By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
KENNER, La. (LBM) – In Kenner, New Hope Community Church are bringing the light of Jesus to a community still recovering from Hurricane Ida and COVD-19.
According to Pastor Mark Mitchell, the church has served more than 2,200 people since March 2020. Whether they are feeding the community, mentoring school children or conducting sports camps, the Gospel is being shared and souls are being saved.
“We engage the community with the Gospel of Christ,” Mitchell told the Baptist Message. “When He calls us, it’s an opportunity on mission with Him. No matter what opposition we may face, God helps us overcome.”
Among its most difficult trials the church faced was in late 2021, when Hurricane Ida damaged their facilities and caused a reduction in its membership from 250 to 125. Still, the church pressed on and continued pouring into its community.
Some of their ministry efforts have included holding men’s and women’s Bible studies to help raise godly leaders, hosting “front yard” Bible clubs and “adopting” multiple schools to build relationships with the students, teachers and parents.
By early January, the church hopes to complete renovations to its facilities as they celebrate even greater things to come.
“I’m excited about what God has in store for us,” Mitchell said. “Whenever you participate in Kingdom work, there is a reason to be excited. We survived several hurricanes and COVID. God has a bright future for New Hope Community Church.”
Because of the generous giving of churches through the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, congregations like New Hope are able to share Christ in the state and fulfill the vision of Georgia Barnette more than 114 years after she first led women to begin taking up an offering for state missionaries in 1907. The offering was named after her in 1937.
Some of the missions and ministries dependent upon the missions offering are church planting; compassion ministries; prison outreach; ministry to victims of sex trafficking; disaster relief efforts; Louisiana Baptists’ multi-media outreach strategy, “Here for You”; and Woman’s Missionary Union scholarships to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Louisiana Christian University.
Mitchell asked for several prayer requests as they press forward with loving Kenner for Christ:
- Pray that the membership will remain faithful and committed to the cause of Christ.
- Pray that Mitchell will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadership; and
- Ask God to provide the finances needed to help New Hope continue to impact their community.
Sept. 11-18 has been set aside as the Week of Prayer for state missions and ministries. Resources, including videos demonstrating the scope and impact of the Georgia Barnette Offering, have been mailed to churches across the state. This year’s offering goal is $1.7 million, and churches are urged to begin promoting the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering now. Online promotional pieces can be accessed at GeorgiaBarnette.org.
