Atlanta Community Ministries History
“Out of our Seats and into the Streets”
This exemplifies ACM. From our beginning in 1996, we have sought to help ordinary people to serve our community outside the four walls of churches, using their gifts, talents, abilities and interests. ACM was birthed and nurtured at Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church.
Called by the church in the summer of 1995, long time member Dan Hayes left the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ on which he had served for more than 27 years. His mission, in the words of then Senior Pastor Jim Denison, was “to establish needs-based ministries to unbelievers in our city that will minister to those needs and help lead them to Christ. Dan will move our church into our Jerusalem, helping us take Christ to our community with strategic significance.”
In the first three years, ACM developed 12 volunteer-led ministries, such as Creative Hearts, an arts program to at-risk children which partnered with the High Museum and the Center for Puppetry Arts. Also developed were an initiative to young professional women (Grace and Truth), a ministry to at-risk youth (Lynwood Park Ministries), and others. A major step forward occurred in 1999, when ACM formed a Board and incorporated, hired additional staff and expanded its services. Still housed at Second-Ponce de Leon, ACM established a multifaceted initiative to the Latino community (ACM New Hope), which included computer training, an after school program, ESL, and childcare provider training. By early 2002, ACM had over 20 volunteer-led ministries.
By its sixth anniversary, ACM was ready to “fly on its own” and became a free-standing organization headquartered at Piedmont Center. That year it added an initiative to help churches do externally focused ministries of their own which led in 2005 to becoming the Founding Partner of Buckhead Church’s Intersect Project, which now mobilizes thousands of their members and regular attendees into ministry every year. ACM has assisted many other partner churches with projects as well.
In 2008, ACM accomplished a major milestone in touching its 250,000th Atlantan with the love of Christ since ACM’s founding.
The success of ACM in helping committed lay people do service and ministry around their gifts, talents and abilities relies on the commitment of our staff and dedicated volunteers, and an expanding base of generous ministry partners. Each year we serve more than 30,000 Atlantans, meeting their human and spiritual needs. We believe the best lies before us and invite you to join us in this great adventure.
