History of New Hope Baptist Church

New Hope Baptist Church, Delaware

 

New Hope Baptist Church, Caulfield

 

The history of New Hope Baptist Church began August, 1934, when a group of Grand Rapidians formed a prayer band and met in each other’s homes and at a location on Market street. The prayer band was formerly organized into a congregation by the late Rev. William G. Dinkins, Moderator of the Western District Association and the late Rev. C. Crawford, District Missionary. Some of those charter members were Mr. and Mrs. George and Carrie Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse and Audrey Babers, Mr. and Mrs. Frank and Mary Harris, Deacon Jesse Johnson and his wife Effie, Rev. William Robinson, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur and Clara Cleveland.

Former pastors of New Hope were Rev. Joshua Haynes, Rev. William L. Hunt, Rev. Benjamin D. Robinson, Rev. R. C. Morris, Rev. Allen D. Duncan, Rev. John V. Williams, Rev. Donnell Smith, and Rev. Derrick Lewis Noble. Pastors who served as interim leaders were Rev. Marvin Williams, Rev. Roosevelt Hunter and Rev. Dallas Lenear. The founders were Jesse Babers, Mrs. Audrey Babers, Mr. Arthur and Clara Cleveland, Rev. Henry and Mrs. Stevenson, Rev. William and Effie Robinson, Mrs. Bertha Mitchell, Mother Willie Babers Riley, and George Barnwell.

The first service was held at 321 Grandville in August of 1934. Construction was completed on a new church home at 25 Finney Avenue and the church moved on December 5, 1937. On April 19, 1964, the church moved to 882 Caulfield and on June 19, 1983, New Hope was blessed with a new expansive location that is currently at 130 Delaware, SW. The church has grown from approximately 25 members in 1934 to over 800 active members in 2008.

Over the past seven decades New Hope Baptist Church has evolved from "A People Commanded by God, Commanding People to God” to a church offering “New Day, New Life, New Hope” to currently, "A Place Where Heaven Visits Earth."