per month. The preschool is open to children ages 12 months to five years.
Teachers follow the WEE Learn preschool curriculum, which is Bible-based and uses learning centers, large and small group activities, music, language activities, and physical play. Registration opens in April for the next school year. Questions go to the director, Jenna Smith, at kingdomkids@parkwaybc.net.
Recovery and Grief Support
Parkway hosts an Alcoholics Anonymous group called "Made a Decision" (MAD) for men and women struggling with addiction. The group meets via Zoom every Monday night. New participants and assistants are always welcome. Parkway member Barton Rowe tells his story of personal struggle and ongoing recovery from addiction.
GriefShare at Parkway supports adults grieving the death of a loved one, whether the loss was recent or years ago. The facilitators have experienced grief themselves and desire to walk with those who are hurting. Those wishing to learn more about future sessions can reach the church office.
Equipping Adults and Sending Out
Equipping U is Parkway's Sunday evening program for adults. Recent offerings have included Faith Foundations and Go Fish: Evangelism. Classes begin at 6:00 PM on Sunday nights, with new cycles starting periodically.
The church's outreach reaches the wider community. ESL classes serve neighbors learning English. The International Women's Friendship Group welcomes newcomers to the United States. The quilting ministry covers hospitals and prisons with prayer-warm quilts. Room in the Inn is one of the continuous ministries that helps the homeless in colder months. The staff's prayers are extended through the 24-hour prayer line. Together, these ministries make up the Going part of the church's mission: Knowing, Growing, and Going.
Leadership and Contact
Matt Megginson is Senior Pastor. Bobby Webb serves as Minister of Education. Alan Jenkins is Minister to Students. Daniel Sanders is Minister of Family Life. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with a Church Office phone (615-865-2325), a Family Life Center phone (615-865-6015), and a Prayer Line (615-865-PRAY / 7729). The office email is church@parkwaybc.net.
Online giving is available through the church's secure online giving platform. Church envelopes are also available by contacting the office. Members and visitors can subscribe to email updates, follow along on Facebook and YouTube, or listen to the podcast for messages on the go.
Parkway Baptist Church at 505 Cunniff Parkway in Goodlettsville is a multi-generational, bilingual congregation that aims to know God, grow in Him, and go tell others about His love, from Sunday School to Equipping U, from Wednesday night dinners to Wednesday night Bible studies, from the quilting ministry to the prayer ministry, from preschool to senior adults.