Our Story

When the Alliance church in Loudonville closed its doors, there was confusion as to why the incredible faith of these people, their prayers, and belief that God was going to bring revival had not happened.

Then in 2002 when founding Pastor Charles Hill, in partnership with Berean Baptist and Converge MidAtlantic, bought and remodeled that space, they had no idea what God was about to do!

New Hope launched on September 29, 2002, and when 240 people showed up, there was no choice but to increase to two Gatherings the following week!  Since that incredible start, hundreds of people have been transformed, placed their faith in Jesus, and made public declarations of this through the act of baptism.

Since opening the doors in 2002, New Hope Community Church has been able to start four new churches - Wooster, Ashland, Millersburg and even in China! New Hope Wooster and Ashland were launched as campuses before later deploying as separate entities. Wooster launched its Northwestern Campus that later became NorthWinds Church in West Salem; Ashland, through a number of transitions became Cross Connect Church; the space that once housed The Ridge, our Millersburg Campus, is now a church called Beacon of Hope; what started as a house church in China quickly grew beyond its initial location; and we also financially support Hope Church in Rivne, Ukraine.

Multiplication has always been important to us, making it one of our 5 Core Values!  Our desire is to be a church-planting church.  As resources allow, we desire to hire what we call a "church-planter in residence." This person is part of our staff, contributing directly to our ministry for one year, and then in Year 2, while still employed by New Hope, is devoted to the preparations for launching a new church without having to worry about where a paycheck is coming from.  The goal is that by Year 3, this person is self-supported by a newly planted church, and New Hope looks to start the process all over again.  We want to plant churches that plant churches!