An Open Door in Antioch

Posted on July 3, 2026

Nearly fourteen years ago, Fellowship Bible Church sent Ray McKelvy and a small team to Antioch with a simple mission: to make disciples and plant a church. What followed was a fourteen-year journey marked by faith, perseverance, and God’s remarkable provision.

Ray, who faithfully served as one of Fellowship’s pastors for many years, stepped out in faith and began building a church community that continues to impact lives.

Like true sojourners, they spent years moving from place to place—meeting in schools, community centers, churches, and wherever God provided space. Joe, who has served as worship leader, youth leader, sound engineer, and just about everything in between, laughed as he recalled those days. There were weeks when, on Thursday morning, he was still calling, texting, and emailing to let people know where they would meet on Sunday. It was an adventure fueled by faith and perseverance.

Then God opened an unexpected door.

After years without a permanent home, Christ for Every Nation merged with Una Baptist Church in Antioch. Una Baptist Church has a long history of faithfully serving the Antioch community, and through God’s providence, that legacy is now fueling a new season of ministry.

Today, the church sits on fourteen beautiful acres and includes a 46,000-square-foot facility with classrooms, youth space, and a full basketball gym. It is an incredible gift and an incredible opportunity. More importantly, it is a tool—a place from which the gospel can be proclaimed, families can be served, and lives can be transformed.

During a recent visit, I met Jake Todhunter, who serves as assistant pastor, executive pastor, facilities manager, and in many other roles—a reminder that in smaller churches, ministry often requires wearing many hats. As Jake walked me through the campus, he shared the church’s vision to serve the community and reach people with the gospel.

One of their greatest dreams is to open a daycare. The need is tremendous. A recent Vanderbilt-led study found that licensed childcare centers in Davidson County can accommodate only about 56% of families with children under five whose parents work. Even more striking, 88% of childcare providers reported turning away families or placing children on waiting lists during the previous six months.

A daycare would not only help sustain the ministry financially but also create countless opportunities to serve families, build relationships, and introduce people to Jesus Christ.

As we toured the facility, the potential was clear. The campus features classrooms for children, ample outdoor space for play, and a strategic location within one of Middle Tennessee’s most diverse communities. God has positioned this church in a remarkable place to impact both its neighborhood and the many nations represented there.

They also dream of refurbishing the basketball gym to host community programs and outreach events, and perhaps even opening a coffee shop that would create another welcoming space for relationships and ministry.

Yet with great opportunity comes great responsibility.

While the property is a tremendous blessing, maintaining and improving a facility of this size is a significant challenge for a smaller congregation. The opportunities are enormous, but they cannot accomplish the work alone. After much prayer, we believe Fellowship can play a meaningful role in preparing this campus for all God has planned.

On Tuesday, June 16, nearly our entire Fellowship staff spent the day serving alongside their team. We painted walls, cleaned rooms, organized storage areas, removed old structures, installed sound equipment, and tackled dozens of other projects. By the end of the day, we had made meaningful progress—but we also realized we had only scratched the surface of what remains to be done.

That’s where you come in.

If your small group, serving team, family, or group of friends would like to spend a day helping this church prepare for the future God has set before them, we would love to connect with you. There are projects for every skill level and countless ways to serve.

Imagine hundreds of children filling classrooms, families finding hope, community members gathering in the gym, and neighbors hearing the gospel because a church was faithful to the opportunity God placed before it. That’s the vision. And we would love for you to be part of it.

Most of all, please pray. Pray for Ray, Jake, and their team. Pray for wisdom, strength, and provision. Pray for the families they hope to serve. And pray that God would continue to use Christ for Every Nation as a beacon of hope in Antioch for generations to come.