Christian singer Amy Grant wins court battle over church started by her grandfather

October 13, 2025

Christian pop singer Amy Grant and her family members have finally won a years-long legal battle over a downtown Nashville church, founded by her great-grandfather.

The Christian Post reports that the Nashville Church of Christ, formerly Central Church of Christ, was founded by civic leader and businessman Andrew Mizell “A.M.” Burton in 1925.

The church’s deed stipulated that if the church building should ever stop being used for its originally intended purpose, the property should return to his estate.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in 2018, a businessman named Shawn Mathis reportedly gained control of the church and its assets but failed to hold church services on the premises.

Last Wednesday, the Tennessee State Court ordered that the church be returned to the estate of Grant’s family, since Mathis was in violation of the deed.

Under that ruling, the building must be sold at fair market value with the majority of the proceeds going to the Burton estate.

According to Burton family members and court findings, when Mathis joined the church in 2017, he pushed out longtime members and took control of the church and its assets, estimated to be worth roughly $30 million.

Grant told the Wall Street Journal that she was relieved by the court’s decision and stated that “our relationship with Shawn Mathis is now finished.”

Grant has announced that in honor of the church’s 100th anniversary, her family has launched an A.M. Burton/Matthew 25 fund, stating: “We start from humble beginnings, just like Burton. We will be guided by his example of service, community empowerment, and civic responsibility, with a core mission to uplift individuals and thus strengthen our city.”

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