The New Hope Baptist Church exists to be God's agent of reconciliation. We do this by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, healing the broken-hearted and setting the captives free (Luke 4:18). This is obtained through our Worship and Outreach ministries.
We welcome all who have the zeal to serve the Lord, Jesus. We make efforts to encourage corporate worship, as well as spiritual fellowship. We try to nurture believers in the faith with a loving environment. We seek to promote our fellowship by encouraging in each member a deep personal faith, by providing a broad Christian educational program for all ages, and offering a spiritual Music Ministry.
New Hope has journeyed a long way from its modest, humble beginnings in 1923, when four deacons came together to establish a new house of worship. One of them, John Thompson, was the father of a notable member in the life of the church, Deacon Augustus Thompson and the grandfather of the 12th pastor, Reverend Dr. Ronald L. Owens. The church was organized on December 16, 1923. The first pastor called was Reverend J. J. Daly of Boynton, Virginia. The Recognition Council of the Middlesex Central Baptist Association officially recognized the church on May 12, 1930.
The 100-year history of New Hope Baptist Church, as explained by its older membership, recalls New Hope occupying several buildings in the beginning stages of ministry. The first building was on New Street, where the rent was a princely $18.00 per month near the site of the KKK cross burning. The purchase of the property on which the church now stands was begun under Reverend Daly’s pastorate, with a building being erected on April 26, 1931. The addition of five lots made it possible to expand and to add onto the front of the existing church. The disciples are elated that New Hope was gifted with spiritual leaders, men of God who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Reverend Joseph J. Dale, one of the most impactful and influential Pastors, was the 2nd-longest-serving pastor to date. Reverend Joseph J. Dale came to New Hope in September 1958 and retired in 1983. Reverend Dale was a friend of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and participated in Civil Rights marches with him. He was a past president of the Metuchen/Edison Council of Churches, a member of the Black Ministers’ Conference, which meets annually at Hampton, VA, and the Foreign Missions Bureau of the Progressive National Convention, prior to switching allegiance to the National Baptist Convention. It was under his God-inspired vision that the present sanctuary and education building became a reality. The Education Building, now Dale Hall, held its groundbreaking on October 8, 1967. It once served as New Hope’s sanctuary. The old building had been demolished until the completion of the new sanctuary, whose groundbreaking was held on June 20, 1970. The construction company that built the church was owned by a church member, Brother Haynes Graham. The initial service was held in the new sanctuary on October 4, 1972. The membership credits God, enabling them to pay off a twenty-year mortgage in ten years. During Reverend Dale’s tenure, he was responsible for the installation of the church organ, the organization of new auxiliaries, the Deaconess fellowship, the Children’s, and the Young Adult Choir. Reverend Dale served for 25 years, retired in 1983, and died in 2000.
After Reverend Dale’s transition, a Pastoral Search Committee was formed to search for the next Pastor. During the process, worship services were led by other preachers. After one year, in 1984, the Reverend Lawrence T. Graves from Brooklyn, NY, was installed as Pastor. Reverend Graves was responsible for the installation of the following ministries: the New Members Orientation Association (now known as the Teacher’s Ministry for New Disciples), Nursing Unit, Courtesy Club (now known as the Hospitality), and the Transportation Committee that led to the purchase of a church van. Reverend Graves’ pastorate ended in January 1989.
Following another search, the Reverend Dr. Ronald L. Owens was called as the 12th pastor of New Hope in January 1990, and installed in March of that same year. Reverend Owens has the rare distinction of being a Son of New Hope, having been born, baptized at a young age, ordained as a deacon, as well as licensed, and ordained to preach the gospel, all at New Hope. Where Reverend Dale’s vision was to build a modern, beautiful sanctuary to the glory of God, a testimony to God’s goodness, there are no records that indicate how this community of faith served the community around them. Reverend Dr. Ronald Owens’ mission was to build ministries that would serve God, the church, and the community through a five-fold vision that included: Spiritual, Educational, Social, Economic, and Political commitment and dedication. Recounting the history and roots of New Hope, the members recognize that there are great moments of God’s providential work in preserving, sustaining, and building the church.