Watson Grove Baptist Church Charts Path for Next Season of Ministry

Growing congregation explores how to expand its ministry impact for generations to come

Nashville, Tenn. (May 27, 2026) - Watson Grove Baptist Church, a 137-year-old congregation rooted in faith, service, and community, is entering a new season of intentional planning for its future. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. John Faison, Sr., the church has experienced steady growth across its Nashville campus, a second campus in Franklin, Tenn., and its virtual community, The Grove Global.

That growth is creating new opportunities - and new space and resource needs - prompting church leadership to evaluate how its physical footprint can best support an expanded vision for ministry. As a result, Watson Grove is exploring how its resources can be positioned to serve the next chapter of its mission.

Founded in 1889 in Una, Tennessee, Watson Grove has called Nashville's Edgehill neighborhood home since the mid-1950s. Throughout decades of change, the church has remained a consistent presence - serving its neighbors through food pantries, clothing drives, after-school programs, youth camps, scholarships, and other community initiatives. That legacy of service continues to guide how church leadership is approaching this moment.

As part of this forward-looking process, Watson Grove is actively evaluating ways to maximize the long-term ministry impact of its property at 1415 DeFord Bailey Avenue. This includes exploring potential sale, ground lease, or joint venture development opportunities, along with other options that would allow the church to remain on-site as part of a future development.

"Watson Grove has never been a church ONLY; we have always been a church AND. Creative outreach, missional partnership, and community engagement are in our DNA," said Rev. Dr. John Faison, Sr., Watson Grove's Senior Pastor. "This is about discovering how we can expand those capacities. We are evaluating how to best position The Grove for the next generation of impact. As a congregation, we will decide which direction we take. This is information-gathering, and we're approaching it with clarity, prayer and purpose."

Watson Grove has engaged Foundry Commercial, a full-service commercial real estate firm with a dedicated Mission Property Group serving religious institutions, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations, to support this evaluation and ensure a thorough review of all options. Senior Vice Presidents Scott McKinney and Carlin Beekman are leading the effort.

"We recognize what a significant moment this is for Watson Grove and for the Edgehill community," said McKinney. "Our role is simply to make sure the church has the information and the options it needs to make the decision that is most faithful to its mission."

Property Overview

Watson Grove's campus at 1415 DeFord Bailey Avenue sits at the intersection of several of Nashville's most dynamic neighborhoods, including Edgehill, The Gulch, 12 South, Wedgewood-Houston, and Midtown. The property is one-and-a-half blocks from Music Row and less than one mile from Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, and Downtown Nashville.

The site includes approximately 34,000 square feet on 1.5 acres, featuring a multi-level sanctuary seating 700+, classrooms, administrative offices, a fellowship hall, full kitchen, and an attached chapel. Waston Grove is open to proposals that align with its mission, including continued institutional use, adaptive reuse, or redevelopment - particularly those that support long-term community engagement and ministry presence.

Those interested in submitting offers or learning more about the property are encouraged to contact Scott McKinney at [email protected] or 352-538-9686, or Carlin Beekman at [email protected] or 407-540-7789.

About Watson Grove Baptist Church:

Watson Grove Baptist Church was founded in 1889 in Una, Tennessee, and has served Nashville's Edgehill community since the mid-1950s. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. John Faison, Sr., the church has grown into a multi-campus ministry with a Nashville campus, a second campus in Franklin, Tenn., and The Grove Global, an online platform reaching a national audience. Watson Grove is recognized for its strong commitment to community service, biblical teaching, and innovative ministry, guided by its core values: Love Deeply, Worship Passionately, Grow Intentionally, and Serve Willingly. For more information, visit thegrovenash.org.

About Foundry Commercial:

Foundry Commercial is a full-service commercial real estate services and investment company operating across office, industrial, retail, multi-family, healthcare, religious, and not-for-profit asset classes and clients. Focused on the Sun Belt markets, Foundry is sustained by more than 4,000 associates operating from 12 markets, providing leasing and management on more than 77 million square feet and over 5,400 seniors housing units, typically executing over $2 billion in leasing, tenant rep, and investment sale transactions annually. Foundry's development and investment platform is fully integrated with its services business and has invested in over $4 billion in joint ventures with many of the best-known institutional investors in the country. For more information, visit www.foundrycommercial.com.