History
Twenty-five years ago, a small group of individuals felt God leading them to start what is now known as New Hope Baptist Church. The group called on the help of the late Bro. Walter Norman from Mt. Airy, NC, a great man of God who had started many churches in his lifetime. Bro. Delmus Crowe was called upon to help write the church’s by-laws, and in January 1980, New Hope Baptist Church was formed.
The first services for New Hope were held in the gymnasium of Alnwick Elementary School. The congregation met there twice on Sundays and held prayer meetings every Wednesday at the home of a different member each week. By the spring of 1980, the church had moved to an empty storefront on Broadway next to Murlin’s Music World, and had called the late Bro. Wallace Cable to be its first pastor. The following summer the fledgling church was able to move to its first semi-permanent home in an old store on Big Springs Road.
In 1981, the congregation broke ground on what is now the site of the church’s permanent home on Dotson Memorial Road. The original sanctuary seated approximately 100 people, but as time went on the church body realized there was not enough room for growth. By the winter of 1984 the church began construction on an expansion project that added 150 more seats and 7 new classrooms, under the leadership of Bros. Brooky Gray and Ronnie Steele. The church remained this way for several years until it became clear that it was growing too large to accommodate everyone desiring to worship. In April 2001, work began on a new addition, and on June 9, 2002 the first services were held in the new 500+ seat sanctuary. With the current leadership of Pastor Michael Parker, New Hope is continuing to grow for the Lord. Plans for the new facility attached to the existing property are presently being developed by the Architect.
