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A Church Family Falling in Love With Jesus
Northwest Church of Christ is a Christ-centered, Bible-based, multi-generational church family in Southaven, Mississippi. We’re a perfect place for imperfect people—real people walking through real life together, learning to love God, love one another, and love our neighbors in practical ways.
A warm, welcoming atmosphere where everyone is invited to belong
Christ-centered worship with heartfelt a cappella singing and prayer
Practical teaching that connects God’s Word to everyday life
Our Purpose
To influence our neighbors to fall in love with Jesus
Our Mission
We exist to deliver, equip, and engage people with the hope of Jesus, helping them experience healing, freedom, and transformation in every area of life.
Our Vision
We strive to be a church where anyone can find help—social, physical, psychological, and spiritual—and discover a loving community that walks with them toward wholeness in Christ.
How God Has Led Northwest Forward
Northwest Church of Christ began as a God-sized dream in the heart of Pastor Tradanius Beard. In 2008, with just a small group of believers and a big faith in a big God, Northwest held its first services at North Creek Golf Course in Southaven.
As God continued to add to the church, Northwest moved from the golf course to Main Street, then into its first standalone building. Each step of the journey has been marked by growth, sacrifice, and the clear hand of God opening doors and changing lives.
Today, Northwest worships at 1483 Brookhaven Drive in a facility that allows us to gather for worship, offer classes for all ages, host community events, and dream about future ministries like a daycare and school. Through every move and every season, one thing has remained the same: we exist to help people fall in love with Jesus.
Shepherding the Northwest Family
Pastor Beard
Lead Pastor
Pastor Tradanius Beard is a native of Memphis, TN. Pastor Beard has been married to Dr. Darlisha Beard for 16 years. They have two daughters, Madison Grace and Kelsey Faith Beard. Pastor Beard obeyed the gospel at the age of 11 years old while visiting his grandmother for the summer in Ruleville, MS under the leadership of Dr. Billy C. Moore. The late great Dr. Nokomis Yeldell Sr. trained and developed him into a gospel preacher.
Pastor Beard has been preaching the gospel for 24 years. He is the Senior Minister of the Northwest Church of Christ, a work he planted in Southaven, MS, for over 16 years. Pastor Beard holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Alcohol and Drug services from the University of Memphis and a Masters of Christian Studies with an emphasis in Pastoral Ministry from Grand Canyon University. He also holds a Graduate Certificate in Executive Strategic Leadership from Liberty University and is currently pursing a Doctorate degree in Strategic Leadership from Liberty University. Pastor Beard’s motto for living is “When you can’t understand the WHY’S of life, trust the WHO that controls it”.
Bro. James Edwards
Elder
Bro. Edwards is an Elder and serves in ministry. He enjoys cooking and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife, Darlene Edwards, for 29 years and they have one son, Jaylon. Brother Edwards’ favorite scripture is Romans 8:38, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
Dr. Jonathan Newson
Elder
Dr. Newson is an Elder and serves in ministry. He enjoys hunting, cooking, and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife, Dr. Shereka Newson, for 22 years and they have two children, son, Jamil and daughter, Jamiya. Dr. Newson’s favorite scripture is Hebrews 13:6, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Bro. Shaunell Hyatt
Deacon
Bro. Hyatt is a Deacon and serves in ministry. He honorably served his country with the United States Navy with over 22 years of military service. He enjoys long distance running, watching college football, and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife, Sis. Melanie Hyatt, for 23 years. They have four wonderful children, Christian, Sydney, Kennedy, and Tyler. Bro. Hyatt’s favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Bro. Brian Smith Sr.
Deacon
Bro. Brian R. Smith Sr. is a Deacon and serves in ministry. Brian began his first business in 2005 and continues to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations while also working in the Central Office with Memphis-Shelby County Schools. He enjoys riding motorcycles and spending time with his family. He has been married to his wife, Cetria Smith, for 17 years. They have four sons, Gregory, Brian Jr, Chase, and Shane. Bro. Smith is grateful to GOD for his life and all that comes with it and for every valley experience that has help create the MAN he is today. His favorite scripture is Isaiah 43:2 ” When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you”
Bro. Jonathan Turner, Sr.
Deacon
Bro. Turner is a Deacon and serves in ministry. He enjoys working and spending time with family. He has been married to his wife, Rosae Turner, for 8 years and they have three sons, Jonathan Jr., Jaylon, Josiah, and one daughter, Jalencia. Bro. Turner’s favorite scripture is Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee”
Helping Turn Vision Into Reality
The Dream Team serves as a “Think Tank” for the man of God as he casts his vision.
Pastor Tradanius Beard
Dr. Shereka Newson
Dr. Jonathan Newson
Dr. Darlisha Beard
Sis. Paula Rodgers
Sis. Anissa Cooper
Sis. Felicia Jeffries
Sis. Karen Williams
Sis. Lakebia Kenner
Rooted in God’s Word
At Northwest Church of Christ, what we believe is rooted in the inspired Word of God—not in trends, traditions, or personal opinions. We are a Christ-centered, Bible-based church that desires to honor God in what we teach, how we worship, and how we live every day.
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and our final authority for faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16–17). It is living, powerful, and completely trustworthy, revealing who God is, who we are, and how we can be saved.
Because Scripture is God-breathed, we seek to faithfully teach it, obey it, and allow it to shape our beliefs, our decisions, and our daily lives. When we have questions about what to believe or how to live, we go first to the Word.
We believe in one God who eternally exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). God is the Creator of all things, holy and just, yet full of love, mercy, and grace.
He desires a relationship with us as our Father, invites us to trust Him in every season, and calls us to reflect His character in the world.
We believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, fully God and fully man (John 1:1,14). He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers forgiveness, new life, and eternal hope to all who place their faith in Him. He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), the head of the church, and our soon-coming King.
We believe the Holy Spirit is the presence of God at work in and among His people. The Spirit convicts the world of sin, comforts believers, and empowers us to live lives that honor God (John 16:7–8; Galatians 5:22–23).
At conversion, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the believer, helping us grow in Christlike character, guiding us into truth, and equipping us with gifts for service in the church.
We believe every person is created in the image of God and deeply loved by Him (Genesis 1:27). Yet all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from a holy God and we cannot save ourselves by our own goodness or effort.
Because of sin, we are in desperate need of God’s grace. The good news is that God has provided the way back to Him through Jesus Christ.
We believe salvation is a gift of God’s grace made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Ephesians 2:8–9). We cannot earn salvation; we receive it by responding in obedient faith to the gospel.
In Scripture we see this response described as hearing the Word, believing in Jesus, repenting of sin, confessing Christ as Lord, and being baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Romans 10:9–10; Acts 2:38). From that point on, we continue to grow as disciples, relying daily on God’s grace.
We believe baptism is an essential part of our response to the gospel. In the New Testament, those who believed in Jesus were baptized by immersion in water (Acts 8:35–39). In baptism, we are united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, and we rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3–4).
Baptism is not a work that earns salvation, but a step of obedient faith in which we submit to God’s saving grace, receive the forgiveness of sins, and are added to the body of Christ (Acts 2:38,47).
We believe the church is the body of Christ, made up of all those who have been saved by His grace (Ephesians 1:22–23). The church is not a building, but a community of believers called to worship God, grow in spiritual maturity, serve one another, and share the good news with the world.
As a local congregation of the Church of Christ, Northwest seeks to follow the pattern of the New Testament church in doctrine, worship, leadership, and daily life.
We believe worship is a whole-life response to who God is and what He has done. When we gather on Sundays, we worship God together through heartfelt a cappella singing, prayer, the preaching of the Word, giving, and sharing in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42–47; Colossians 3:16).
Our goal is not to perform, but to glorify God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24), encouraging one another as we lift up the name of Jesus.
We believe the Lord’s Supper is a weekly memorial of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:23–26). As we share the bread and the cup, we remember His sacrifice, examine our hearts, and proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again.
At Northwest, baptized believers are invited to participate in Communion each Sunday as a sacred time of reflection, gratitude, and unity in Christ.
We believe followers of Jesus are called to live lives that reflect His character—lives of love, holiness, integrity, and service (Romans 12:1–2; Galatians 5:22–25). While we are not perfect, we are being transformed by the Holy Spirit as we walk with God day by day.
Christian living includes personal spiritual disciplines, healthy relationships, serving others, sharing our faith, and pursuing justice and mercy in our community—all for the glory of God.
We believe Jesus will one day return, and on that day every person will stand before God (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who are in Christ will spend eternity in His presence, while those who reject Him will remain separated from God forever.
This hope of eternity inspires us to live faithfully today, share the gospel with others, and look forward with joy to the day when all things are made new.