Pastor Chris Haymore on Wesley Methodist Church and Global Methodism — Episode 98
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A Newton County Life Takes a New Turn
Chris Haymore has spent most of his life in Newton County. His father returned here to teach and coach when Chris was six months old, and Chris later built his own career in local education: teaching and coaching at Rutledge Academy and Eastside, serving as an administrator at Alcovy, and finishing as principal at Mansfield Elementary.
Now the longtime educator is taking on a different kind of leadership assignment. As pastor of Wesley Methodist Church of Covington, Haymore is helping plant a congregation, guide its worship and discipleship, and prepare for a permanent home of its own.
The transition is not as unrelated as it may look. Haymore says both roles begin with people: listening, treating others with respect, managing competing expectations, and accepting that leadership sometimes means disappointing someone. The schoolhouse and the sanctuary require different skills, but both call for patience, preparation, and genuine care.
A Walk-On’s Lesson in Preparation
Before the administrative offices and the pulpit, there was Sanford Stadium. Haymore walked on at the University of Georgia and practiced for two years under Vince Dooley. He is quick to downplay the resume line, but he still ran between the hedges in silver britches and shared the field with names such as Tim Worley, Keith Anderson, Rodney Hampton, and Bill Goldberg.
The lasting lesson came from scout-team work. Haymore watched how practices were organized, how drills were timed, and how coaches made limited time count. “It’s not about quantity. It’s about quality,” he says. That same instinct for preparation followed him into coaching, education, and now ministry.
What Makes Global Methodism Distinct?
Wesley Methodist is part of the Global Methodist Church, a newer denomination rooted in the historic Methodist tradition. Haymore describes it as holding a more conservative, traditional understanding of Scripture while retaining familiar Methodist doctrine and worship. The conversation is careful not to caricature the United Methodist Church or other Christian traditions; the goal is to explain what Wesley Methodist believes and how those convictions are practiced locally.
At the center is the Wesleyan understanding of grace. Haymore discusses prevenient grace - God at work before a person recognizes it - along with convincing, sanctifying, and glorifying grace. He also explains John Wesley’s emphasis on Christian perfection, not as flawless performance, but as a life being made perfect in love through the work of the Holy Spirit.
That emphasis moves faith beyond a single decision. Methodist discipleship historically involves formation, accountability, Scripture, prayer, and service. Haymore points to the small groups and “bands” associated with the Wesleyan tradition. At Wesley Methodist, that takes practical form through Disciple Bible Study, a Tuesday group that studied the Global Methodist catechism and planned to move into Acts, and a developing men’s Bible study centered simply on the Gospel of John.
Sacraments, Scripture, and the Shape of Worship
Wesley Methodist recognizes two sacraments: baptism and Holy Communion. The congregation baptizes infants as well as older believers, connecting the practice to covenant, the household baptisms described in Scripture, and the belief that God’s grace is already at work. Communion is ordinarily celebrated monthly, even though Haymore notes that John Wesley encouraged Christians to receive it frequently.
Sunday worship follows a recognizable Methodist rhythm: a call to worship, prayer, hymns, the Apostles’ Creed, pastoral prayer, Scripture, preaching, offering, and a closing hymn. The music is blended, with traditional Methodist hymns joined by soloists, an ensemble, piano, and guitar. Haymore often begins with the lectionary, which places Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings before the church across a three-year cycle. He does not follow it mechanically, but appreciates that it “forces you to do the hard ones” instead of allowing a preacher to remain only with favorite passages.
A Sweet Spirit in a School Gym
For now, the congregation worships in the gym at Peachtree Academy. Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m., and worship begins at 11. Visitors are met at the door, people gather and talk, chairs fill the gym floor, and a loyal “peanut gallery” claims the bleachers in back.
Haymore describes the atmosphere with a phrase the congregation uses often: “There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place.” That warmth is more important than a dress code. Some worshipers wear coats and ties; others come in shorts. Haymore’s priority is straightforward: “I just want to get them in there.”
Children’s and youth ministry are also part of the church’s developing life. In the episode, Haymore discusses bringing Champ Young - an Eastside High School assistant principal and athletic director - into youth leadership, joining two familiar Newton County worlds: church, school, and coaching.
A Church Building Written With Scripture
Wesley Methodist is also constructing a permanent home on roughly 30 acres purchased from the Callaway family. Haymore describes a 10,000-square-foot building with a 300-seat sanctuary, a steeple, stone and exposed wood details, an altar, a raised pulpit, a communion rail, and a kneeling bench. The property also includes a pond and an old cabin that the congregation hopes to put to use.
Before the walls closed, members wrote Scripture passages and prayers on the building’s beams. Leaders even carried a smaller beam to members who could not attend, giving them the opportunity to add their own words. The symbolism is hard to miss: the new church is literally being built around Scripture and prayer.
At the time of recording, the congregation hoped to be in the building by Christmas, while acknowledging the uncertainty that accompanies any construction schedule. Until then, the church is already doing what Haymore believes a church should do: growing as a family, serving its neighbors, making disciples, and working to further God’s kingdom.
Why This Conversation Matters
The Faith and Community series is not an exercise in ranking denominations. It is an invitation to understand the convictions, practices, and people behind the church signs scattered across Newton County. In this episode, Global Methodism becomes less of an institutional headline and more of a lived local expression: grace that transforms, discipleship with accountability, worship rooted in Scripture and sacrament, and a church family making room for newcomers - even if they arrive at 11:05 and head straight for the bleachers.
Links Mentioned
· Wesley Methodist Church of Covington
· Global Methodist Church beliefs and governance
· Catechism for the Global Methodist Church
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