The Gathering Nashville

What should I wear?

Above all—be comfortable. Most people will be dressed casually. Jeans, shorts, sandals— you can even wear a suit, if that’s your thing.

Do you have classes for my kids?

Yes. We have classes from infant to older children and youth. Everything is designed to be age appropriate. We are dedicated to creating a fun and safe place for your kids to learn about God.

Why don’t you have the word “Church” in your name?

We call ourselves The Gathering because that’s what we are— a gathering of normal, messy people coming together to learn about God and His will for our lives. After all, the Greek word used in the New Testament for the word “church” means “a gathering of people”.

Is The Gathering aligned with a denomination?

No. The Gathering is an interdenominational church. Whatever your religious background, you’re welcome. We all have things about our past experience that we’ve liked, so you can celebrate the best of the past as well as leave other things behind that seemed out of place.

How do I join The Gathering?

We don’t have a formal membership process. If you come here, serve here, and give to help us carry on our mission, then you’re in.

What if I’m not sure about “Jesus?”

If you’re not sure about “the whole Jesus thing,” again we say “Fear not!” We welcome anyone who is seeking a real relationship with God.

We’re not going to put you on the spot or make you feel like you have to make a choice right now. We know that faith in Christ is the most personal, life-changing decision anyone can make, and that decision is between you and God.

We’ll gladly answer any questions and offer guidance where we can. But we’ll never pressure you or hound you— that’s just not our style (and we don’t know anybody who likes to be treated that way).

What is the music like?

We believe music is one of God’s greatest gifts to us, and one of the most powerful ways we can praise Him, with instrument or voice. (And this being Music City, we just gotta sing!) You can expect a mix of uplifting, hand-clapping music and the occasional old familiar hymn— with a little Nashville flavor. And if we say so ourselves, these guys are good.

Do you teach from the Bible?

Absolutely, every message is 100% based on Scripture. The Bible is the most relevant and best-selling book in the world today, just as it is for every age. You think what you’re going through is unique, that no one has ever experienced it before? Think again— it’s all there, written down and given to us by God. But the great part is, God also tells us how He can help. His love, mercy and forgiveness, and His promises to meet us in our needs have never changed. Our only authority comes from The Bible itself.

Why don’t you give a “come-down-front” invitation?

Because we believe it borders on manipulation. The number one fear in America is speaking in public— and the last thing we want to do to anybody is make you walk down and stand in front of a bunch of strangers! (Or even friends.) You hate it, we hate it, and the Bible doesn’t ask us to do it, so we don’t. You can always talk to us privately, or maybe even better, strike up a conversation with the person who invited you.

Do you baptize people and how?

Yes. Baptism is one of the commands Christ gave His Church, and an important symbol of the believer’s commitment to Him. We will gladly baptize anyone old enough to make a conscious decision to follow Christ as Lord and Savior.

We practice baptism by immersion, and Pastor Dave holds periodic baptism services These services are open to everyone, and we encourage you to invite family and friends to come celebrate with you. If you cannot be baptized by immersion due to health or other reasons, we’ll use a method appropriate to your needs.

Do you offer communion and how often?

Communion is a beautiful sacrament, which we honor and revere. The Gathering practices communion around 4 times a year during our regular worship services. All attending believers are invited to participate.

Will I be pressured to give?

No, absolutely not! We do receive an offering at our services and certain special events. If you wish to participate in the offering, we welcome your gift as an act of worship.

We won’t nag you about giving, and we do not seek or keep financial records on anyone, except to provide you with a record of your donations for tax purposes. Any offerings we receive are used to cover the expenses of the church, including rent, equipment, staff salaries, and the like, and to support reputable interdenominational Christian ministries chosen by our church leadership.

We also accept online gifts. To reach our secure contribution page, click here.

What’s wrong with traditional church?

Absolutely nothing, but not all connect with a formal, ritualistic approach to faith. Everyone needs a church that speaks its language and knows how to offer life outside conventional, denominational Christianity.

The timeless truths of Scripture must be communicated in a timely way in keeping with how we connect and communicate in current culture.

We are not trying to be cool or hip, but we have a passion to connect and be relevant to life today without feeling any need to water-down our message. We want you to leave each week with something that you can apply to life on Monday morning. We want you to have fun–there we said it!