Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ is a Christian community in Cookeville, Tennessee, where people gather for meaningful worship, Bible study, fellowship, and service. The congregation invites people at every point in life’s journey, including those who believe and those who are seeking.
The church describes itself as a family proclaiming the love and grace of God as found in God’s Word. At each service, members gather to worship and study the Bible, while ministry efforts focus on caring for neighbors in the name of Christ both locally and around the world.
Faith and welcome at Jefferson Avenue
We at Jefferson Avenue invite you to worship with us! No matter where you are at on life’s journey, you are welcome here! We believe that God loves all of creation, and through Jesus Christ we are brought into fellowship with God.
We are a family, proclaiming the love and grace of God, as found in God's Word. All are welcome at Jefferson Ave- those who believe as well as those who are seeking. At each service we gather for meaningful worship to study God’s word.
We reach out with the heart of ministry to care for our neighbors in the name of Christ here and around the world. As we work and worship together we find that our faith grows as we enjoy friends old and new.
You will discover many exciting opportunities at Jefferson. Our website is just the introduction to the spirit of our church. We want you to feel at home and comfortable here. We are pleased to welcome you as part of a growing and diverse Christian community. There’s a place for you here at Jefferson Ave.
What members value about the congregation
“The people here are amazing. The way the Bible class teachers pour Jesus and His love into our children is just outstanding. It’s exciting to see the education wing on a Sunday or Wednesday. Also, people here are really engaged with and support each other in their daily lives.”
“It’s two-fold. First, the eldership here so clearly cares about the flock. They love them, they pray for them, and they are eager to see them. It is really encouraging. And second, the people here love being here and want to be together every chance they get.”
“I’m still new at JA, but everyone has been so overly friendly. I feel very welcome here. Lessons from the pulpit are filled with foundational truths for my life. The shepherds and the ministers here really take their roles seriously and care about reaching the unchurched in our community.”
Worship, Bible classes, and discipleship
Jefferson Avenue provides opportunities for adults, youth, and children to study the Bible and grow in faith. Sunday and Wednesday activities include Bible classes, youth programs, and adult discipleship opportunities.
| Day | Time | Group or activity | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 9:15AM-10:00AM | Adult Sunday School | Fellowship Hall |
| Sunday | 9:15AM-10:00AM | High School/College Class | Room 110 |
| Sunday | 9:15AM-10:00AM | Middle School Class (6th-8th Grade) | Room 109 |
| Sunday | 9:15AM-10:00AM | Elementary (K-6th Grade) | Room 113 |
| Sunday | 6:00PM-7:30PM | Ladies Discipleship Class | Fellowship Hall |
| Sunday | 6:00PM-7:30PM | Men’s Small Group | Choir Room |
| Wednesday | 7:00PM | FOCUS ON THE WORD | Fellowship Hall |
| Wednesday | 7:00PM | Adventure Kids (K - 6th Grade) | Room 113 |
| Wednesday | 7:00PM | IMPACT Youth Meeting | Youth Chapel |
The education ministry is an important part of congregation life. Members particularly value the way Bible class teachers bring Jesus and His love to children, and the education wing is active on Sundays and Wednesdays.
The congregation also emphasizes teaching from the pulpit. Lessons are described as being filled with foundational truths for daily life, while shepherds and ministers take their responsibilities seriously and care about reaching people in the community who are not connected with a church.
Sermons and lessons
Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ in Cookeville, TN, provides sermons and lessons through an online audio collection. The collection contains 457 episodes and has recorded 11.2K downloads.
Recent lessons include “Living With Margin,” “4,000 Weeks,” “The Way of the Cross,” “The Third Cord,” “Give Thanks,” “The Way To Give,” “Do Christians HATE ________ People?,” “The Way To Love,” “Mission Sunday Sermon,” and “The Way to Increase.”
| Date | Lesson | Length | Speaker or participant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12, 2025 | Living With Margin | 39 min | |
| Jan 12, 2025 | 4,000 Weeks | 31 min | |
| Dec 8, 2024 | The Way of the Cross | 28 min | Andy Brewster |
| Dec 1, 2024 | The Third Cord | 29 min | Evan Burns |
| Nov 24, 2024 | Give Thanks | 22 min | Andy Brewster |
| Nov 17, 2024 | The Way To Give | 39 min | Andy Brewster |
| Nov 10, 2024 | Do Christians HATE ________ People? | 34 min | Andy Brewster |
| Nov 3, 2024 | The Way To Love | 31 min | Andy Brewster |
| Oct 27, 2024 | Mission Sunday Sermon | 29 min | Jim Black with the European Missions |
| Oct 20, 2024 | The Way to Increase | 25 min | Andy Brewster |
Fellowship and congregational life
Jefferson Avenue combines worship and Bible study with fellowship activities that allow people to build relationships. Activities range from dinners to Car Shows, and the congregation describes these opportunities as ways to enjoy friends old and new.
Members are invited to participate in family gatherings, shared meals, youth activities, and other events. These occasions reflect the congregation’s emphasis on being together, supporting one another, and growing in faith through shared life.
Ministry and care for the community
The church reaches out with the heart of ministry to care for neighbors in the name of Christ here and around the world. The congregation’s activities include local collections, support for community organizations, mission efforts, and practical assistance for people in need.
Current service opportunities include a bedding drive for the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The congregation is collecting new twin sized sheets, mattress covers and comforter sets, with October 15 as the deadline to get things gathered.
The church is also collecting 16oz jars of peanut butter for the month of September for the Spread the Love campaign. Bins are set up in the front and back foyers.
Magi Boxes, described as plastic shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts for a specific child, are ready to be filled. People who would like to participate in this service can call or text Lisa Rhodes for acquiring a box and instructions. Monetary donations are accepted and appreciated!
A cart with free books is located near the secretaries' offices. Please help yourself to as many as you like. These books are a work of Christian literature and may be helpful for personal study. However, these books are not a substitute for the Bible. Readers are encouraged to compare the content with Scripture and consult a minister for guidance.
Prayer and pastoral care
Prayer is an active part of congregational life at Jefferson Avenue. The church shares prayer requests concerning health, recovery, family circumstances, baptism, hospice care, and members who are unable to attend in person.
The congregation rejoices with Regan Ray on his baptism into Christ and asks members to keep him in prayer as he begins his new walk with the Lord. Members are also asked to pray for people recovering from surgery, facing serious illness, receiving cancer treatments, entering hospice care, or dealing with other difficult conditions.
The church continues in prayer for its shut-ins, including Judy Adams, Rita Ashburn, John Brown, Frances Buckner, Marcia Byrge, Sue Chaffin, Mildred Clark, Leon Fletcher, Anne Hubbard, Eldon Leslie, Linda Moore, Robert & Jean Reeves, Bill Shuster, Calvin Skinner, Claudine Smith, Mae Stults, Sarah White, Betty Jo White, Joyce Whiteaker and Dorisse Yokley.
Special events and shared service
Jefferson Avenue’s calendar includes worship gatherings, fellowship meals, family events, community programs, and mission-related activities. Legacy Sunday and luncheon includes an invitation to bring “grands” for Grandparents Day and join the congregation following the service for a catered meal in the Fellowship Gym. Ladies are asked to bring desserts, and there will be no evening service following.
The Fall Family Fellowship at Fowler Farms features Back Roads Band, Sam's kettle corn, bounce houses and friendly faces. Members are asked to bring lawn chairs, blankets, flashlights and favorite campfire dishes for the pot-luck meal.
The food suggestions include chili, hot dogs/buns, corn dogs, dips/chips/condiments, fruit/dessert, and drinks, both hot and cold. The food line will begin at 5:30, but only if enough people arrive early at 5:00 so food can be set up.
The congregation’s large auditorium also hosts community programs. The American Legion has a community-wide program to observe the 25th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, with the program beginning at 10am.
Congregational information and communication
Jefferson Avenue uses the Breeze ChMS app as its digital church directory. Members can access pictures and contact information on congregation members and update their own information within the directory.
Breeze is available only to members of the congregation. If the church office already has an email address on file, a member can create a user account within Breeze by visiting the service and clicking on “Create Account.”
If contact information is not found, the member will need to contact the church office and request that the information be updated so an account can be created.
The Breeze ChMS app is available in the Apple iOS and Google Play app stores. After installing the app, users are prompted for an organization ID. The organization ID is “JACOC.” Members then log in using the email address and password created through the access instructions.
Attendance and congregational rhythm
Jefferson Avenue records participation in classes, worship services, and contributions as part of its regular congregational update. The reported attendance figures were 262 for class, 430 for AM, 187 for PM, and $22,251 for contribution on 9/6/2026.
The daily life of the congregation also includes birthdays, anniversaries, Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and service. These regular reminders help connect worship with relationships, personal study, practical care, and participation in the life of the church.