A BRIEF HISTORY

As churches go, we are still quite young. Our first Sunday service was held on February 1, 2004 in the once-popular Buckhead adult spot known as the Gold Club. Yes, that was us! But only for a short while. Later that year, we moved into the AMC Theaters at Phipps Mall for a two-year run of setting up on Sundays from 2004-2006. (This was way before they installed those nice reclining chairs.) Having paid our dues on those sticky theater floors, we moved into a closed-down church on Peachtree Road, just across the street from Lenox Square, where we held services from 2006-2016. In the winter of 2016, however, that property sold to a developer and once again, we packed up our things and moved, this time into The Terminus330 event space downtown. It was then that we changed our name from "Christian Church Buckhead" to "Atlanta Christian Church." During our three-year stay downtown (2016-2019), we set our sights on finally purchasing a space of our own. It was our desire to plant ourselves firmly in a neighborhood where we could not only hold Sunday services, but also house events and gatherings that would serve both our parish family and the surrounding community. In the spring of 2019 our hopes and prayers were realized when we purchased an old church building in the Midtown neighborhood of Home Park. 


AFFILIATION

Our roots are in the Christian Church / Churches of Christ tradition of the Stone-Campbell movement that began during the Second Great Awakening (1790-1840) in America. At the heart of the movement was the hope to find unity among all Christians regardless of denomination, and to live out a simple expression of the way of Jesus with a love and mercy for all people. You will find shadows of all the great church traditions here.

our faith & hope

Our faith and hope are described best in the creeds of the ancient church.


NICENE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made,  of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.


THE APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Parish Life

Like so many other churches, there are certain things we value and focus on. For us, those are community, spiritual formation, and the practice of service to those in need. 

  • As a church located in the middle of a busy, crowded, and transient city, being a place where people can build healthy friendships matters a great deal to us. You'll find lots of social events and gatherings here, along with more longterm and ongoing groups where friendships can grow and develop. 
  • Not surprisingly (we are a church after all!), we offer a number of learning environments where the focus is on spiritual inquiry and formation, such as short-term classes, workshops, dinner and lecture nights, book clubs, and more. 
  • Throughout the year we host a number of opportunities to serve in and around our local community, such our food pantry that serves Georgia Tech students experiencing food insecurities. We also host regular "Serve The City" days where you can jump on a team to serve alongside various organizations here in our local community. 

All Are Welcome

We acknowledge and affirm the image of God in persons of every race, ability, class, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. We are an open and affirming parish where all are welcome and everyone is invited to participate fully in the life and leadership of this congregation.

Staff & Leadership

Atlanta Christian Church has two full-time pastors on staff and a part-time administrative assistant. Alongside the pastoral staff, our church is overseen by a board of volunteers known as elders. They are: Garrett & Elizabeth Simmer; Suzanne Nadell; Kyle Marshall; Marla Smith; and Terna Ityokumbul.

  • Derek Sweatman, Lead Pastor

    circleemail   Email


    Derek has been the pastor of Atlanta Christian Church since 2007. Before that, he served as a youth pastor for 15 years in churches in Kentucky and Georgia. He holds Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Master of Arts in New Testament Studies and Research from Johnson University (Knoxville, TN), and was an adjunct in the Biblical Studies Department at Point University for 7 years. 

  • Lindsey Self, Associate Pastor

    circleemail  Email


    Lindsey has been on staff here since 2011 and has served as the Associate Pastor of Youth & Family since 2016. She was born in Nashville, TN and was raised in Roswell, GA. She holds a degree in Psychology from Georgia State University and taught special needs children in the public school system before joining the staff here at Atlanta Christian Church.

  • Ryan Snider, Community & Spiritual Formation

    circleemail  Email


    Ryan Snider joined the staff at Atlanta Christian Church in 2025. Previously, he was a pastor in the United Methodist Church for eight years in Western North Carolina and later served as a college chaplain for three years. In recent years, Ryan has continued to support young adults through initiatives in higher education. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy from LaGrange College, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.

  • Laura Kerby, Ministry Assistant

    circleemail  Email


    Laura Kerby has been part of the ACC community with her family since 2015 and joined the staff in January 2025 as Ministry Assistant. Originally from Illinois, she has called Atlanta home since moving here in 2013. A former high school teacher with a Masters degree in Educational Leadership & Community Development, Laura now gets her teaching fix by leading outdoor education adventures for learners of all ages at a local nature center.