New Hope Baptist Church sits on Watkins Drive in northeast Jackson, Mississippi, a congregation that traces its roots to 1913 and now counts more than three thousand members across two campuses. Under the long pastorate of Dr. Jerry Young, who began his ministry there on February 1, 1980, the church has grown into one of the largest Black Baptist congregations in the region, with forty-four ministries, a Christian school serving more than three hundred students, and a missions reach that extends from Jackson to Honduras and Malawi. Its motto, "It takes teamwork to make the dream work," reflects a culture of shared ministry that runs through everything from Sunday School to the choir loft.
From a Living Room in 1913 to Two Campuses Today
On April 13, 1913, Reverend Cassie organized New Hope Baptist Church with seven members in the home of Mrs. Ida Taylor on Whitfield Mills Road. The young congregation moved during the tenure of its second pastor, Reverend Nick Bradley, to the corner of Holmes and Spring Streets, and then to Whitfield Mills Road itself. After Bradley's death in 1924, his son Reverend E. M. H. Bradley was called to pastor and served until 1944. Reverend G. C. Hunte, the fifth pastor, launched the church's first financial drive in the late 1940s; construction began in 1950, and on May 1, 1955, the congregation moved into its new building at 2355 Whitfield Mills Road. Reverend Hunte died in 1973, leaving the church debt free.
Reverend E. C. Burns followed, and under his leadership the membership nearly doubled to seven hundred fifty. Then, in February 1980, Dr. Jerry Young was called as the seventh pastor. Growth came quickly: by March 1981, the church had moved to its present home at 5202 Watkins Drive, and the Deacon's Family plan known as "The Shepherd's Plan" became operational. In July 1982, the New Hope Kindergarten and Day Care Center opened, eventually becoming New Hope Christian School. In 2015, the church purchased the former Jackson College of Ministry property at 1555 Beasley Road, broke ground on a worship center, and held its first service there on July 1, 2018. Today the Watkins Drive campus houses the administrative offices, the Christian school, and AWANA programming, while the Beasley Road campus serves as the principal Worship Center.
The Pastor's Vision
Dr. Jerry Young grew up as a preacher's son in Scott, in the Mississippi Delta, and felt his call to ministry at seventeen. He is a graduate of Rust College and Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, where he earned both a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry. He has served New Hope since 1980, leading the church in the development of its vision and mission statement: "Our vision is to touch our community with the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ in order that a Christian world and life view may permeate our communities." Beyond New Hope, Dr. Young served the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. for more than twenty-five years and was elected its eighteenth president in September 2014, serving two consecutive terms. He also served as president of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi. In the fall of 2024 he published 52 Sermon Starters from a Simple Servant.
Mrs. Helen Akins Young, the church's First Lady, has worked alongside her husband for more than thirty years and currently serves as the NHCS Enrollment and Endowment Director. She is a former director of the Pre-School, was named the church's Mother of the Year, and in 2017 received the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for Education in Mississippi. The Youngs have two daughters, Dr. Jerlen Canada and Kelli Hart, and five grandchildren.
Sunday in the Worship Center
The Beasley Road campus is the heart of Sunday life at New Hope. Sunday School begins at 8:30 AM, with classes for every age group from nursery through adults, including classes for men, women, couples, singles, and young adults. Christian Education Director Jacqueline Mack oversees the program, which the church notes has now been in continuous ministry for more than a century.
The Worship Service begins at 10:00 AM and follows a traditional Baptist order: Call to Worship, Praise Song, Scripture, Prayer, Hymn of Worship, Announcements, Recognition of Guests, Offering, Doxology, Message in Music, Message from the Word, Invitation to Discipleship, and Closing Remarks and Benediction. An American Sign Language interpreter is present each Sunday at the front right side of the sanctuary. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook Live, with recordings available for those who miss a Sunday.
Christian Education and Small Groups
The Christian Education Ministry coordinates Sunday School, the Adult Small Groups Bible Study, and a range of support groups. Small Groups meet on Wednesday evenings via Zoom at 6:45 PM and gather for Bible study, prayer, fellowship, friendship evangelism, and outreach. The fall 2026 study is titled "Excavating the Evidence for Jesus."
During Small Groups hours, the church also runs two named support programs. GriefShare meets from 6:30 to 8:00 PM for those grieving the loss of a loved one, and DivorceCare meets the same hours for those working through separation and divorce. Other support offerings include "DO Well: Biblical Principles of Finances" and "Preparing for Marriage," all facilitated through the Christian Education office. Wellness Wednesdays, a summer-format ministry, takes a holistic approach to spiritual, physical, nutritional, and emotional health.
Music and the Arts
Music is central to worship at New Hope. The Mass Choir, directed by Dr. Gisele Gentry, rehearses on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM in the church sanctuary and sings anthems, spirituals, gospel music, and sacred arrangements drawn from adult members with a range of musical backgrounds. The Children and Youth Choir, for ages five through nineteen, rehearses on Tuesdays at 6:00 PM and leads contemporary expressions of praise. Youth also have opportunities to serve through the Praise Dance Ministry (girls age five and older), the Step Team (boys age five and older), and the Drama Ministry.
New Hope Christian School
What began as a kindergarten in 1982 is today New Hope Christian School, educating students from six months old through fifth grade across two divisions. The Pre-School Division is led by Ms. Chelsi Boyd, and the Elementary Division is led by Mrs. Kelli Hart. Dr. Jerry Young serves as founder and headmaster. The school received accreditation in 2010 and was named the church's own ministry, with the stated purpose of assisting Christian parents in providing a God-centered, Christ-honoring education that develops the total child: spiritually, intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally.
Youth at New Hope
Children's Church is offered each Sunday during the Worship Service for ages six months through fifth grade. AWANA Clubs meet Sundays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Watkins Drive Campus for ages three through twelfth grade, with an emphasis on Scripture memorization, discipleship, and interactive learning. Junior Ushers meet the Saturday before the third Sunday at 10:00 AM at the Beasley Road Campus, learning the basics of church service and etiquette. Monthly Youth Kickbacks, a quarterly youth newsletter, a Youth Sunday, Vacation Bible School, AWANA Bible Camp, and a Back-to-School Weekend round out the calendar.
Men, Women, Couples, and Seniors
The Laymen Ministry, led by Bro. Johnny Clayton, seeks to strengthen and equip men and boys to grow spiritually, lead faithfully, and serve effectively. The Women's Missionary Union, led by Sis. Debra Stewart, develops Christ-centered initiatives addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of women in the church and community, with monthly meetings announced during worship. The Couples Ministry enriches marriages and families through Sunday School, seminars and retreats, travel, and fellowship. Older adults are reached through a Seniors ministry that grew out of the same era of expansion in the late 1990s and 2000s. Adult Small Groups, with more than two decades of continuous ministry, remain the church's primary vehicle for ongoing Bible study and fellowship outside Sunday morning.
Deacons, Deaconesses, and Pastoral Care
The Deacon Ministry, led by Bro. Terrance Myles, Sr., partners with the pastor in servant leadership, following the criteria of I Timothy 3. The Deaconess Ministry, led by Sis. Dorothy Davis, complements the work of the deacons, and together they seek to reach every member of the New Hope family through visits, prayer, and the celebration of life's milestones. Rev. Wendell Paris directs the Membership Care and Visitation Ministry. Members are asked to keep their contact information current with the church office so their assigned deacon can stay in touch.
The Bereavement Ministry walks with families through the loss of a loved one: after the church office is notified, the pastor contacts the family, assigns a Bereavement Committee representative, and helps plan the Homegoing Service. The Courtesy Ministry, led by Sis. Ethel Brooks, welcomes visitors, extends courtesies to the pastor's family, and supports members during illness, graduation, and other significant moments.
Reaching the Community and Beyond
The Missions and Outreach Ministry, led by Sis. Deborah Davis, supports a long list of partner ministries, including Stewpot Ministries, Center for Pregnancy Choices, Mendenhall Ministries, Operation Shoestrings, Hope Hospitality House, Campus Crusade for Christ, Habitat for Humanity, the Honduras and Malawi missions, Gateway Mission, Feed The Children, Forest Park Angel Tree, the Jefferson County Male Correctional Facility, the New Hope Benevolent Ministry, the Common Bond Association, Jackson Youth for Christ-Middle Schools, the Salvation Army, the NAACP, the Hinds County Human Resource Agency, the Mississippi Witness Project (Breast Cancer), and Mission Mississippi. The Prison Ministry, led by Bro. Fred Rogers, shares the gospel with incarcerated individuals and families and hosts an annual Christmas Giveaway for children of incarcerated parents. The Education Awareness Ministry, led by Sis. Annie Gail Myles, supports students with an annual College Symposium and Shower, ACT Preparation Workshop, Baccalaureate Service, Math and English Enrichment Program, High School Scholarship Program, and Honor Roll and Dean's List Recognition.
Welcoming the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
New Hope is one of the few congregations in the area offering an American Sign Language interpreter during every Sunday Worship Service. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Ministry, directed by Dr. Gisele Gentry, also offers two monthly American Sign Language classes at 6:30 PM in Rooms 10 and 11 at the Beasley Road Campus, open to beginners and those refreshing their skills.
Weddings, Baby Dedications, and the Family Life Center
New Hope views marriage as a holy covenant and hosts wedding ceremonies at both the Watkins Drive and Beasley Road campuses, with the church secretary handling scheduling, fees, and availability. Engaged couples who wish Pastor Young to officiate are required to complete a comprehensive Pre-Marital Class through the Christian Education Ministry. Baby dedications are held on the second Sunday of each month for children of active members, with parents making a public commitment to raise their child according to God's Word. The Family Life Center, completed and dedicated in 1997, houses the elementary division of New Hope Christian School and serves the church's community life.
Leadership and Giving
The full leadership team includes Dr. Jerry Young as pastor, Mrs. Helen Young, Mrs. Jacqueline Mack (Christian Education Director), Dr. Jerlen Young Canada (Communications Director and Financial Secretary), Dr. Gisele Gentry (Director of Music and Worship Arts), Rev. Wendell Paris (Membership Care and Visitation), Ms. Chelsi Boyd (Pre-School Director Designee), Mrs. Kelli Hart (Elementary Principal), and Deacon Calvin Hill (Maintenance and Building Grounds). Mrs. Lin Caldwell serves as Church Secretary and handles most first contacts for weddings, pre-marital enrollment, and general inquiries.
Visitors can worship in person at the Beasley Road Worship Center, join services online via YouTube and Facebook, support the ministry through Givelify or the church's online giving portal, and connect with the congregation's calendar of upcoming events. For more than a century, New Hope Baptist Church has remained, in its own words, "a going church to meet the coming Christ."