Wayne Hamrick elected chairman of LifeWay trustees

Kent Harville

When Wayne Hamrick began his ministry at Atco Baptist in Cartersville in 1996, the church averaged 150 in Sunday School. Now the church is reaching almost 400 in Bible Study each week.

NASHVILLE – Wayne Hamrick, pastor of Cartersville’s Atco Church, was elected as chairman of the board of trustees for LifeWay Christian Resources on Feb. 9.

LifeWay President Jimmy Draper said, “Wayne has served well as a trustee for 6 years and I am pleased with his election. I have a lot of confidence in his ability to lead us in the significant days that lie ahead.”

Hamrick has served LifeWay as a member of the Nominating Committee for three years, one as chairman. He has also served for three years on the Corporate Affairs Committee.

The Atco pastor has also provided able leadership for Georgia Baptists, serving for three years as chairman of the Administration Committee and presently holding the position of vice chairman of the Executive Committee.

Hamrick’s election to the LifeWay (formerly the Baptist Sunday School Board) position is fitting because throughout his ministry he has demonstrated an ability to grow churches through Sunday School. The Sunday School Challenger for the first quarter of 2004 listed Atco as one of 37 GBC churches to have had consistent growth in average Sunday School attendance for the past five years.

When Hamrick started his ministry at Atco in 1996 the church was averaging about 150 in Sunday School. The church is now reaching almost 400 in Bible Study each week and have had as many as 962 on a high attendance day.

Hamrick, a native of Bremen, is married to the former Joan King of Waco, who has served as his secretary for thirty-two years.

Mary Cox, LifeWay trustee and wife of pastor Frank Cox of North Metro Church, Lawrenceville, expressed her delight in Hamrick’s election by saying, “Wayne has a heart of gold. He is such a caring man and his heart is in LifeWay and what they are seeking to accomplish. He is very well respected by his fellow trustees and will give this responsibility his very best. People love him.”