In early 2011, a group of refugee families from East Africa visited Woodmont Baptist Church on a Sunday morning. Members of Woodmont, in turn, visited them in their homes. The families expressed a desire to worship in their native Swahili language and with their own music. Consequently, they were granted space to conduct worship services, forming the Woodmont Baptist Swahili Fellowship.
Woodmont members and emeritus Southern Baptist African missionaries, Carlos and Myrtice Owens, mentored the group leaders. Carlos and Myrtice, having served over thirty years as church planters in Africa, were fluent in Swahili. In 2013, the growing group of Swahili worshippers was designated a church plant by the TBMB, under the name Swahili Baptist Church at Woodmont. Memba Biondo served as the first pastor, and Pastor Batsi Batende currently leads the congregation.
The congregation, which meets in the historic Woodmont Baptist Chapel, averages approximately 75 attendees each Sunday. The church maintains its own Sunday school, a single class for children of all ages. Additionally, Swahili children and youth participate in Woodmont Baptist activities such as VBS, church camps, and Wednesday night youth group. Woodmont Baptist member Connie Bushey has been a dedicated coordinator of Swahili involvement in these activities.
The Swahili service features vibrant musical worship. Participation in the choir is highly valued. Over the years, the church choir has traveled across the U.S. to participate in choir conferences with other Swahili-speaking churches. In October 2022, the choir performed at the Ryman Auditorium. The choir also maintains its own YouTube channel, “Grace Group Gospel Choir.”
One significant development over the past decade is the increase in Swahili families transitioning from public housing to homeownership. Homeownership is now the majority norm within the congregation. While new refugee arrivals still rely on public housing, the path to homeownership is increasingly understood and pursued.
The rising generation, immersed in English through public schools, is more familiar with American norms and customs than their elders. Some have embarked on successful college careers. Volunteers at Woodmont Baptist provide guidance on job seeking and workplace norms. Involvement in English children and youth activities at Woodmont reinforces spiritual development across the language barrier.
As expected of a congregation of refugees, there remains a strong interest in family, friends, and Christian activities in Africa. For several years, the church’s primary mission activity has been funding the construction of a sanctuary for Baraka Baptist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Over a ten-year period, the church has contributed $46,000 to the sanctuary’s construction, which is nearing completion.
For eleven years, Swahili Baptist Church at Woodmont has provided a Christian cultural haven for newcomers, brothers and sisters in faith who arrived with little material possessions. What they retained was their joy in the Lord and their community, strong family bonds, and resilience in the face of adversity. They are grateful to be here, and so are we.
Nick Bushey, 12-15-2024
