History Of New Hope Baptist Church

In November 1957 a group of people under the leadership of Rev. Robert Sharp had their first meeting as a church. They met in the I.O.O.F lodge rooms and three weeks later moved their services to the V.F.W. where they continued for nearly a year and a half.

In 1958 a future building site was selected and three acres of ground were purchased for this purpose. Financing was secured and a new building was started in May 1959. By August the building had been completed and services were being held in it.

Rev. James Brown became pastor in January 1960, and was followed by Rev. Clarence Hopkins in January 1962. Rev. Robert McKee became pastor in March 1965 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1993.

In July of 1965 the church expanded by adding nine Sunday school rooms and a pastor's study. The church was also brick veneered at that time. In April 1973 the congregation voted to add a new sanctuary on the east end of their current structure, which provided seating for 350 people for worship services.

In 1993, Rev. Mick Simpkins became Senior Pastor of the church. As the church continued to grow, the congregation voted to expand the church complex by building a new worship center within the wings of the their present complex. The new auditorium was designed to hold 550 people.

When the new complex was completed in 2004, the church attendance had increased to a level that almost filled the newly built sanctuary. The Lord continues to bless the work at New Hope and has expanded their ministries within the local community of Gas City, Indiana.

Our Mission Statement:

"Touching Our Community With The LOVE Of Christ".