Paul Lawler

Mississippi-West Tennessee

Nominated by:

Mississippi-West Tennessee

Paul Lawler is the Senior Pastor of Christ Methodist Church Memphis, where he leads with a deep passion for evangelism, discipleship, and the renewal of the church’s mission. Prior to coming to Memphis, Paul served for fifteen years as the Senior Pastor of Christ Church Birmingham. Under his leadership, the church became a catalyst for planting hundreds of new churches and seeing tens of thousands of people come to faith in Jesus Christ. His heart for spreading the Gospel is courageous and contagious, and he is committed to helping believers reclaim a missional mindset.A recognized voice in the Methodist movement, Paul has been instrumental in guiding Christ Methodist Church through its transition to the Global Methodist Church. His vision includes reigniting a passion for evangelism, revitalizing the church’s role in reaching the lost, intentional discipleship, church planting, reaching unreached people groups, and ministry to the marginalized. He is the co-founder of the Patricia B. Hammonds Homes of Hope, providing a way out for children who have been exploited through human trafficking, or are vulnerable to being trafficked. He is a contributing author of two books: “She is Safe”, featuring stories of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has transformed victims of human trafficking, and “Reconstructing Methodism.” Paul currently serves on the Connectional Council, as Vice-Chair of Kingdom Advancement, and on the Strategic Planning Task Force of the GMC. On a local level, he serves on the Conference Connectional Council and will lead the Mississippi West Tennessee Delegation to General Conference in Johannesburg. Beyond ministry, Paul treasures time with his wife, Missy, and their four young adult children, in-laws and grandchildren. They share a love for serving God’s kingdom and a desire to see His glory proclaimed among the nations, particularly among unreached and unengaged people groups.