Our Goals

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN ATLANTA . . . PRESSING TOWARD THE MARK (PHILIPPIANS 3:14).      The church of Christ that meets in Atlanta, Texas, wholeheartedly welcomes you! The fact you have taken time to view this website indicates you are interested in our congregation. We are interested in you as well! This website is designed to familiarize you with the congregation, to let you know what we are all about. Our ultimate goal, of course, is to encourage you to become a part of us. God loves you and wants you to be saved; so do we!      The Lord’s church here in Atlanta is a thriving congregation of people! Through local outreach efforts and foreign missions, we are busy helping take the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to our community and throughout the world. After all, it is the very essence of God’s power to save mankind (Romans 1:16).      We are people of the Bible! We regularly engage in in-depth studies of the Scriptures because we believe the Word of God is a “lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path” (Psalms 119:105), and that “the Word of the Lord endureth forever (I Peter 1:25). Great effort is made to speak the truth and nothing but the truth in our Bible classes and from the pulpit. Because we seek to worship the Lord “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), our worship services are doctrinally sound and spiritually uplifting!      The church of Christ in Atlanta is involved in a variety of local programs and has much to offer those seeking a sound congregation of the Lord’s people. From an active youth program to “Sharing Sisters,” we are striving to create a congregational environment that is conducive to great spiritual growth and edification. We want to meet your spiritual needs, and we are equipped to do just that!      If you live in the Atlanta area, we hope you will consider visiting us and making the Atlanta Church of Christ your home congregation. We are committed to Christ and His church; come be a part of us as, together, we press toward the mark!

In the Beginning

HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATION      The church of Christ in Atlanta, Texas met together to worship for the first time on November 5, 1937, in the home of A.E. Kendrick, an employee of Magnolia Petroleum Company. A group of 14 people were present from three families: the A.E. Kendrick family, the S.R. McDaniel family, and the J.R. Cash family. The following Sunday, after having obtained permission from the Atlanta School Board, the members met in the grade school building, and they continued to do so for a year, until November 6, 1938, at which time they began meeting in a new rock building erected at the corner of Main and Hickory. By that time, the number of members had grown to over 45.      Over the years the congregation continued to grow, and, consequently, property was purchased and a new building was built at the present site on the corner of Highway 77 and Farm to Market Road 1841. The first service in the new building was held on April 15, 1967.      Continued growth brought about further expansion of the facilities, and, in the mid-1980’ s, a new auditorium was built. The first service in the new auditorium was held on February 15, 1987. This auditorium, in which the church now meets, is beautiful and spacious, capable of seating up to 600 people comfortably! The Lord has blessed the congregation, and over the years it has grown to a membership of over 200 people.      The congregation in Atlanta, Texas has had a number of full-time pulpit ministers over the years, the most prominent of whom is Tom Hooten, who, along with his wife, Virginia, served the congregation very well from October, 1972, until November, 2005. In November, 2005, John Barker became the full-time pulpit minister in Atlanta. He and his wife, Evelyn, are dedicated to the cause of Christ and are excited about helping lead the congregation full-stride into the future.

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