It was just two days before Christmas, and a group of church members planned to gather at 8:15 that Sunday. The air was filled with a sense of excitement— a Holy presence that kept the church members warm in the cold. Yes, they had been faithful servants to the Lord— doing His will, witnessing, and spreading God’s Love— and for this He was pouring out His blessings on His sheep. This elation didn’t escape the Pastor of the church—O.C. Jones Sr. was equally filled with joy and with good reason. Although he was a humble man, he couldn’t help but feel delighted by what New Hope Missionary Baptist Church had accomplished in such a short amount of time.
In 1984, just six years before, the church was nothing more than a Prayer Band— a group of people coming together to pray and worship God. Pastor Jones was in constant prayer with God about the direction of his life, and in September he had been moved, inspired to embark on a mission—changing New Hope Prayer Band into New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He was sure God was directing him. There was no room for doubt or fear in his mind. This task was like no other—it was of a higher order.
Pastor Jones and his family were granted a release from their church to begin organizing New Hope. A Resolution document was drawn up and signed by the Missionary Baptists Churches’ Council that listed the seven charter members of the church. With this Resolution document the seven had gone from being a prayer band to an official church:
…Be it known among the saints of God that this assembly shall be known and called by the name of, “New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.” Which (is) was duly organized in the city of Radcliff, Kentucky this second day of November A.D. in the year of our Lord, Nineteen-hundred and Eighty four.
Indeed Pastor Jones had much to be delighted about.
The cloudy winter morning didn’t dampen the mood of the 20 church members as the brisk cold air enveloped them. They smiled and were filled with happiness as they trekked along the road bundled up in their warmest winter gear. This was not only the Sabbath Day, but a day to give extra thanks to God for allowing New Hope to prosper. As the members marched excitedly down Lincoln Trail Boulevard holding hands, singing hymns, praying and praising God for His many blessings, they kept their destination clearly in sight.
The one hour march, some 2.5 miles, would lead the congregation right to1591 Hill Street, the site of their new church building. They had trusted in the Lord and leaned on him and within six years, the congregation had grown from seven to about 200 members. As they marched in the cold of that December morning, the atmosphere was one of hope, excitement, joy, and accomplishment. Even though the sun was masked by the clouds, the light of Jesus Christ shone through.
We’ve come this far by faith. Leaning on the Lord…
Almost nineteen years later, Pastor Jones sits comfortably on his chocolate brown micro suede sofa with a remote in his hand. A beige bandage covers part of his right hand hiding the stitches from the labor of mounting his new flat screen television above the electric fireplace. His black hair shows just a few sprinkles of gray and his nicely kempt salt and pepper moustache and dark framed stylish glasses conceal his 65 years of life. It’s been almost two decades since the church marched to their new sanctuary and nearly 25 since the church was organized. He taps the remote lightly on his leg as he remembers the day he and members of his congregation marched to the church.
“It was a cold morning but we saw in it the move of God and how He had blessed us and brought us in a period of six years. We moved into that church by faith.
It was a joyous time— we sang old hymns and we were singing and praying as we went.
When we arrived on the steps of the new church we asked that God would bless us and that His will would be done in the ministry of that church, and then we went inside and we had our first service in the church. I remember preaching about having God in the midst of us and blessing us.”
Who would have thought a small church such as New Hope would grow so rapidly? The church is nestled right on the edge of town where Radcliff and the military base of Ft. Knox intersect. Pastor Jones knew from his experience and time in the military that many only stay in an area for a short while, on average four years. With the unpredictable life and constant change of schedule and duty station of soldiers and their families how could the church prosper and build up its membership? With the majority of the congregation being military there were plenty of naysayers regarding the prosperity of the church, but Pastor Jones didn’t have to wonder or worry; he knew God had a plan and it wasn’t by luck or coincidence New Hope had risen so quickly—it was God’s will.
Trusting in his holy word, He’s never failed me yet…
In 1989, a year before the march to Hill Street would take place, the congregation, which had been meeting in a small, old, white, cobblestone building, decided to purchase property to build the new sanctuary. The building committee scoured the area and settled on five sites, finally deciding to purchase the property on Hill Street—very true to its name. The nearly four acres of land sit atop a small hill surrounded mostly by trees and dirt. An apartment complex and trailer park neighbors the church, and across the street is a small housing area. The land was purchased on July 6, 1989, and the blueprints for the building were submitted to the Kentucky Department of Building Codes in November.
As the construction for the new church was underway, Pastor Jones visited the land in anticipation of one day soon being able to worship there.
“We used to walk the land and sometimes sit and watch as they built it,” Pastor Jones remembers, his deep rolling voice that always seems as if he’s in deep thought is filled with sparkle as he relives those times in his mind.
The new church, once completed, would be a 6,000 square foot brown three-level brick building complete with a basement which would later serve as the church fellowship hall and a balcony to accommodate the overflow of Sunday morning saints. The new sanctuary could accommodate over 400 worshippers, a far cry from the three-room cobblestone building where the congregation had been worshipping.
He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait for the new sanctuary. Sis Juanita Marshall, the church secretary and former member of New Hope, remembers as if it were yesterday walking the empty land before the church was built. “It was so much excitement. You know, we used to come everyday? Rev. Marshall and I we used to come around here everyday just looking at this barren land and saying one day our church is going to be there.”
And on December 23, 1990, it was. When Pastor Jones and his congregation entered into the warmth of their new sanctuary to praise God, he took as his topic Luke 2:6-7, “Is there room for the Redeemer?” He preached a heartfelt sermon, his voice echoing throughout the freshly painted walls of the sanctuary. With Christmas just around the corner, this message had a two-fold meaning; during the festive holiday season, had they made room for Him in their lives? Was there room in their new edifice for the Redeemer?
Indeed there was plenty of room for the Redeemer in their lives during Christmas and in the new church. This was evident in the continuous and rapid growth of membership. Within two years of moving to the new building, New Hope had 800 members.
Pastor Jones smiles with his eyes and his face is filled with contentment as he remembers just how quickly New Hope grew.
Although the fickle nature of a military community has reduced the once overflowing congregation to 450, Pastor Jones knows that if he continues to trust and follow God New Hope will continue to help in saving souls for Christ.
He stops tapping the remote control, leans his head back slightly, and appears to be in deep thought. His deep rolling voice echoes softly as he begins to speak.
“It’s quite humbling to know that God would use me in his work. I have no church. I simply yield myself to the Lord and am at His disposal. Now, I remain humble because God could have chosen anyone to do what I’m doing. But he didn’t—he chose me, and for this I’m grateful.”
Oh, can’t turn around, we’ve come this far by faith.
In 1984, just six years before, the church was nothing more than a Prayer Band— a group of people coming together to pray and worship God. Pastor Jones was in constant prayer with God about the direction of his life, and in September he had been moved, inspired to embark on a mission—changing New Hope Prayer Band into New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He was sure God was directing him. There was no room for doubt or fear in his mind. This task was like no other—it was of a higher order.
Pastor Jones and his family were granted a release from their church to begin organizing New Hope. A Resolution document was drawn up and signed by the Missionary Baptists Churches’ Council that listed the seven charter members of the church. With this Resolution document the seven had gone from being a prayer band to an official church:
…Be it known among the saints of God that this assembly shall be known and called by the name of, “New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.” Which (is) was duly organized in the city of Radcliff, Kentucky this second day of November A.D. in the year of our Lord, Nineteen-hundred and Eighty four.
Indeed Pastor Jones had much to be delighted about.
The cloudy winter morning didn’t dampen the mood of the 20 church members as the brisk cold air enveloped them. They smiled and were filled with happiness as they trekked along the road bundled up in their warmest winter gear. This was not only the Sabbath Day, but a day to give extra thanks to God for allowing New Hope to prosper. As the members marched excitedly down Lincoln Trail Boulevard holding hands, singing hymns, praying and praising God for His many blessings, they kept their destination clearly in sight.
The one hour march, some 2.5 miles, would lead the congregation right to1591 Hill Street, the site of their new church building. They had trusted in the Lord and leaned on him and within six years, the congregation had grown from seven to about 200 members. As they marched in the cold of that December morning, the atmosphere was one of hope, excitement, joy, and accomplishment. Even though the sun was masked by the clouds, the light of Jesus Christ shone through.
We’ve come this far by faith. Leaning on the Lord…
Almost nineteen years later, Pastor Jones sits comfortably on his chocolate brown micro suede sofa with a remote in his hand. A beige bandage covers part of his right hand hiding the stitches from the labor of mounting his new flat screen television above the electric fireplace. His black hair shows just a few sprinkles of gray and his nicely kempt salt and pepper moustache and dark framed stylish glasses conceal his 65 years of life. It’s been almost two decades since the church marched to their new sanctuary and nearly 25 since the church was organized. He taps the remote lightly on his leg as he remembers the day he and members of his congregation marched to the church.
“It was a cold morning but we saw in it the move of God and how He had blessed us and brought us in a period of six years. We moved into that church by faith.
It was a joyous time— we sang old hymns and we were singing and praying as we went.
When we arrived on the steps of the new church we asked that God would bless us and that His will would be done in the ministry of that church, and then we went inside and we had our first service in the church. I remember preaching about having God in the midst of us and blessing us.”
Who would have thought a small church such as New Hope would grow so rapidly? The church is nestled right on the edge of town where Radcliff and the military base of Ft. Knox intersect. Pastor Jones knew from his experience and time in the military that many only stay in an area for a short while, on average four years. With the unpredictable life and constant change of schedule and duty station of soldiers and their families how could the church prosper and build up its membership? With the majority of the congregation being military there were plenty of naysayers regarding the prosperity of the church, but Pastor Jones didn’t have to wonder or worry; he knew God had a plan and it wasn’t by luck or coincidence New Hope had risen so quickly—it was God’s will.
Trusting in his holy word, He’s never failed me yet…
In 1989, a year before the march to Hill Street would take place, the congregation, which had been meeting in a small, old, white, cobblestone building, decided to purchase property to build the new sanctuary. The building committee scoured the area and settled on five sites, finally deciding to purchase the property on Hill Street—very true to its name. The nearly four acres of land sit atop a small hill surrounded mostly by trees and dirt. An apartment complex and trailer park neighbors the church, and across the street is a small housing area. The land was purchased on July 6, 1989, and the blueprints for the building were submitted to the Kentucky Department of Building Codes in November.
As the construction for the new church was underway, Pastor Jones visited the land in anticipation of one day soon being able to worship there.
“We used to walk the land and sometimes sit and watch as they built it,” Pastor Jones remembers, his deep rolling voice that always seems as if he’s in deep thought is filled with sparkle as he relives those times in his mind.
The new church, once completed, would be a 6,000 square foot brown three-level brick building complete with a basement which would later serve as the church fellowship hall and a balcony to accommodate the overflow of Sunday morning saints. The new sanctuary could accommodate over 400 worshippers, a far cry from the three-room cobblestone building where the congregation had been worshipping.
He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t wait for the new sanctuary. Sis Juanita Marshall, the church secretary and former member of New Hope, remembers as if it were yesterday walking the empty land before the church was built. “It was so much excitement. You know, we used to come everyday? Rev. Marshall and I we used to come around here everyday just looking at this barren land and saying one day our church is going to be there.”
And on December 23, 1990, it was. When Pastor Jones and his congregation entered into the warmth of their new sanctuary to praise God, he took as his topic Luke 2:6-7, “Is there room for the Redeemer?” He preached a heartfelt sermon, his voice echoing throughout the freshly painted walls of the sanctuary. With Christmas just around the corner, this message had a two-fold meaning; during the festive holiday season, had they made room for Him in their lives? Was there room in their new edifice for the Redeemer?
Indeed there was plenty of room for the Redeemer in their lives during Christmas and in the new church. This was evident in the continuous and rapid growth of membership. Within two years of moving to the new building, New Hope had 800 members.
Pastor Jones smiles with his eyes and his face is filled with contentment as he remembers just how quickly New Hope grew.
Although the fickle nature of a military community has reduced the once overflowing congregation to 450, Pastor Jones knows that if he continues to trust and follow God New Hope will continue to help in saving souls for Christ.
He stops tapping the remote control, leans his head back slightly, and appears to be in deep thought. His deep rolling voice echoes softly as he begins to speak.
“It’s quite humbling to know that God would use me in his work. I have no church. I simply yield myself to the Lord and am at His disposal. Now, I remain humble because God could have chosen anyone to do what I’m doing. But he didn’t—he chose me, and for this I’m grateful.”
Oh, can’t turn around, we’ve come this far by faith.
