A Loving, diverse family striving to reach Heaven.
Lithia Springs is a friendly congregation. We are very diverse, with members from all around the world. Lithia Springs strives to be a reflection of scripture in the fact that God’s church is for all people. Lithia Springs is a congregation of imperfect Christians serving a perfect Savior. The Churches of Christ are places where diversified-people of all races and nationalities worship and work together as God’s children (Acts 10:34-35). Our goal at Lithia Springs is to be pleasing to God, glorify Him daily, and obey Him in all that we do. Our focus is following God for the best life here on earth and throughout eternity as well. Because we live in a world with thousands of religious organizations and here at Lithia Springs, we strive to be Christians. We would love to have you visit with us and talk more with you about the work of Lithia Springs.
Our History
Charles Thompson and the Cordova Church of Christ in Cordova, Alabama started the Lithia Springs congregation in 1972. The Cordova elders saw a need for another congregation in Douglas county and provided Brother Thompson’s salary to begin his work. At the time, the county had a population of 36,000 and only one other congregation, located in the city of Douglasville.
The first service was held July 9, 1972 in the home of Brother Thompson, with about 20 adults and 25 children in attendance. Not long after, a house was purchased by 2 men in the congregation and this was used for about 1½ years as a meeting place for the church.
Later, the house and lot were used as a down payment for the piece of property that the church building sits on today. In 1974, a metal building was constructed on the property. Work on the inside was done by men of the congregation with building materials donated by the members and fellow congregations.
A vital part of “Feeding the Flock” and also evangelizing to the community has been men preaching the gospel here at Lithia Springs. Charles Thompson was the first gospel preacher here. Others to follow him in no particular order: Lucky Riley, Tom Alexander, Winfred Russell, Mansel Carpenter, Boyd Cribb, James Jones, Marvin Moores, R.W. (Roger) Davis, James Woodall, Stephen Law, Larry Acuff and our current minister Jonathan Jenkins
The Lithia Springs congregation has always been an evangelistic church both in foreign mission work and domestic outreach. We support Robert Martin in the Pacific Islands; Brett Rutherford in Tasmania and Graham McDonald in Scotland. Additionally, we are the sponsoring congregation for Mitchell Rutherford in Tasmania. We have our “Bucks for Bibles” program that helps the Gootam family in India buy bibles to distribute to the community. Domestically, we support the church in Darien, GA and in Rabun County, GA.
Over the years, many changes have been made to the building here at 7223 South Sweetwater Road. In 2002 the congregation saw a need to add an addition to the building. A fellowship hall was erected with new restrooms and an expanded foyer. In 2011, the new auditorium was built, with the first service being held in June of that year. The fellowship hall was turned into classrooms with work being done by the Sojourners. Not long after that, the old auditorium and old classrooms were turned into the fellowship hall.
The Lithia Springs Church of Christ exists today and will continue to carry out the Great Commission because of people like you, those of the past and current members, who have a love for the Lord. It is our prayer that this congregation will continue to remain faithful to teaching the Bible.
What To Expect in Worship
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”. John 4:24
We want our worship to be pleasing to God first and foremost. That is why we look to the Bible and the example of the early Christians to see what they did. When you gather with us at Lithia Springs on any Sunday, this is what you will see. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Singing
At Lithia Springs, we take our worship very seriously. We desire to sing praises to our almighty Father using the voices God has given us. (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12) If you are visiting with us and are not familiar with the songs that we are singing don’t be embarrassed. The words and music will be projected on our screen and there is a song book in the back of the pew in front of you.
Praying
There are countless reasons for us to be thankful for Jesus’ sacrifice and death on the cross. One reason is that prayer allows us to communicate freely with our God. We believe that prayer is extremely important to keep ourselves focused and aligned with God and His will. We believe in the power of prayer and we often pray for specific desires, needs, and for our country.
Preaching
Our God inspired His scriptures for a reason: so that we might learn from them. Every Sunday a Biblically-grounded sermon will be given, and each lesson will be founded in Scripture while its preparation will have been saturated with prayer the week before.
Invitation – While it is not our goal to manipulate you or guilt you into making any decisions, as Christians, we are called to share the Good News with everyone, and it is our desire for you to join the Body of Christ. Because of this desire, there will be an invitation to align yourself with Christ in baptism after the sermon is over. This time, however, is more than just a time for baptisms. If someone does come forward to be baptized, they will be baptized by immersion for the forgiveness of their sins according to the scriptures (Acts 2:38, 8:35-39; Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). Most importantly, this is not a time to feel pressured. You will by no means be expected to come forward or to identify yourself in any way that makes you uncomfortable. At this time we also invite members to come forward with anything that they may be struggling with and are in need of prayer.
Lord's Supper
It is our desire to never forget the sacrifice Jesus made for us and by which we are saved. Based on the teachings of the New Testament and the example of Jesus Christ, we partake in communion every Sunday in remembrance of that sacrifice.
The Bread – A short devotional will be offered by a member of our congregation, reminding us of the importance of Christ’s sacrifice, followed by a prayer and the eating of the unleavened bread, symbolizing the body of Christ, offered on the cross for our sins. As each participating individual eats the bread, they do so in obedience to Jesus’ words, “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).
The Cup – After a few more comments, a prayer will be offered for the cup, which symbolizes the blood of Christ. Each participating individual will take their cup and drink it, remembering Jesus’ words, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).
Examining Ourselves – We encourage baptized believers to partake in communion every Sunday. Joining with us around the Lord’s table is a confession of one’s faith, and each person should examine themselves before partaking, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30). If one is not in the right state of mind, they should feel free not to participate.
Giving/offering
As a guest, we do not ask you to give any money at all. But there will be a time in our service when our members will be encouraged to give in the collection plate that will be passed around or online. A prayer will be offered for the ministries we are supporting. We know that nothing is achieved without the grace of God, and that our resources have come from Him. Knowing this, it is our desire to glorify Him with our gifts, as seen in the model of 1 Corinthians 16. Again, there is no pressure for our guests to participate.