Mega-ministry Hillsong launches Hillsong Atlanta with first-ever African American lead pastor Sam Collier
Lead Pastor Sam Collier Paving a New Way for Churches to Reach Broader Audiences
(MEMPHIS, TN)-May 28, 2021 — Hillsong Atlanta launches after several months of successful worship events that have drawn 2,200 in-person attendance and more than 30,000 people online, setting the church up for a major launch weekend on June 6 at the Atlanta Events Center with special guests and Hillsong Global Senior Pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston.
Artists like Lecrae, Mack Brock, Natalie Grant, Andy Mineo, Todd Galberth, Chante Cann and more have been part of the widely popular pre-launch worship nights, setting the tone for the diverse world-class worship music that will be a hallmark of Hillsong Atlanta. In fact, diversity and multiculturalism is at the heart of Hillsong Atlanta in every way.
“I’m excited to see what a Church like ours could become in a city like Atlanta”, says Lead Pastor Sam Collier. “The soil has revolutionary and liberating energy within it. We believe that CCM and Gospel, Pop and Hip Hop can effectively co-exist on a Sunday Morning, just like brothers and sisters who don’t look alike can effectively worship together. Jesus has the ability to unite us even in different expressions of the same message.”
Lead Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta Sam Collier is partnering with Facebook and the online website Lightworkers to augment and transcend the traditional church model. After a year of virtual services as a stopgap method for some churches, Collier’s embrace of a simultaneous fully digital and fully physical approach, with major outside partnerships, is a first.
Facebook and Collier are co-discovering how to launch a robust online church, which will pave the way for churches in the future to reach a broader audience while still meeting the in-person attendees’ needs.
“It’s unbelievable to think that an organization as large as Facebook has agreed to help shape what the future of the digital Church could be, with a new yet prayerfully innovative family like us,” said Collier. “Facebook has lent its development team to Hillsong Atlanta and together we are working on tools that will one day be able to help all churches.”
The launch on Sunday, June 6 for Hillsong Atlanta is both in-person and virtual during all three services at 9:15am, 11:15am and 6:00pm EST. Masks are required for in-person attendance and the venue will be set up for social distancing.
Lightworkers is also set to stream the services, further underscoring Hillsong Atlanta’s digital commitment. Currently, Lighworkers reaches over 20 million people monthly.
ABOUT SAM COLLIER
Sam Collier is the Lead Pastor of Hillsong Atlanta. He is also the founder of A Greater Story Ministries which houses a nationally televised interview series and podcast called “A Greater Story with Sam Collier” as well as a partnership with Baker Publishing which recently released his first book entitled, A Greater Story. Collier also spends much of his time with leaders such as Dr. Bernice King, Reggie Joiner, Andy Stanley, and Nona Jones at Facebook to name a few, discussing the current issues of the day for the sake of pioneering a new World. He lives with his wife, Toni, and their daughter in Atlanta, Georgia.
ABOUT HILLSONG ATLANTA
Hillsong Atlanta is a multicultural Church based in the birthplace of Civil Rights in America, Atlanta, GA. We are focused on apologetics, spirit-filled and charismatic in expression. All Hillsong Churches exist to reach and influence the world by building a large Christ-centered, Bible-based gathering, changing mindsets and empowering people to lead and impact in every sphere of life.
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G.H. 05.28.2021
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