Who Are We?

At New Hope our emphasis is Jesus Christ and His love.  Our basis of fellowship is Christ alone.

Our mission is to be an extension of the ministry of Jesus Christ – to bring identity, wholeness, and purpose to every individual.  Identity, in that we can only begin to know who we are as we know who Christ is. Wholeness, in that Jesus Christ died to redeem a wholeness of body, soul and spirit for every human being! Purpose, in that every human being has been given unique gifts and callings through which God will work to reach and touch others with the good news of love, hope, and transformation found only through Jesus Christ!

New Hope recognizes the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church being the sum of those who have been born again by faith.  Therefore, we are interdenominational in spirit while being in fellowship with the Church of God, Cleveland, TN.

OUR BELIEFS

The Church of God believes the whole Bible to be completely and equally inspired and that it is the written Word of God. The Church of God has adopted the following Declaration of Faith as its standard and official expression of its doctrine.

  • In the verbal inspiration of the Bible.
  • In one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
  • That Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. That Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That He ascended to heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor.
  • That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins.
  • That justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost.
  • Holiness to be God’s standard of living for His people.
  • In the baptism with the Holy Ghost subsequent to a clean heart.
  • In speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost.
  • In water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
  • Divine healing is provided for all in the atonement.
  • In the Lord’s Supper and washing of the saints’ feet.
  • In the premillennial second coming of Jesus. First, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Him in the air. Second, to reign on the earth a thousand years.
  • In the bodily resurrection; eternal life for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked.
PRACTICAL BIBLICAL COMMITMENTS

Family Responsibility

We will give priority to fulfilling family responsibilities, to preserving the sanctity of marriage and to maintaining divine order in the home.

Priority Of The Family

The family is the basic unit of human relationship and as such is foundational to both society and the church (Genesis 2:18-24). The divine origin of the family, along with its foundational character, makes it imperative that we give priority to ministry to the family, both from a personal and corporate standpoint. The practice of Christian disciplines and virtues should begin in the home (Deuteronomy 6:6, 7). Therefore, our families should establish some pattern for family devotions and should endeavor to provide a Christian environment in the home (1 Timothy 3:3, 4; 5:8).

Sanctity Of Marriage

Marriage is ordained of God and is a spiritual union in which a man and a woman are joined by God to live together as one (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:7). Because of the divine character of marriage, it is a lifelong commitment (Matthew 5:32; 19:9). Sexual involvement, either before marriage or with someone other than the marriage partner, is strictly forbidden in Scripture (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:15-18). Understanding the sanctity of marriage, partners should strive to maintain a happy, harmonious and holy relationship. Should divorce occur, the church should be quick to provide love, understanding and counsel to those involved. The remarriage of divorced persons should be undertaken only after a thorough understanding of and submission to the scriptural instructions concerning this issue (Matthew 19:7-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:2, 3; 1 Corinthians 7:2, 10, 11). Should a Christian desire to remain single, this decision should be respected and should be seen as a viable scriptural alternative (1 Corinthians 7:8, 32-34).

Divine Order In The Home

When God created man, He created them male and female (Genesis 1:27). He gave them distinctly different characteristics (1 Corinthians 11: 14, 15; 1 Peter 3:7) as well as different responsibilities (Genesis 3:16-19; 1 Peter 3:1-7). In God’s order, the husband is head of the home (Ephesians 5:22-31; Colossians 3:18, 19), parents are to nurture and admonish their children (Ephesians 6:4, Colossians 3:21), and children are to obey and honor their parents (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20). In order for harmony to exist in the home, God’s order of responsibility must be observed.

Moral Purity

We will engage in those activities which glorify God in our body and which avoid the fulfillment of the lust of the flesh. We will read, watch and listen to those things which are of positive benefit to our spiritual well-being.

Glorifying God In Our Body

Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost and we are to glorify God in our body (Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 10:31). We are to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Examples of fleshly behavior which do not glorify God are noted in several passages of Scripture (Romans 1:24; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8). Sinful practices which are made prominent and condemned in these scriptures include homosexuality, adultery, worldly attitudes (such as hatred, envy, jealousy), corrupt communication (such as gossip, angry outbursts, filthy words), stealing, murder, drunkenness and witchcraft. Witchcraft has to do with the practices of the occult, which are forbidden by God and lead to the worship of Satan.

Reading, Watching And Listening

The literature we read, the programs we watch and the music we listen to profoundly affect the way we feel, think and behave. It is imperative, then, that the Christian read, watch and listen to those things which inspire, instruct and challenge to a higher plane of living. Therefore, literature, programs and music which are worldly in content or pornographic in nature must be avoided. A Christian is not to attend (or watch on television) movies or theatrical performances of a demoralizing nature (Romans 13:14; Philippians 4:8).

Benefiting Spiritual Well-Being

The use of leisure time in the life of a Christian should be characterized by those activities which edify both the individual and the body of Christ (Romans 6:13; 1 Corinthians 10:31,32). We are to avoid places and practices which are of this world. Consequently, a Christian must not be a part of any other types of entertainment which appeal to the fleshly nature and/or bring discredit to the Christian testimony (2 Corinthians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 22; 1 John 2:15-17).

 

Water Baptism

Baptism is a clear, biblical step for everyone who receives Jesus as Savior and Lord—our first step of obedience and submission to the Lordship of Christ.  In Mark 16:15,16, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

When the gospel was first preached, those who heard were convinced of its truth and asked the disciples, “What shall we do (to be saved)?”  The disciple Peter responded, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus after acknowledging Him as your Lord and Savior!”  (Acts 2:38) 

 Who (and Why) Should Be Baptized?

  1. All Who Believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)
18And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

  1. In Obedience to The Command of Scripture (see above)
  2. Following The Example of Christ

Matthew 3:14-17 (NASB)
14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. “Then he *permitted Him.
16And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him,
17and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

 

What Happens when I am Baptized? 

  1. I Declare My Intentions to Immerse Myself in The Spirit Led Life

As I am baptized, I pray the Holy Spirit descend on me, as it was for Jesus in His baptism…in fresh fashion to empower me for God’s purpose which He declared for me before the foundations of the world!

Matthew 3:16 (NASB)
16And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him,

Acts 2:38 (NASB)
38And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

  1. I Desire to Walk in The Power of The Resurrected Life

As I am baptized, I embrace the power of the resurrected life!  As certainly as Jesus’ death was final…it was NOT!  Nothing in this life has the final word on my life above the Word of God!

Romans 6:3-4 (NASB)
3Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

 

  1. I Invite the Power of God to Extinguish the Things That Would Enslave Me

As I am baptized, in this act of worship….may the voices, echoes, and presence of the past be swallowed up in this water…and NEVER TO RISE AGAIN…just as the Egyptians were “baptized” into and through the Red Sea…never again to hear the sound and presence of their vanquished captors!

1 Corinthians 10:1-2 (NASB)
1For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

Isaiah 43:16-19 (NASB)
16Thus says the Lord, Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,
17Who brings forth the chariot and the horse, The army and the mighty man (They will lie down together and not rise again; They have been quenched and extinguished like a wick):
18“Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past.
19“Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.

 

  1. I Consecrate My Tomorrows and My Destiny as One Marked by God

As I am baptized…may my heart be “marked” by and for God…as He decares that He alone holds the promise, purpose and provision for all my tomorrows!

Colossians 2:8-12 (NASB)
8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
9For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
11and in Him you were also circumcised (marked) with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.