The Village Chapel — Attraction in Nashville-Davidson

This happened several months ago, now, but I figure I should warn others who might consider this church or it's home groups.

I visited this church a few times with a friend as well as one of the home groups led by a guy named Bill that even had childcare. I was very impressed with the home group and was thrilled to have seemingly found a group of like minded people in a season where I was extremely lonely and had just relocated to the state knowing nearly no one. I even expressed as much to Bill one of the three times I got to visit the home group. However, apparently Bill's wife wasn't crazy about me coming to the group for whatever reason and they asked my friend to tell me that I couldn't visit anymore since

(a) I wasn't actually a member of the church (no, duh, my husband, two children and I were still only visiting to see if it was a good fit) and

(B) they were "saving spots," for former members of the home group who were still too scared of COVID to come to group, apparently... In 2022...

It felt very cliquish, definitely not Christ-like and they even did this after knowing how desperately lonely I had been and how our family hadn't been able to connect with a church group their lockdown due to lack of childcare. I cried after my friend told me I was unwelcome there because I had been so excited about it my first two meetings. And who turns away a visitor to your church from a home group, honestly?! I even brought a charcuterie board to my second visit after seeing it was pot-luck style. Very legalistic and having this experience kind of put my husband and I off from visiting the church even on Sundays any further. We want no part of a group like that... We want a church who embraces visitors and helps them find community, rather than alienating them. Our friend still invites us to Sunday services here from time to time, but we politely decline. We've found a truly welcoming, outreach-oriented church since and wouldn't you know it - they even let me visit a couple of different small groups for several weeks before we became members with open arms!! 😆 (It's Cornerstone Nashville, for anyone who is looking for a welcoming church!)

Never in my entire life of being a church-going Christian have I ever been treated so by a small group at a church I was visiting and it makes me question the entire church and how it is run if people who would treat a visitor this way are in charge of leading small...

I can’t say enough good things about The Village Chapel—this place has completely changed the way I experience church! I’ve been attending for almost a year now, and every single week I leave feeling encouraged, challenged, and more rooted in the Word of God.

If you’re tired of churches that feel like a performance, this is your place. The Village Chapel teaches straight from the Bible, book by book, with no fluff and no gimmicks—just powerful, Spirit-filled truth. Pastor Jim brings the heat every week with wisdom, humility, and authenticity, and the entire teaching team—Tommy, Ryan, and others—do an amazing job connecting with the congregation.

Worship is beautifully simple. No fog machines, no light shows—just sincere, uplifting music that points you straight to Jesus. The layout and timing of the service is spot-on and intentionally designed to make the Word the main focus.

There are two Sunday services—9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.—and both include full baby and children’s ministry, which is a huge blessing for families. The church is suitable for a wide range of ages and appeals to anyone who is interested is hearing directly from the books of the Bible.

This church is big enough that you can blend in if you want, but intimate enough that you’ll quickly find community. I’ve jumped in with the men’s retreat, Second Saturday service, the Christmas Village, a chili contest (yes, it was awesome), a baseball game fellowship night, and I attend the Tuesday morning men’s prayer group weekly—it’s been life-giving.

The pastors and staff are present, welcoming, and truly care. The staff is omnipresent and all a pleasure to engage with! You’ll be greeted with a smile and feel right at home, whether it’s your first visit or your hundredth.

If you’re hungry for real truth, deep teaching, and authentic community, The Village Chapel is exactly where you want to be. I’m so grateful to have found...

After “acting like a member” for around 5 years now (they don’t do membership), two things stand out about Sunday services at TVC: 1) friendly, non-distracting atmosphere (the people from the top down really care, the tasteful minimalist decor and professional musicians help guide worshippers to focus on Grace and Truth instead of glam and entertainment) and 2) an emphasis on sound biblical teaching (ie expository preaching verse for verse from the Bible).

We’re also a part of a home group that meets weekly - this has been life-giving for us to connect on a deeper level with Christian community in Nashville as we all struggle to live out the gospel in our lives. I help lead one of the men’s groups, so maybe someone else can rate that :D , but even before I had a hand in leading it, as a branch of the church the men’s group has been an instrumental part of my personal growth. It’s rare to find a group of guys that will open up with each other and genuinely ‘be there’ as these men have.

We also find ourselves participating in 2nd Saturdays of city service, a regular mission-oriented outlet designed to plug church members into needs in the city at large. It’s neat to ‘make a difference’ but I secretly think my wife and I go because we get a kick out of doing this kind of work.

Also: ART. As a visual artist, it’s amazing to be a part of a community that truly values art of all kinds. TVC designates bi-monthly artist potlucks in the church’s gallery where visual artists share their work and musicians share their songs, and everyone brings some deliciously creative food to share!

Lots more going on, but to make a long review just a little longer, suffice it to say I’m thankful to be a part of The Village Chapel. If you’re looking for a biblical, functional, beautiful group of people to grow with, I’d...