Christ Methodist Church stands on Poplar Avenue in east Memphis, a Global Methodist congregation known for offering both traditional worship with classic hymns and a Spirit-filled contemporary service under the same roof. The church draws a multigenerational crowd to its 4488 Poplar campus, where the Sanctuary and Seabrook Hall host back-to-back Sunday services, midweek discipleship groups, and a full calendar of children's, student, and adult ministries. Christ Methodist has invested nearly forty years in the surrounding city, with a particular emphasis on the Binghampton neighborhood, where the church has launched and supported a wide network of gospel-centered ministry partners.
Two Services, One Family: Sundays on Poplar Avenue
Sunday morning at Christ Methodist moves between two very different worship settings. The 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM Traditional Services take place in the Sanctuary and are grounded in Methodist liturgy, classic hymns, and expository teaching. Most attendees dress in business casual or semi-formal, but guests are warmly invited to come as they are. The 11:00 AM Contemporary Service fills Seabrook Hall with modern worship music, relevant preaching, and what the church describes as Spirit-filled liturgy. Casual dress is the norm. Communion is open to anyone who seeks a relationship with Jesus Christ, and services generally run about an hour.
Between services, from 9:45 to 10:45 AM, the campus shifts into Sunday School mode. Life-stage-based classes meet across the Wilson-Ross building and other locations, with parallel programming for nursery, preschool, elementary, students, and adults. Nursery and Preschool care is available at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00 AM, so children are welcome to stay for one hour or all three.
For those who cannot be in the room, the 8:30 AM Traditional Service and the 11:00 AM Contemporary Service are livestreamed online. A recorded archive of recent messages is available, and a weekly podcast carries the sermons through Buzzsprout. A digital bulletin and a weekly newsletter keep the rest of the congregation in step between Sundays.
Sunday School for Every Stage of Life
Christ Methodist takes the Sunday School hour seriously. Twenty-plus adult classes meet at 9:45 AM across the Wilson-Ross building, Rash Hall, the Dunnam building, and Wilson Chapel, with formats ranging from discussion-based to lecture-style. Young adults in their twenties gather in Wilson Ross 204 under Amber McMahen. Young married couples and parents of young children can choose Covenant, Coupled in Christ, Foundations, or the Empty Nester Class, while empty nesters in their forties through seventies find a dozen options including Servants, Cornerstone, Journey, Messengers, Crossroads, Genesis, and Timothy. Senior adults age sixty-five and above meet in classes called Amazing Grace, Lamplighters, Logos, and Seekers, with a Sonrise class open to all ages. A Women's Sunday School class meets in Dunnam 335 with Alane Miller and Laura Greenwell.
Children are not an afterthought. Nursery and Preschool care for children three months through pre-kindergarten is offered every Sunday morning at 8:30, 9:45, and 11:00. Elementary Sunday School meets from 9:45 to 10:45 on the third floor of the Wilson-Ross building, with check-in opening at 9:30. The check-in stations are designed for parents to drop off and pick up quickly, and the Family Ministry team describes its work as wanting every child to feel known, loved, and safe.
Wednesday Night Discipleship: A Weekly Rhythm
The middle of the week belongs to Wednesday Night Discipleship. From 5:00 to 5:45 PM the church gathers around tables in Seabrook Hall for a shared meal: a hot entrée and salad bar at a small per-person cost, with free pizza for children. At 6:00 PM the fellowship divides by age into discipleship groups. Adults move into small-group settings, elementary children go to Wednesday Night Kids, middle and high school students head to Refuge in the Rogers Center, and younger children are cared for in the nursery.
The fall semester, which runs from September through November, is built around a single curriculum that traces the biblical pattern of disciple-making. The first half of the series examines eight life-changing values that mark a disciple-making faith, from investing deeply in a few, to walking in obedience and the power of the Spirit, to raising up leaders who multiply. The second half brings that vision down to earth, showing that every believer, not just pastors or the spiritually elite, is equipped, positioned, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to make disciples right where they already are: in their homes, workplaces, and everyday relationships. Each week, a hot dinner menu is published in advance, and no registration is required for the meal itself.
Wednesday Night Kids runs alongside the adult groups for elementary-aged children. Refuge, the student ministry's Wednesday gathering, meets from 5:30 to 7:30 PM in the Rogers Center and is built around community, teaching, and worship aimed at teenagers.
A Global Methodist Identity
Christ Methodist is a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church, a denomination that emerged from the broader Methodist tradition and emphasizes scriptural holiness, connectional accountability, and the historic creeds. The church's Statement of Faith is drawn from the Holy Scriptures, the Nicene Creed, the Articles of Religion, and the Confession of Faith.
The statement opens by confessing one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, infinite in power, wisdom, justice, goodness, and love. The church confesses one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, through whom all things were created. It affirms that God reconciles the world to himself through the death of Christ upon the cross, that on the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures, and that because Jesus lives forever he has a permanent priesthood and is able to save completely those who come to God through him.
The Holy Spirit is confessed as the Lord, the giver of life, fully God, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and worshipped and glorified together with them. The Spirit leads to repentance, makes salvation possible, and works in the church by comforting, sustaining, and empowering the faithful. The Bible, Old and New Testaments, is received as the true rule and guide for salvation. The church is described as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, with baptism and the Lord's Supper as the two sacraments ordained by Christ. Salvation is understood as a present deliverance from sin and a restoration of the soul, grounded in God's grace rather than human merit. The statement closes with the hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
This theological identity shapes everything from the worship services to the missions strategy. The mission statement is short and direct: the church exists to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ among all peoples. The vision statement adds a description of how that is lived out: by the power of the Holy Spirit, the church aims to be a gospel-centered community that magnifies Jesus Christ while worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly in service to the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized.
Family Ministry: From Nursery to High School
The Family Ministry team, led by Family Ministry Pastor Brad Bogue, pours itself into the next generation. The team's stated desire is that every child would grow up to use their gifts and talents to point others to Christ. To that end, the children's wing of Christ Methodist offers much more than Sunday School.
Nursery and Preschool care for children from three months through pre-kindergarten is offered every Sunday morning. Alive! Children's Choir, for kindergarten through fifth grade, rehearses on Sunday mornings at 11:00 in Wilson Ross 313. Under the direction of Stacy Wilson and Rachel Brannen, the choir learns scripture, assists with worship during four services a year, sings at nursing homes, and performs a Christmas musical. Parents Day Out, a weekday program, runs during the school year and accepts children from three months through four years of age for one or two days per week, with a non-refundable registration fee and monthly tuition. The program fills up quickly because of high demand.
Baptism is offered at every age, including infants. Parents attend a Baptism Exploration class before an infant baptism, where they meet with ministers to review the meaning and significance of the sacrament. Infant baptisms are scheduled during worship on the third Sunday of the month, with the family choosing which service; adult baptisms are arranged after a period of at least one month of faithful participation in worship so the congregation has a chance to get to know the candidate. Baptism is performed by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.
For students in middle school and high school, Christ Methodist runs a full Student Ministry with its own directors and a robust weekly schedule. Sunday mornings include a 9:45 AM Sunday School gathering and a Sunday Night Bible Study from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. Wednesdays bring Refuge, the student ministry's flagship gathering, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. A three-year Confirmation process walks sixth through eighth graders through the basics of the Christian faith and the Wesleyan way, using Dr. Phil Tallon's two catechisms as core texts. Confirmation students are mentored by adult volunteers and high school juniors and seniors, and the church gathers to confirm eighth graders in March each year. Students stay connected through the cc901students Instagram and Facebook pages.
Women, Men, Young Adults, and Senior Adults
Christ Methodist builds ministry around the rhythms of real life. The Women's Ministry exists to make, mature, and mobilize women as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. The women's discipleship calendar is full: Sunday morning Women's Sunday School in Dunnam 335 studying Ephesians, Monday Morning Mamas for moms with nursery childcare provided, Friends in Faith and Truth Seekers Bible studies on Mondays, the Lydia and Caryline Circles that meet in homes on the first Monday or Tuesday of each month, WOW: Women of the Word on Tuesdays studying the Letters of John and 1 Corinthians, Wednesday Night Discipleship, Truth First on Thursday mornings, and a Precept Bible Study on Fridays. Women's ministry also organizes serve opportunities through One by One Ministries, Restore Corps Memphis, Life Choices, and a meal ministry for new and foster mothers.
The Men's Ministry follows a similar pattern. The weekly rhythm begins with the Men's Prayer Breakfast on Friday mornings from 6:45 to 8:00 AM in Seabrook Hall. A full breakfast is served and a short devotional and prayer time follow, with intercession at the heart of the gathering. On Wednesdays, Power Hour Lunch runs from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM with lunch and a Bible study built around feeding men both spiritually and physically.
Young adults in college, graduate school, and their twenties gather for the College and Career Sunday School class at 9:45 AM in Wilson Ross 204, led by Amber McMahen, the Director of College and Young Adults Ministries. The class welcomes single young professionals alongside students and is one of the most common entry points for newcomers in their twenties.
Senior adults are an unusually large part of the congregation. The church highlights that many of its members have faithfully served Christ Methodist for twenty-five to fifty-five years, and the Senior Adults ministry exists to honor and empower that continued investment. Senior Sunday School classes meet at 9:45 AM and include Amazing Grace, Lamplighters, Logos, PCS, and Seekers. A separate Salt ministry hosts seasonal gatherings for the broader senior adult community.
Discipleship Resources: A Church of One Book
Bible reading is a defining mark of discipleship at Christ Methodist, and the church offers a year-long Five-Day Bible Reading Plan that walks through the Old Testament in chronological order, the New Testament in seasonal gospels and epistles, and the Psalms devotionally across the year. The plan is intentionally flexible (five days of reading rather than seven) so participants can build in a day of rest, catch up on missed time, or use other devotional resources. It is also layered, so a new believer can read one stream while a seasoned Christian reads all three. The church's stated goal is to have every member engaged in daily Scripture reading.
For those who want a method to go with the reading, Christ Methodist promotes the MAPS Method, a four-part framework built around movement, attention, prayer, and Scripture, as a way to deepen engagement with the Bible and apply it to daily life. The church also publishes extensive practical articles on topics such as starting a fruitful new year, memorizing Scripture, what it means to fear the Lord, how to sabbath, and how to develop intimacy with God. Senior Pastor Paul Lawler is a frequent contributor, writing on the fear of the Lord and the battle with the fear of man.
Other formative resources include Wednesday Night Discipleship groups, the Confirm catechesis for students, Wesleyan Fellowship gatherings, and spiritual-gifts discovery through a SHAPE-based assessment that helps members identify how God has wired them for ministry. The church's stated five-year discipleship goals include getting 100% of the congregation into a small group and 100 members involved in intentional discipling relationships.
Care Ministries: Counseling, Weddings, Funerals, and Grief
Care Pastor Hal Hall leads a Care Ministries team that walks alongside members through the major moments of life. Pastoral counseling is offered free of charge by trained members of the Care Team; when longer-term or specialized care is needed, the team refers individuals to Christian counselors through Mosaic, the church's counseling referral network. Alane Miller, a licensed master social worker, serves as the Care Associate for Mental Health, and Rev. Ken Stewart assists as the Assistant Director of Care Ministries.
Christ Methodist hosts weddings in its Sanctuary (which seats 1,150) and Wilson Chapel (with a capacity of 275 to 300), both of which are reserved for members or close family of members. A wedding coordinator assists with all of the details, and a Prepare and Enrich pre-marital counseling program equips couples for their new life together. Funerals and memorial services are coordinated through Care Ministries, with pastors and music leaders committed to a worshipful and theologically sound service. A New Hope Grief Care support group runs seasonally and offers a scripturally based program for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
The Career Support ministry meets every Tuesday at 8:45 AM in the Lamppost Library. Free and open to anyone in the greater Memphis community, the group teaches resume strategy, networking, interviewing, marketing plans, and the all-important elevator pitch. The ministry has been featured in The Best Times and is run by volunteers from Christ Methodist. Newcomers are expected and welcomed without any commitment.
Local Mission: Binghampton and Beyond
Christ Methodist has prioritized local ministry in the Binghampton neighborhood for nearly forty years. The church's stated mission is shifting from a come-and-see model to a go-and-tell model, and the Binghampton network is one of the clearest expressions of that conviction. Members serve alongside a long list of ministry partners in categories that span human trafficking, homelessness, foster care and adoption, refugee resettlement, education, community development, families and youth, and motherhood.
One by One Ministries mentors pregnant and new mothers through one-on-one relationships, walking alongside moms from pregnancy through at least the child's first year. World Relief Memphis welcomes newly arrived refugees and provides housing, cultural orientation, ESL classes, job placement, and church and community engagement. The Refugee Empowerment Program offers cultural navigation, ESL classes, citizenship preparation, after-school programs for refugee youth, and evangelism and discipleship in partnership with refugee-led congregations. Global Friends Memphis welcomes international students, scholars, and faculty at the University of Memphis with monthly campus lunches, weekly Bible studies, and social dinners in American homes. The Memphis Cup of Nations, run in partnership with FCA-International, uses sports to lead coaches and athletes into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and has mobilized hundreds of college students in Tennessee toward global missions.
Closer to home, Sista2Sista provides a safe haven for women breaking free from addiction and prostitution, with street outreach, a drop-in center open Tuesdays through Thursdays, and temporary housing through Lotus House. Room in the Inn - Memphis shelters those experiencing homelessness in a congregational network and through a 24/7 Family Inn facility, and Jacob's Well provides Saturday worship services with meals, clothing, hygiene kits, and bus transportation for those living on the margins of Memphis. Memphis Family Connection Center offers Christ-centered clinical services for families impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences. Isaiah 117 House and Foster Village Memphis support children and families navigating foster care, while Eikon Ministries builds leaders from the inside out through Club Nathan, Team Eikon Basketball, and the Hope Literacy Project in Binghampton.
The educational partners include ARISE2Read, which provides one-to-one literacy tutoring across forty Memphis schools, Douglass Cornerstone, DeNeuville Learning Center for Women, the Capstone Education Group (including Cornerstone Elementary), Service Over Self for home repair and leadership development, Economic Opportunities (EcOp) for justice-impacted individuals, and the Binghampton Development Corporation, which addresses housing, economic development, and youth employment across the neighborhood.
Global Mission: From Memphis to the Nations
The missions strategy at Christ Methodist is built around three primary movements. Local serving in Binghampton anchors the work. Disaster relief and short-term mission trips extend care into specific crises. And church planting, especially in unreached areas of North Africa and Asia, is a stated five-year goal, with the church aiming to plant thirty new organic churches in those regions.
Members regularly go on mission trips to places like Mexico, Africa, and Asia, and Asia teams have shared the gospel in areas where new believers continue to multiply into the hundreds. The church also hosts Love Thy Neighbor churchwide serve Saturdays twice a year, mobilizing the entire faith family in support of local ministry partners. International partners include Global Friends Memphis, Cup of Nations, Sista2Sista, and others.
Missions Pastor Nathan Cook oversees the work, with Stephanie Powell leading missions mobilization. Natalie Allen serves as a Wesleyan Fellow, helping the church stay rooted in its Wesleyan heritage even as it reaches across cultures. A Wesleyan Fellowship gathers on campus to study the broader Methodist tradition.
Athletics and the Beaty/Averwater Fitness Center
Christ Methodist takes seriously the verse, May your spirit, soul, and body be well. The Beaty/Averwater Center for Fitness and Sports anchors a wellness ministry that includes two gymnasiums, a fully equipped strength and cardio studio, two yoga and Pilates studios, and a boxing studio dedicated in part to Rock Steady Boxing, a program for people with Parkinson's disease.
The center is open to the public. Members and guests can join for a yearly fee, and a robust class schedule includes Cardio/Strength, Tabata, Barre Blast, Yoga Stretch, Mat Pilates, Zumba, Senior Aerobics, and three levels of Tai Chi, including beginner and Parkinson's-specific classes. FIT FAB FUN, an inclusive fitness program for special-ability adults, meets on Wednesdays in partnership with Joy Life 901, and Buddy Ball offers inclusive baseball and softball for special-ability players in the fall and spring.
Christ Methodist Athletics runs Christ-centered youth leagues for Memphis-area children, with Christian values woven into coaching through motivation, discipline, honesty, and teamwork. Pickleball is offered on campus, and an annual Athletics Golf Tournament raises funds for the ministry. The athletics program is open to all Memphis-area youth and is not restricted to families of Christ Methodist.
Get Connected
Christ Methodist Church invites newcomers to begin with a Sunday visit. Parking is available in the church's designated lots, with guest parking in front along Poplar Avenue and overflow parking across Poplar Avenue at Oak Court Mall and across Grove Park Street at the Laurelwood Shopping Center. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and Sunday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Discover Christ Church classes are offered for those considering membership. Prayer requests can be submitted through the Prayer Team, and online giving is available for tithes, offerings, and pledges.
The church is active on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and sermons are available through the podcast feed for those who want to listen on the go.