Lithia Springs, Georgia, sits just west of Atlanta, and on Skyview Drive the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church has gathered families from across the West Atlanta area since 1986. The congregation is known for its Apostolic Pentecostal worship, multi-generational ministries, a Sanctuary Choir recognized nationally, and a steady pattern of growth that filled a new 1,200-seat sanctuary in late 2025.
From a Basement Meeting to a New Sanctuary
Atlanta West Pentecostal Church traces its roots to 1961, when it began as Northwest Pentecostal Church. The first congregation gathered in the basement of Myrl and Louise Harper's home. As the group grew, a building on Chestnut Street in Atlanta was purchased, and Billy Harper preached the first sermon in that new space with a message titled "Lord, It's All I've Got, but It's Yours." The story goes that this spirit of sacrifice set the tone for decades to come.
In the early seventies the church moved to property on Cooper Lake Road in Smyrna, where new ministries took root, including Cobb Christian Academy, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, a youth ministry, and a range of adult support groups. Home Bible studies carried evangelism outward into surrounding neighborhoods.
By the early eighties the congregation had outgrown the Smyrna campus, and members purchased twenty-seven wooded acres on Skyview Drive in Lithia Springs. Men worked long hours alongside their regular jobs, women provided meals and prayer support, and on Easter Sunday 1986 the newly named Atlanta West Pentecostal Church held its first service in a new 715-seat sanctuary. The Family Life Center followed in June 2002.
The next major chapter opened with the IMAGINE vision campaign, launched in 2023. Ground was broken on a new sanctuary in 2024, and the congregation gathered for its first service in the new 1,200-seat, 33,000-square-foot sanctuary in November 2025.
Pastor Darrell Johns
Reverend Darrell Johns became pastor in August 1995. Before moving to Atlanta he served as General Youth President of the United Pentecostal Church International, after earlier work as youth pastor and assistant pastor in Jackson, Mississippi, and as an instructor and administrator at Jackson College of Ministries. He was licensed with the UPCI in 1978 and served as District Superintendent of the Georgia District UPCI from 2013 to 2021. He was elected Assistant General Superintendent for the Eastern Zone of the UPCI in 2021.
He and his wife, Carol, have three sons - Ryan (married to Kinsie), Joel (married to Alonda), and Justin (married to Theresa) - and grandchildren. His stated goal is to develop leaders for the kingdom of God.
What Atlanta West Believes
Atlanta West is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church, International, and its teaching reflects the UPCI's doctrinal standard, which is centered on the Bible and the full salvation experience. The church holds the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the source of salvation and Christian living. The doctrinal foundation calls for repentance, water baptism by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
The church teaches one God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with Jesus Christ as God manifested in flesh. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice, and obedience to the gospel is described as repentance, water baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Christian living is marked by love for God and neighbor, a holy life, joyful worship, and a continuing expectation that the spiritual gifts, including healing, are for the church today. Atlanta West looks for the return of Jesus Christ, the final resurrection, and the final judgment.
Weekly Gatherings
Sunday at Atlanta West begins with the New Life Class at 9:00 am, followed by worship services at 10:00 am. A Spanish-language service is held at 4:15 pm, and the Welcome to the Family Class is offered for those interested in learning more. Wednesday nights include Bible Study and a Youth Service, both at 7:30 pm. The leaders describe the worship services as Apostolic Pentecostal, combining biblical preaching with demonstrative worship and an atmosphere that they describe as Apostolic power that changes lives.
Children, Youth, and Adults at Every Stage
Atlanta West organizes ministry by age group, and most groups maintain an active Facebook community.
- Ch.I.P.Z. (Children in the Power Zone): ages 4 to 9
- CrossOver: ages 10 to 11
- CROWD: ages 12 to 20
- Hyphen: ages 18 to 30
- Singles Ministry: up to age 54
- Young Families: up to age 40
- Prime Timers: ages 40 to 55
- J.O.Y. Group: ages 56 to 64
- Heritage: ages 65 and up
An annual background check is required for every volunteer who works with children.
Outreach Across Atlanta
HOPE Ministry is an Atlanta West outreach that meets every Saturday morning in downtown Atlanta to feed people in need and hold a worship service. The Nursing Home Ministry leads weekly Saturday services at a local nursing home. Prison Ministry offers weekly classes that include ACTS (Alcohol and Chemical Treatment Series) and anger management. Deaf Ministry provides interpretation for each service.
A Sanctuary Choir on a National Stage
The Sanctuary Choir sings in services weekly and has had a national profile. The choir was named "Best Church Choir in America" after winning the 2009 "How Sweet The Sound" competition sponsored by Verizon Wireless. Members have performed at the Dove Awards and the Stellar Awards and made appearances on Good Morning America and Fox & Friends.
Small Groups, Life Groups, and Personal Bible Study
Connection at Atlanta West happens through a layered set of programs. Small Groups are interest-based and run in three semesters: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Life Groups meet once a month on Wednesday nights in a breakout format and host multiple events throughout the year. Personal Bible studies pair interested people with trained leaders who meet at the visitor's convenience.
The Welcome to the Family Class is the entry point for those considering membership or volunteering. Those who complete that class, along with the New Life Class, the 201 Online Training Lessons, the 201 Spiritual Disciplines Class, the 201 Apostolic Identity Class, and who demonstrate three months of faithful attendance and giving with pastoral approval, are recognized as 201-level volunteers. A 301-level track gathers resources for established ministry leaders.
Move the Mission and Giving
Atlanta West supports the Move the Mission offering, the UPCI's youth-led fundraising effort that, since 1953, has raised more than $190 million for world missions, scholarships, children's homes, missions vehicles, and church buildings around the world. Giving within the church supports a general fund, world missions, AWPC ministries, and Spanish ministry, and a Christmas for Christ offering is taken each December. Tithe envelopes may also be mailed to PO Box 899, Lithia Springs, GA 30122.
Family Life Center and Other Resources
The Family Life Center on the Lithia Springs campus, completed in 2002, hosts ministry events and gatherings. Services are livestreamed online, audio sermons are available through a podcast, and a media library archives past messages. The Messenger, a monthly newsletter, keeps members informed of all that is happening at the church.
Atlanta West Pentecostal Church is an Apostolic Pentecostal family in Lithia Springs with a six-decade history, a nationally recognized choir, age-graded ministries from preschool through senior adults, weekly outreach in downtown Atlanta, a strong connection model through Small Groups and Life Groups, and a freshly opened sanctuary built on a campaign of faith.