Our church began with the dream of opening a Christian Church in Buckhead. In fact, our original name was Christian Church Buckhead. At the time, there were no churches in our affiliation ITP (Inside the Perimeter). As a part of the Independent Christian Churches, we have had the autonomy to explore our theology and make leadership decisions based on our core beliefs. During our early years, it was important to us to include women in leadership at all levels from elders to staff to preaching.

Our building on State Street is our 5th location, and we are more than thankful to have a church to call our home. Each location brought its own challenges and blessings. We have grown and changed in many ways but have always held to the pillars of community, growth, and service. Experiencing fellowship together, growing in the ways of Jesus, and serving our city remain important tenets to who we are. 

Being true to who we are as a church led us as well to becoming a fully inclusive and affirming congregation. Our Statement of Faith clarifies that we acknowledge and affirm the image of God in persons of every race, age, ability, class, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation and identity. All represented in our parish, our volunteer community, our lay leadership, and our paid staff.

ACC is made up of individuals from every living generation. We tend to skew younger because of being in the city, but we are blessed to have individuals of all ages. We strive to have ministries that are inclusive of individuals in all walks of life. We appreciate the co-mingling of different age groups and recognize the importance of being in relationship with people of all ages. We all have something to learn from and teach to one another.

Throughout the year, we host church-wide events open to all. Relationship grow around tables and through shared meals. These events are designed to bring people together and create ways to connect and have fun. We see the beauty in having all ages come together for a meal, a game night, or project around the church.

Parish Groups meet in the homes of individuals for fellowship, study, prayers, and, of course, a meal. Groups are neighborhood based and meet from September through May. Parish groups are where friendships can grow deeper and members can support and care for one another. These are an integral part of building community at ACC.

For deeper learning opportunities, we offer classes, workshops, and bookclubs throughout the year. The different learning environments are places to go deeper into theological discussions and Biblical studies. These classes are taught by staff, volunteers from the church, and specialists from outside the church. During the summer months, we offer what we call Summer School. Each month focuses on a different theme woven into our sermons, classes, bookclubs, and lectures. We host at least one Dinner & Lecture every summer with a catered dinner and a more academic style.

Young Adults make up a good part of our church and are encouraged to participate in all aspects of church life. However, we do plan certain events designed specifically for this age group. With the help of staff and volunteer leaders, we have hosted karaoke nights, old school youth group events, and spent an evening at Top Golf. 

The Children's Ministry is made up of children birth through 4th grade. The PreK-K, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary all follow the church calendar. Every Sunday, the two Elementary classes join the adults upstairs for worship while the PreK-K class has worship in their classroom. All of the curriculum comes from Sparkhouse Media. 

The Student Ministry has two age groups, High School (9th-12th grade) and The Bridge (5th-8th grade). These classes meet on Sunday mornings except for the last Sunday of the month when all students attend the worship service. In addition to Sunday morning, social events are planning throughout the year like Christmas Parties, trips to White Water, and other gatherings.

At the heart of all these ministries are our volunteers. The church does not exist without its volunteers. We have over 85 people serving on teams from worship to kids to making coffee. We only thrive if our volunteer group is healthy and thriving. For this reason, we encourage volunteers not to over volunteer or burn themselves out by serving on too many teams or too often. Volunteers are the life of the church, and we strive to care for and encourage them however we can.

Atlanta Christian Church has partnered with different ministry organizations over the years. Rather than trying to reinvent a way to do what someone else is already doing well, we have an opportunity to equip them to be able to continue their work. Currently, we financially support two organizations. 

Lazarus supports those in Atlanta who are facing homelessness. Their approach is to engage with the community, offering ongoing long-term programs and services and helping with finding permanent housing. We partner with Lazarus in other ways by hosting collections for needed items such as hygiene kits and blankets and volunteering at events.

Pfamily Mission was founded in 2013 by the Pfaff family. Based in Haiti, Pfamily Mission works in the community to provide educational support and opportunities children would otherwise not have. They work to build stronger, healthier communities and support parents & families for a brighter future.

During the school year, we also have a twice a month Food Pantry for students at Georgia Tech. Many international students especially spend most of their funds on their education and housing and lack additional funds for food. By partnering with the STAR program at GT, we help support students who otherwise might not get to eat. Our food pantry is stocked by donations from our people and supplemented by designated church funds.

Atlanta Christian Church currently has one full-time pastor, one part-time pastor, and one part-time admin on staff. Our staff has always been more collaborative than hierarchical. Pastors and staff share responsibilities and work together to keep the church running and healthy. While we do have specific roles to fill, we are a small church with a small staff and appreciate the dynamics of working alongside one another. 

We also have a board of elders who the staff meet with every month. The elders' role is to help with decision making when needed, approve financial needs with larger sums, and support the staff however they can. Elders serve for 2-3 year terms.

Current Staff:

Lindsey Self - Associate Pastor

Ryan Snider - Community & Formations Pastor

Laura Kerby - Administrative Assistant

Current Elders:

Terna Ityokumbul

Kyle Marshall

Suzanne Nadell

Marla Smith