A New Day Begins: Christ Methodist Turns 70
What started in a Memphis movie theater became something no one could have scripted. On June 22, Christ Methodist Church isn't just celebrating—it's stepping boldly into what's next.
Join Us for This Historic Day
The 70th Anniversary Worship Celebration is open to all. Whether you’ve been here since the movie theater days or are just finding your place at Christ Church, this is a moment to come together, celebrate God’s faithfulness, and look ahead with expectant hearts.
📍 Sunday, June 22
🕘 Sunday School at 9:00 AM
⛪ Worship at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary
🚫 Please note: There will be no 8:30 or 11:00 AM traditional services, and no 11:00 AM contemporary service that day.
A New Day Begins: Christ Church Celebrates 70 Years of Faithful Ministry
On Sunday, June 22, Christ Methodist Church will gather for one united worship service to celebrate a powerful milestone—70 years of God’s faithfulness in Memphis and beyond. The service will begin at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary, with Sunday School at 9:00 AM, and will bring together the entire church family in a joyful, Spirit-led moment of worship, remembrance, and vision.
At the heart of the service will be a vision-casting sermon by Senior Minister Rev. Paul Lawler, calling the church to embrace a New Day of discipleship, unity, and global mission. The celebration will include a special anthem written for the occasion, performed by the Chancel Choir, and will feature the rollout of Christ Church’s new branding and church-wide goals.
“Christ Methodist Church has a great legacy for the cause of Christ in Memphis and around the world,” says Rev. Lawler. “This is a significant milestone—and milestones should be celebrated together.”
But this is more than a celebration of the past. It’s a launching point for the future.
“I hope God’s people not only celebrate what God has done,” Lawler continues, “but also what God is doing now. Our new goals will propel us forward in faithfulness and mission for the glory of God.”
From a Movie Theater to a Movement
Christ Church’s story began humbly in 1955, when 600 charter members from various Memphis congregations launched a new church in response to the city’s growing suburbs. In its earliest days, worship took place in a local movie theater on Poplar Avenue, now home to a Japanese restaurant. It wasn’t long before the church secured land two miles down the road and broke ground on its permanent home at 4488 Poplar Avenue.
What followed was decades of steady growth, spiritual formation, and local and global mission. As the East Memphis community expanded, so did the church, building new facilities, classrooms, and sanctuaries to meet the needs of a flourishing congregation.
By the 1970s and 1980s, Christ Church had become a hub not just of worship but of Christian education, community outreach, and global witness. In 1958, the church founded Christ Methodist Day School (CMDS), which now serves more than 450 children and 110 infants and toddlers. The school remains one of Memphis’s premier Christian education institutions.
In the following decades, Christ Church helped launch or support transformative ministries in the Binghampton community, including Service Over Self (SOS) and the Binghampton Development Corporation (BDC). The church partnered with local schools and housing initiatives to serve a neighborhood often overlooked and underserved.
The church’s commitment to biblical fidelity, global missions, and deep-rooted community became defining marks of its ministry. Today, Christ Church actively supports outreach efforts across Memphis and internationally, including among unreached people groups like the Fulani in West and Central Africa.
With a current membership of more than 1,500, Christ Church offers three weekly worship services and continues to serve a multigenerational congregation with a passion for spiritual growth and outreach.
Standing on Strong Shoulders
As Rev. Lawler prepares to lead the church into its next season, he does so with deep respect for those who came before.
“I’m always aware that I’m standing on the shoulders of the great pastors and leaders who’ve served Christ Church,” he says. “But there’s a sense in which that’s true for all of us.”
Previous senior ministers—including Dr. Charles Grant, Dr. Harold Beaty, Dr. Maxie Dunnam, Dr. Bill Bouknight, Dr. Steve Dodson, and Dr. Shane Stanford—have each left an indelible mark on the life of the church. Under their leadership, Christ Church grew into a beacon of faith and mission in the Methodist movement.
Now, Lawler believes the church is ready for a new chapter—one grounded in prayer, mission, and unity.
“It’s a deep honor that I do not take for granted,” he reflects. “We are dependent on God’s grace, and through prayer and community, we are stepping into a New Day together.”