A History of Four Corners Church

Four Corners Church (FCC) started in mid-2008 as a handful of Christian friends in their 20s meeting for Sunday morning worship in a private home in Newnan, Georgia.  From the outset, FCC was of the Reformed tradition and gospel-centered.  The pastor was Alex Early, a Georgia native freshly returned from a year in England where he completed a M.A. in Biblical Interpretation at the London School of Theology.  After only a few months of worship services in the “house church”, the facility could no longer accommodate all those wanting to attend.  In response, one of the attenders approached Pastor Alex with an offer he could not refuse -- use of a business storefront on the square in downtown Newnan, on Sunday mornings, at no charge!  The business facility was a tavern called “The Alamo” and in September 2008 the “church in the bar” was launched. The hallmarks of FCC were the worship of God and Christ-centered, expository preaching.  Within 18 months the church went from one to three services each Sunday morning.  Within three years, even with its rented office space next door and three services each Sunday, FCC had outgrown its facilities.

In January 2012, FCC relocated to a larger building at 18 Savannah Street, just three blocks off the square in Newnan.  Although relinquishing the moniker of the-church-in-the-bar, the new location provided more room to meet the needs of a growing church body.  Pastor Alex left FCC in mid-2012 in continuation of his “mission” as a church planter, and within several months, in January 2013, Christopher Hemmerich assumed the position of Teaching Pastor.  Pastor Christopher’s academic background included a M.Div. and M.A. in Religion at Liberty Theological Seminary, and he very ably continued the expository preaching of the gospel that was a staple at FCC.  In one of his more candid moments, Pastor Cristopher noted that FCC was the most theologically knowledgeable church he had ever seen, but also the least praying.  He subsequently worked to make FCC a congregation that was both knowledgeable and prayerful.

Pastor Christopher left FCC in late spring 2014 and was replaced by a series of guest preachers including Cameron Barham and the Administrative Pastor at the time, Tripp Almon.  After a careful pastoral search, the church called Lonnie D. Bell Jr., who had recently finished his Ph.D. in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh, to the position of Lead Preaching Pastor.  He accepted and began his ministry at FCC in June 2015.  Pastor Lonnie has a strong love and appreciation for the Scriptures and their transforming power, and that love and passion are evident in the depth and richness of his sermons.  The tradition of expository preaching that is centered on the person and work of Christ continued!  Pastor Lonnie and five other elders shepherd the congregation at FCC and do so with a prayerful determination to lead the church in a way that is biblically sound and honoring to our great God.

FCC outgrew its facility at 18 Savannah Street and subsequently held services at Madras Middle School from mid-2018 to mid-2019. The church began a new chapter in its history with the move to its current location at 1608 Hwy 29 North, Newnan, GA 30263.  The mission continues: Building on exposition, centering on Christ, dying (to self) in community, serving on mission.

Soli Deo Gloria!