Paul Lawler is a husband, father, teacher, pastor, and church planter.  He began serving as the Senior Pastor of Christ Church Birmingham in June of 2007.  Prior to serving Christ Church, Paul was the founding Pastor of a church plant he served for 16 years in Huntsville, Alabama.  He often speaks at conferences and events and has taught in locations ranging from Ocean Grove Camp in New Jersey to the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville to Dave Ramsey’s employees at Ramsey Solutions.  He is a graduate of Asbury University, and Asbury Theological Seminary.  He has led local churches to engage in planting hundreds of new churches on four different continents.  Paul and his brother, Dallas businessman, Patrick Lawler, worked with the Compassionate Hope Foundation  in founding and establishing two Patricia B. Hammonds Homes of Hope for orphans in Thailand. He is also President of the North Alabama Wesleyan Covenant Association.  Paul and Missy have four children and one daughter in law.  As an ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church, UMs in North Alabama honored Paul by awarding him the Denman Evangelism Award for his servant-leadership in reaching new people for Jesus Christ.  In his spare time, he enjoys family time, hiking, writing, reading, and a well brewed cup of coffee.