From a Living Room on Woodbine Avenue to a Light in East Baltimore
New Creation Christian Church sits on Frankford Avenue in the Frankford neighborhood of northeast Baltimore, the same building it moved into in 1985 and the spiritual home it has been for the Claxton family and the surrounding community ever since. The congregation's own story begins in the fall of 1968, when a prophetic word came to Reverend Aaron B. Claxton and his wife Deborah: "Make haste and establish a house of liberty; a house of refuge for God's people; for there are many in this city in houses of bondage to pharaohs behind stain-glass windows." From that word grew the Chapel of the Risen Savior, founded in the living room of 3707 Woodbine Avenue in Northwest Baltimore with the Claxtons' six children, one senior (Mother Florence B. Williams), and two other members. Sixty neighborhood children were gathered for a summer program, and the work was established.
Within a year the small congregation moved into its first building at 3519 Dolfield Avenue (a former Gino's restaurant), where it was chartered. By 1975 the church had outgrown that space and relocated to 4617 York Road on the east side of Baltimore under the name Church of the Risen Savior, with a congregation of more than 250. The move to 5401 Frankford Avenue in 1985 came with a new name, New Creation Christian Church, and a continuing burden to be a refuge and a training center in the city.
In 1991 Elder A. Bryan Claxton, the eldest son, and his wife Sheila were elevated to the pastorate. Apostle Aaron and Dr. Deborah Claxton were called to a global ministry and began traveling. "Pastor Bryan" retired from his government job to serve as full-time pastor in 1996, and in 2002 he was consecrated to the office of Bishop. The church now describes itself as in an expansion project, following what leadership calls a mandate from the Lord to "Expand for the Harvest."
A Spirit-Filled, Non-Denominational Church with a Five-Fold Vision
New Creation Christian Church identifies itself as a non-denominational, Spirit-filled congregation. Its motto, repeated on the homepage and across its materials, is "Changing Lives through the Life Changing Gospel of Christ Jesus." The church describes itself as intimate enough to know its families by name and large enough to impact the Greater Baltimore community, the nation, and the world.
The ministry organizes its life around five core identities, drawn from scripture, that it calls a five-fold ministry: a Place of Worship, Prayer and Power; a House of Refuge; a Training Center for Mature Leaders; Strong Families; and Community Outreach. Each of those threads runs through the programs offered on and around the Frankford Avenue campus.
Its doctrinal statement affirms the Bible as the infallible, inerrant Word of God; the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the atoning death of Christ as salvation for the spirit, healing for the body, and deliverance for the mind; water baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; communion; the bodily resurrection and glorious Second Coming of Christ; the call to tithe ten percent; divine healing; and the sanctity of marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman. Civil government is described in the statement as ordained by God and to be respected except where it contradicts scripture.
Sunday Mornings at 10:45 A.M.
Worship on Sundays begins at 10:45 A.M. at the Frankford Avenue campus. The service is described as dynamic, interactive, and energetic, with musical instruments, video displays, theatrical lighting, and expressive dance supporting a preached message the church describes as understandable and relevant to daily living. First-time visitors are welcomed warmly, acknowledged, and given an appreciation gift, but the church is careful not to put newcomers on the spot publicly.
Communion is observed on the first Sunday of each month during the regular worship hour. The congregation is taught to share the bread and the cup in remembrance of Christ, with 1 Corinthians 11:26 cited as the foundation: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."
Children in kindergarten through fifth grade begin in the fellowship hall with their families before being released to their age-appropriate classrooms, where trained volunteers lead them through songs, games, storytelling, and Bible-based lessons. Kids check-in opens at 10:30 A.M. for the 11:00 A.M. service, and pre-registration is available online.
Services are broadcast live on the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. The livestream page also lists a regular on-air rhythm: Sunday worship at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday noon-day prayer on the prayer line at 12:00 P.M., Wednesday Bible study at 7:00 P.M., and First Fruit Friday Prayer at 7:00 P.M.
Wednesday in the Word and the Wider Weekly Rhythm
Mid-week teaching is built around a single program: Wednesday in the Word, the Senior Pastor's weekly Bible study at 7:00 P.M. Most sessions are broadcast live, and the pastor interacts with viewers as he teaches. On the fourth Wednesday of each month the Bible study gives way to a Life Groups session, which gathers virtually at 7:00 P.M. for a brief time of sharing and fellowship. Life Groups are organized for youth, women, men, married couples, bereavement support, music and arts, and nursing home outreach; participants are encouraged to pre-register for the virtual sessions.
On the last Wednesday of each month at 7:30 P.M., the NuLife youth ministry hosts its own virtual Bible study for ages 12 to 25, focused on building a personal relationship with Jesus Christ rather than casual association with Christianity.
Corporate prayer takes the form of First Fruit Friday Prayer, held on the first Friday of every month at 7:00 P.M. Most months the prayer gathering is broadcast on Facebook LIVE, with some months held in person in the sanctuary. In January the prayer rhythm expands into a 21-day consecration that includes a downloadable prayer guide and a Friday night prayer schedule in the sanctuary at 7:00 P.M., with themes drawn from Isaiah, the Psalms, Acts, and 3 John.
No Limit Soldiers and NuLife: The Children's and Youth Ministries
Children from infancy through fifth grade are served by No Limit Soldiers Children's Ministry. The program is structured around small groups, communal prayer, age-appropriate worship, and creative Bible teaching. Every volunteer is screened with a background check; the kids' hallway is monitored by security personnel and security cameras. The children's ministry also keeps a calendar of seasonal celebrations, including a Children's Day celebration in June, a Harvest Festival in October, and a Christmas Craft Outreach in December, and runs a youth choir that rehearses on the first Sunday of each month at 12:00 P.M. under Minister Michelle Claxton-Heidelberg.
Teens and young adults from 12 to 25 are served by NuLife Youth & Young Adult Ministry, led by Minister Kristin Harrison. The ministry's objective is to use real-life situations alongside the Bible to help every young person come to know their purpose and destiny. NuLife meets for worship and the Word on Sundays at 11:00 A.M., gathers for enrichment small groups on second Sundays after worship (with separate groups for ages 12-18 and 19-25), and takes over the entire sanctuary on fifth Sundays for Youth Sunday @NC3, which the church describes as "some of the most EPIC services at NC3."
Life Groups, Men's Ministry, Marriage, and Bereavement
Adults are drawn into community through Life Groups, the church's network of small groups that meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:00 P.M. The women's group focuses on empowerment, education, and mentorship; the men's group is built around brotherhood, shared study, and accountability. The Kingdom Restorers Men's Ministry runs the Man Up, Mask Off Summit and the annual Prayer Walk for Unity and gathers for breakfast fellowship and Bible teaching.
The Marriage Ministry is designed to meet the needs of couples and families, offering couples' date nights, seminars and teachings, counseling, an annual church family picnic, wedding anniversary celebrations, and crisis intervention. Its mission is summarized in the phrase "Family Does Matter."
A Bereavement Ministry, staffed by advisers who have completed courses with Roberta's House, a family grief support center in Maryland, supports members through group discussions and one-on-one sessions. The Music & Arts Ministry draws together singers, musicians, theatrical performers, and dancers into the choir, praise team, and dance ministry, with intercessors committed to pray for the ministry on a daily and weekly basis. A Nursing Home Ministry trains volunteers to visit and listen to residents who may not have regular visitors.
Schools at 5401 Frankford: The Academy, the Summer Camp, and SOMET Bible College
Three educational programs share the Frankford Avenue address with the church.
New Creation Christian Academy & Daycare opened in 1985 as Kinder-Rhema Day Care Center and now serves children ages two through five in a Bible-based program that the school describes with the phrase "Bible Based Building Builds Best." The academy is licensed by the Child Care Administration and Maryland State Department of Education, maintains a 10-to-1 faculty ratio, and accepts DSS scholarships. It is open year-round from 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. weekdays. The day care was founded by Dr. Deborah J. Claxton after more than thirty years in the Baltimore City Public Schools and is led today by Director Mrs. Jewell Fletcher.
New Creation Summer Camp serves campers ages five through thirteen with a goal of instilling "a Spirit of Excellence." Camp runs weekdays from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., with breakfast and lunch provided through the City of Baltimore lunch program, Friday field trips, and a year-specific camp t-shirt. The camp's stated objectives include teaching alternative dispute resolution, instilling godly values, creating a safe environment, and connecting families to outside resources.
School of Ministerial Excellence Training (SOMET) is a distance-learning center of Chesapeake Bible College and Seminary hosted at the church. SOMET offers undergraduate and graduate courses such as Battlefield of the Mind, Prophetic Healing and Deliverance, The Book of Matthew, and Winning With People, taught by instructors including Professor Tony Allen, Professor Karen Allen, Professor/Dr. Deborah J. Claxton, Professor Vanessa Stanley, and Professor/Dr. A. Bryan Claxton. The school runs a fall trimester that starts in September and meets on weekday evenings and Saturdays.
New Dimensions CDC: Food, Financial Help, a Garden, and Addiction Outreach
Community outreach runs through New Dimensions Community Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based at the Frankford Avenue campus. The CDC describes its mission as "Positively Impacting the Community One Family at a Time" and operates a food pantry, an emergency assistance program, youth mentoring, substance abuse prevention and education, financial training classes, an inspirational and educational resource center, a community garden, and healthy eating programs.
The Macedonia Project is the CDC's direct service arm. Its food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. with no appointment required, serving residents across Baltimore City and surrounding communities. Emergency financial assistance for BGE turn-off notices and eviction prevention is available Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. by appointment, limited to residents of zip code 21206. The CDC estimates that seventy-five dollars feeds a family of four for a week and accepts donations online through PayPal, by mail to its P.O. box, and in person at the campus. Annual events include a Thanksgiving Basket Distribution and quarterly Stock the Pantry Days.
DeBorah's Garden, an organic fruit and vegetable garden built in March 2011, occupies 10,000 square feet of church property behind the annex building. Volunteers from the congregation and the community tend the plots and offer rental space to Baltimore City residents at low cost. The garden's stated goals are to teach the value of growing one's own food and to involve youth and adults in the work of bringing food to the table.
Breaking Strongholds Community Outreach focuses on substance abuse and addiction, providing a referral point and an outreach of hope, healing, and deliverance to individuals and families affected by addictive behaviors.
Back2School Drive and Other Year-Round Giving
Each summer the church runs a Back to School Donation Drive to supply backpacks and school supplies to students in under-resourced communities. Donations are gathered through an online giving page and an Amazon Wish List, and a giveaway day is held on a Saturday in early August with parent-or-guardian registration required. The stated goal is to serve three hundred children.
Financial gifts to the church can be made by dropping them in the giving buckets at services, by mail to the P.O. box, in person at the office, online through the Givelify app, or through the church's PayPal links. The church encourages tithing of ten percent and offerings above the tithe, and includes a written Faith Confession for those who give online. New Creation Christian Church is a 501(c)(3) organization, and donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Pastors, Founders, and the People Behind the Pulpit
The church is led by Bishop Dr. A. Bryan Claxton and Lady Pastor Sheila M. Claxton as Senior Pastors. Bishop Claxton, the eldest of seven children born to Chief Apostle Aaron B. Claxton and Dr. Deborah J. Claxton, was raised in Baltimore, educated in the city's public schools, and ordained to the office of Elder in September 1983 in the same service in which his father was ordained an Apostle. He served as Youth Pastor before being installed as Senior Pastor in October 1991. He holds a Bachelor of Theology, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry from Family Bible College and Seminary, and a Doctorate of Theological Studies from Chesapeake Bible College and Seminary. He and Sheila are the parents of Erryn Corynn, Erica Christin, son-in-law Marques Durant, and granddaughters Sydney MacKenzie and Kendyl Anaya.
Pastor Sheila Claxton, the eldest of four daughters of Burdell and Doris Kirkwood of Baltimore, began attending the Claxton family's church in late 1977. She has served in the ministry of helps as Sunday School teacher, assistant church treasurer, van driver, women's ministry coordinator, food co-op coordinator, youth president and treasurer, usher, intercessor, choir member, counselor, nursery staff, day care secretary, and church administrator. She earned a Bachelor of Christian Ministry from Chesapeake Bible College and a Master of Divinity from Family Bible College and Seminary.
The pastoral team includes Associate Pastor Clara Merritt, Children's Ministry Director Pastor Michael Claxton, and Youth Leader Minister Kristin Harrison. The youth choir is directed by Minister Michelle Claxton-Heidelberg, and The Voices of Baltimore, a dynamic youth choir featured at the church's anniversary services, is directed by Patrick Brown.
Chief Apostle Aaron Bobbie Claxton, the church's founder, preached the gospel for more than sixty years and was married to Dr. Deborah J. Claxton for sixty years. He transitioned to glory on Veterans Day, November 11, 2018, after more than fifty years of ministry in Baltimore. Dr. Deborah Claxton, the co-founder, continues to serve as Founder and CEO of the academy and day care, Dean of the New Creation Christian School of Biblical Studies, and a leader of End-Time Ministries of Christ International. Her life work also includes the founding of WWAM (Women With a Mission), the annual Women Alive conference, and the Deborah House, a Christian school serving students from Pre-K through eighth grade in Aba, West Africa.
Membership, Weddings, Funerals, and Pastoral Care
Becoming a member at New Creation begins with the New Creation Life class, an in-person, guided session curated by the Membership Services Team and offered by appointment. The class introduces visitors to the church's beliefs, its ministries, and its community life. Baptism is available as a separate step, described as the outward demonstration of an inward transformation.
The church hosts weddings for members, with the marriage ministry helping couples coordinate a day that reflects the covenant they share. Funerals are supported through the Bereavement Ministry. Ministerial sessions for wise counsel in marriage, family, or mentorship are available with the pastoral team, and the Prayer Ministry keeps at least one pastor on call at all times for prayer requests submitted through the church's online form. A Benevolence ministry is also in place to assist members who find themselves in need.
Location, Hours, and How to Connect
New Creation Christian Church is located at 5401 Frankford Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206, near four major roadways (Routes 40 and 7, and Interstates 95 and 895). The mailing address is P.O. Box 29180, Baltimore, MD 21205.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. and can be reached at (410) 488-5650 or info@ncccbalto.org. The fax number is (410) 488-1810. The day care and academy operate a separate line at (410) 488-5653 and are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Social media handles are unified under @NCCCBaltimoreMD on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. A church calendar is embedded through Google Calendar and updated regularly. For visitors who want to plan a first trip, the New Here page offers an overview of what to expect and a way to connect in advance.