A Century on Hemphill Street
The Southside Church of Christ sits at 2101 Hemphill Street in Fort Worth, Texas, in the Fairmount-Southside Historic District on the city's south side. Its roots reach back to 1892, when the First Christian Church of Fort Worth began ministry in the growing South Fort Worth area. Decades later, in 1959, the congregation built the historic building at 2101 Hemphill that has been its home ever since.
Through the 1970s and 1980s, Southside's neighborhood went through disinvestment, shuttered storefronts, and rising crime. Rather than relocating, the church chose to stay and serve. Leaders launched a food pantry, planted a Prayer Garden, and started H.O.P.E., a Christian 12-step group for people fighting addiction. That commitment to the surrounding neighborhood still defines the congregation. Southside describes itself today as a vibrant, diverse, multigenerational body of Partners in the Gospel, and it continues to center its life on three words: mission, mercy, and transformation.
Sunday Mornings at Southside
Worship gathers at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings, followed by Bible classes for all ages at 11 a.m. The service is livestreamed on Facebook Live for those who cannot attend in person. Worship includes singing, prayer, communion, giving, listening to scripture, encouragement, and the marking of milestones such as baptisms.
First-time guests will find a relaxed and welcoming environment. People come in everything from jeans and t-shirts to dresses and ties, and the only expectation is an open heart. Giving supports the ministries, missions, and day-to-day operations of the church. Partners in the Gospel are encouraged to give, but nothing is expected from guests. Communion is observed as part of the Sunday gathering.
Parking is available east and south of the building and in the open lot just north of Hawthorne Avenue. The Trinity Metro 001 South Hemphill bus route stops in front of the building for those taking public transit. The office is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached at 817-923-8276.
CONNECT College Ministry
One of Southside's signature ministries is CONNECT, a college ministry serving students at TCU, Texas Wesleyan, TCC, and other schools around Fort Worth. Chris Jeter, who attended Texas Christian University and Harding School of Theology and has served in college ministry since 2014, leads the work alongside his wife Justine and their family.
Students gather on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. for worship at Southside and then walk over to The Connect House at 2115 Hemphill for an 11 a.m. Bible study. On Thursday evenings during the semester, CONNECT Late Night runs from 7 to 10 p.m. at The Connect House, with a free dinner, a short Bible conversation, and plenty of time for games and hanging out. Life Groups meet throughout the week at Texas Wesleyan: a Monday evening group at 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday groups at 12:30 p.m., and a Wednesday group at 1 p.m.
The Connect House is the college ministry's home base. The fridge and pantry are stocked, there is a study room, a prayer room, and a living room anchored by an oversized couch. Students are welcome to use the space any time during the week. CONNECT frames its mission around three words: Belong, Believe, and Become - building community, deepening faith, and making disciples on campus.
Made For More Special Needs Ministry
Made For More is Southside's ministry for tweens and teens with special needs. The program creates a safe, sensory-friendly, and joyful community where students are welcomed, known, and loved as they discover that they are truly made for more.
During the 9:30 a.m. Sunday worship, the Made For More classroom is open as a calming, sensory-friendly space for anyone who needs it. At 11 a.m., Made For More students gather for hands-on, multi-sensory learning using the Awe and Wonder adapted curriculum, which brings scripture to life through praise, Bible stories, music, activities, and prayer. Volunteer buddies provide one-on-one support so that every student can participate fully.
Made For More operates on a model of reverse inclusion, integrating Made For More students with the broader Southside Youth Group (SSYG) through shared events and service opportunities. All volunteers complete a background check and ongoing Ministry Safe training. Lindsey Garner serves as the Made For More Coordinator.
Recovery (H.O.P.E.)
H.O.P.E., which stands for Heavenly Options for Pain and Emptiness, is Southside's 12-step Christian recovery support group. Bryan Barrett, a Fort Worth native who grew up in the church and previously served as Southside's youth minister in the 1980s, has led H.O.P.E. since 2021 and now also oversees the church's small groups.
The group meets on Sundays at 11 a.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. It is open to anyone wrestling with addiction, with a particular focus on chemical addiction. Members are encouraged to identify as recovering addicts or recovering sinners. H.O.P.E. is built around five anchors: recovery, belonging, contribution, understanding, and a Spirit-filled life. The group's purpose is to foster an environment where God can transform lives and bring healing and redemption.
Reaching the Neighborhood: Outdoor Ministry, Food Pantry, and Jail Ministry
Southside's Outdoor Ministry serves neighbors experiencing or on the verge of homelessness with the goal of helping them find joy and freedom through faith in Christ. The ministry keeps a steady rhythm of worship, meals, and Bible study. On Sundays at 2 p.m., the group gathers for worship and a meal. Wednesdays at 7 p.m. bring a Bible study and meal. On Thursdays and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. and again from 1 to 4 p.m., the ministry opens its doors for community and spiritual growth.
The Southside Food Pantry has been a fixture of the neighborhood since 1983. Every Tuesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. (9:00 a.m. in summer), the pantry operates as a drive-through in the south parking lot and serves more than 200 families until the food runs out. Most of the food comes from the Tarrant Area Food Bank, with additional donations from local organizations, churches, and individuals.
Southside also maintains a Jail Ministry that partners with other local efforts to bring the gospel into correctional settings.
Southside Kids and SSYG
Southside Kids, led by children's minister Tiffany Borchardt (a Texas A&M graduate and former school teacher who joined the staff in fall 2023), welcomes children from infancy through fifth grade. Two attended nurseries care for babies from birth through 24 months, and a private nursing mother's room with a live stream of worship is available for parents. Just before the sermon, children ages 3 through Kindergarten are invited to Children's Worship for an age-targeted Bible lesson. Sunday Bible classes follow the Gospel Project for Kids curriculum, walking students through the whole Bible three times between kindergarten and fifth grade.
Safety is a serious priority. All volunteers complete a background check through Ministry Safe and ongoing training.
Middle and high school students are part of SSYG, the Southside Youth Group. SSYG lives by three core values: Love, Live, and Learn - loving God and others, engaging in impactful experiences with the Holy Spirit, and learning from Jesus. The group keeps a busy schedule of hangouts, Bible classes, and family gatherings.
Adults, Small Groups, Spanish Ministry, and the Deaf Community
Sunday morning Bible classes are organized by life stage, special interest, and language. Current offerings include Young Professionals, 30s and 40s, 50s and 60s, Seniors, H.O.P.E. (Life Recovery), Español, Outdoor Ministry, Bible Basics, and Advanced Studies.
Small Groups extend that community beyond Sunday mornings. Groups meet in homes and other locations across the city, often on Sunday evenings, and focus on building genuine relationships, sharing meals, praying together, and studying the Bible. Anyone can sign up to join a group or start one in their own neighborhood.
Spanish-speaking members and visitors have multiple ways to take part. The worship service includes live Spanish interpretation (audio receivers are available in the foyer at the back of the auditorium), and a Spanish-language Bible class meets at 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings in the Front Parlor.
Southside also welcomes the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. ASL interpretation is provided in the front-right section of the auditorium during the 9:30 a.m. worship service, and deaf individuals are invited to the H.O.P.E. Bible class at 11 a.m.
Around the World: Missions and Community Partners
Southside supports missionaries across several continents. The congregation partners with Linda and Louis Bassey in Cameroon, Ron Bontrager with Sunset Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas, Cody Marceau with Marceau Ministries in Birmingham, England, Kent Marcum with Operation Ecuador in Kumanii, Ecuador, Josue Soria with Interconexion in Quito, Ecuador, Phil Waldron with Mission UpReach in Santa Rosa de Copán, Honduras, and Bambi and Tim Warden with San Fernando Christian Community in the Philippines.
Locally, Southside works alongside Academy 4 at De Zavala Elementary, Children's Hunger Fund, ChristianWorks for Children, the Salvation Army's First Choice program, One Safe Place in Fort Worth, the Tarrant Area Food Bank, and VOA Bible Study.
Midweek, classes and small groups meet at various times and places throughout the city, and The Connect House buzzes with college students every Thursday night during the semester. From its century-old home at 2101 Hemphill Street, Southside continues its calling to be a church of mission, mercy, and transformation for its neighborhood, its city, and the world.