A Marietta Congregation on Piedmont Road
Piedmont Road Church of Christ sits on a nine-acre campus at 1630 Piedmont Road in Marietta, Georgia, just north of Atlanta in Cobb County. The congregation that meets here draws members from across the Metro Atlanta area and welcomes visitors with what it describes as "open arms and loving hearts." It is a Church of Christ body in the Restoration tradition, and its worship and Bible study follow the pattern of the New Testament church.
Roots Back to 1847
The story of Piedmont Road stretches back nearly 180 years. Around 1847, David Dixon Barfield met the Restorationist preacher Barton W. Stone and, along with three other families, began meeting in homes as simply "Christians only." By 1850 they had built a small meeting house called Liberty Hill, with homemade benches and a pot-bellied stove in the center. That building was replaced by the Pleasant Grove church of Christ at Lower Roswell and Little Roads, where worship continued for roughly a century.
In 1939 the congregation purchased land on Roswell Street in Marietta and constructed a new building that was first used for worship on July 28, 1940. Twenty years later, in March 1957, the Olive Street property was acquired, and the Olive Street church of Christ began meeting there in August 1959. A three-story education wing followed in February 1973. By the mid-1980s the Olive Street site had run out of room, and in 1986 about nine acres were purchased from Lowell C. Ballard, a member of the congregation, on what was then a two-lane Piedmont Road. After meeting in J. J. Daniell Middle School from August 8, 1992, the church held its first service at the current location on May 22, 1994, where it has continued to grow since.
A Simple, A Cappella Worship Service
Sunday morning worship at Piedmont Road follows five New Testament acts of worship. Different men in the congregation lead the prayers (1 Timothy 2:1-8), the entire congregation sings together a cappella - without musical instruments, following the pattern of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 - and members take communion every Sunday, sharing unleavened bread and fruit of the vine in quiet reflection on Christ's death. A Bible-based sermon follows, lasting about 30 minutes, with the preaching minister preaching most Sundays and a guest speaker occasionally guiding the lesson. Members give weekly or monthly (1 Corinthians 16:2); guests are never asked or expected to contribute.
The full Sunday rhythm begins at 9:30 a.m. with Bible classes for all ages, continues with worship at 10:30 a.m., and includes evening services at 5:00 p.m. A mid-week Bible study fills the auditorium on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. with a short devotional followed by age-level classes that last about 45 minutes.
Piedmont Road Expedition and PR Kids
Children's ministry is a centerpiece of the congregation's life. Piedmont Road Expedition, the K through fifth-grade program, uses a rotation model that moves children through themed rooms each week. Studio 316 is the art room, where students paint, sculpt, and draw the lesson. The Game Room turns the Bible story into friendly competition. The Science Lab uses experiments and apologetics to bring lessons to life and also serves middle school, high school, and some adult classes. The Drama Room invites students to step into the sandals of Bible characters, while the Movie Room screens a story for discussion and recall. WPRC 1630, "Radio for the Soul," gives kids a chance to record discussions, share what they have learned, and broadcast from the church. The Marketplace, stocked with pencils, stickers, and small toys, rewards attendance, memory work, and bringing a visitor with "Piedy bucks" the children can spend or contribute.
PR Kids covers ages two through twelve and works hand-in-hand with parents through classes, events, and service projects throughout the year. The Kind Ministry reaches families dealing with autism and other special needs by providing a dedicated classroom and a podcasting network that equips parents and caregivers. Lessons Learned in class, Sharing Jesus, Evangelism, happenings at Piedmont Road, Autism Awareness, and more are aired through the church's WPRC 1630 platform.
Youth, College, and the Ladies Workshop
The Piedmont Road Youth Group gathers middle and high school students for Wednesday fellowship before Bible study, monthly family devotionals, weekend retreats, youth rallies, and week-long summer camps. Chuck Scarborough oversees college and young professionals ministry, and the church supports Spencer Hall's North Georgia College Ministry as part of its missions outreach.
On Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., the Ladies Workshop gathers women to sew and grow spiritually together. The group produces lap robes and walker bags for nursing home residents, tote bags for abused women's and children's shelters, turbans for cancer patients, teddy bears that firefighters and police officers can give to children in trauma, and corsages for baby and bridal showers. Devotionals and conversation knit the group together.
Prime-Timers and the Wider Congregation
Prime-Timers is the church's active seniors group. Members take an annual trek to the apple barns of North Georgia and visit places like the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. At Christmas they have donated stuffed toy bears to police departments and canned food to those in need; in other seasons they have collected good used winter coats, caps, and scarves for the needy.
Periodically the church hosts ladies-only and men-only Bible classes on books of the Old and New Testaments. Bible classes for nursery through adults run every Sunday morning and Wednesday night, and the church teaches that gathering for Bible study and encouragement in the middle of the week gives a "spiritual boost" for the days ahead (Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 5:16).
Hispanic Outreach and the ONE ? Campaign
A bilingual ministry reaches Spanish-speaking neighbors through Una Pregunta, a Sunday-evening series held in October at 5:00 p.m. The parallel English series, ONE ? Campaign, opens the floor to any question about God, with answers drawn directly from Scripture rather than public opinion. Both are offered in person at 1630 Piedmont Road and online.
Citadel Bible Institute
Piedmont Road is the home base of Citadel Bible Institute, a traditional day-school campus offering online and short-course programs, with affiliated campuses spread throughout Georgia and into Alabama. Each campus is overseen by the eldership of the host congregation. The institute works in association with the Georgia School of Preaching and Biblical Studies and shares a goal of unity and doctrinal faithfulness among congregations across the Southeast.
A Wide Web of Mission Work
The church supports an extensive list of mission efforts. Stateside, it partners with the North Georgia College Ministry (Spencer Hall), the Hiawsee, Georgia work led by Butch Jones, the Rabun County work led by McKinley Pate, the Open Door Ministry with Derek and Kasy Brown, Gospel Broadcasting Network, Apologetics Press, In Search of the Lord's Way, Churches of Christ Disaster Relief, and Ministry League. Abroad, the congregation backs Scott Ihle's Logos Answers, the work of Michael and Deborah Stock in the Philippines, and David Paher's work in Guyana. The Lads to Leaders program, coordinated by Eric Agurrie, trains young people in service and leadership.
Podcasts from the PR Studio
The PR Podcast Studio produces a regular lineup of shows. The HomeTeam video podcast airs every Monday at noon with a look at the week at Piedmont Road. Coffee Conversations with Les & Paul invites listeners to sit down over a virtual cup of coffee and ask Jesus questions, airing weekly on Spotify and Facebook. Edify, hosted by Jake Sutton and aimed at preachers, elders, deacons, and anyone who loves serving Christ, drops every Tuesday. Revelation Edition, hosted by Paul Spurlin and Les Sandifer, dives deep into the book of Revelation every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern on Facebook, Spotify, and the Ministry League app.
Visiting Piedmont Road
The church building sits on Piedmont Road with space for worship, parking, and a full range of activities. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the office can be reached at (770) 971-9933 or secretary@lifeinchrist.com. A weekly bulletin, calendar, and sermon archive are available online, services are livestreamed on YouTube, and giving is accepted online as well. Those who would like a member of the congregation to come by can use the Make A Visit request form; rides to services, prayer requests, and Bible study questions are welcome through the office. Visitors are greeted as guests - never asked to give - and many join in the singing while others prefer to listen.