By God’s grace, New Hope Fellowship is working to develop a community of committed followers of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to help all those we touch experience a renewed life through the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. We believe that the following distinctives will help us to do this.
• Christ-centered: Jesus is the center. He is the foundation. Everything needs to flow from and point to Jesus. We need to be known for our relationship with Christ – not some other tangent.
• Relational: We believe that God would have us be a church that is relationship oriented – not program oriented. Our primary method of helping believers grow in Christ is through personal relationships where people help each other become more like Jesus. Our primary evangelism focus is lifestyle/friendship/hospitality evangelism.
• Relevant: God has called us to be a church that presents the gospel in a way that is relevant to the unchurched of this area by communicating God’s Word in a language they can understand. We believe that God has directed us to be a church that reaches out to those whose spiritual needs are not being met by the existing churches in our area.
• Balanced: We believe that God would have us be a balanced church – solid in the Word yet open to the Spirit. We are conservative evangelicals who believe that God gave both His Word and His Spirit to direct and empower the church. We do not want to limit God, but want all things to be done in a fitting and orderly way. Our corporate worship needs to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and yet not be offensive to the seeker or new believer since our call is to those who are spiritually lost. We seek to create this balance through contemporary heartfelt worship combined with solid teaching of God’s Word, communicated in a practical and understandable way. We seek to be a church that is easy for the lost to come to, but challenging to the saved.
• Intentional: We do not believe that people will become committed followers of Jesus solely by attending activities or programs like worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, etc. (as important as these are). Instead, committed disciples of Jesus are developed by people intentionally building into the lives of others to help them learn to walk with God and minister to others.
• Family Oriented: Our goal is to minister to the whole family. We desire to assist parents in teaching their children about God, rather than do the job for them. We see this as a major means by which God will train His church. As parents learn, they teach their children, and the whole church matures. We realize some will not have family in the church and will need to be “adopted” by others.
• Nondenominational: Not Baptist, Assemblies of God, or any other label. Our intent is to be a Christian church. People from many backgrounds will likely attend. We are an autonomous, self-governing church.
• Elder-led: In government, the leadership will be a plurality of elders made up of pastoral staff and lay leaders. The pastor is one of the elders but holds no more authority than the other elders. Elders are appointed. They are recognized as leaders and confirmed by the congregation. We are not a democracy – and not a dictatorship – but rather a theocracy (ruled by God). Jesus Christ is the head, not committees, boards, the pastor or elders, or the congregation.
• Regional: As opposed to a town church. Our main target area is the Pemi Valley from Plymouth to Lincoln although we are not limited to these areas.