Early in 1995 God began to birth a vision of planting a new church through the person of Charles D. Martin, who was then an Assistant Minister and Deacon at the Turner Road Church of Christ. Having received the blessings of the Elders of the church, Pastor Martin began to look for and pray about the area where God wanted this new plant to take root.

 

The south Atlanta area was selected and thirteen families were selected by the Holy Spirit to help form the new church. Holding its first worship service at the Comfort Inn in College Park, GA, the small congregation became a close-knit group who were learning to trust and depend on God.

 

Over the course of the first year, the church held services at the Comfort Inn, the Southlake United Artist Theater and later moved to the Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel. In December 1996 the church purchased its first property located on South Perimeter Highway. In April of 2001 God caused the church to sell its property to Hartsfield International Airport for the completion of the 5th runway. After this sale, the church located to its present facility on Bethsaida Road.

 

Over the course of the years the church went through many changes. Pastor Martin, who had been a lifelong member of the Church of Christ, began to challenge many of the established teachings of that denomination. He began to challenge the traditional teaching that only members of the Church of Christ would be saved. He taught that the blood of Jesus saved anyone who believed in Jesus as Lord; no matter what church they attended. Pastor Martin abandoned the notion that Communion could only be taken on Sundays.

 

Initially, the church membership shrunk. Many of the members at that time had come from other Church of Christ congregations and were alarmed at many of these teachings. But Pastor Martin, under the conviction of the Word and the Holy Spirit, persisted. The church began to grow in its understanding about the freedom of women to serve in teaching, praying and preaching ministries. The church hired its first musician in March 2003 when previously it held to the tradition of A Cappella singing only.

 

Having adopted so many distinctions from the Church of Christ, in October 2004 the church officially changed its name to Cornerstone Fellowship Church. This name reflects the church’s stance on Christ alone. Consequently, it recognizes all who are in fellowship with Christ without imposing divisions based on matters that don’t matter to God.

 

Ever continuing to march forward and press on toward the Father’s business, the church has a clear mission and purpose:

 

“Working together, we exist to transform the lives of people, one family at a time, through the love of Jesus Christ.”