Our Pastor

Pastor Jerry Young, a native of Scott, Mississippi, is the son of the late Reverend and Mrs. E. L. Young. A graduate of Nugent Center High School in Bolivar County, Pastor Young has earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Social Science from Coahoma Junior College in Clarksdale, Mississippi and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Social Welfare from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He earned a Master of Divinity Degree and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

Pastor Young is married to the former Helen Louise Akins of Starkville, Mississippi. They are the parents of two daughters, Jerlen Louise (Picasso) Nelson and Kelli Elizabeth, and grandparents of two granddaughters, Linzee Elise Nelson and Lauryn Hailen Nelson.

Pastor Young’s commitment to God and to His church has manifested itself in service on all levels: local, state, and national. He began his service in the ministry at the Mt. Tennia Baptist Church in Lamont, Mississippi. He has served as pastor of the St. John and Pilgrim Rest Baptist Churches, both located in Greenville, Mississippi. He has prayerfully and faithfully served as pastor of New Hope Baptist Church since February 1980 where he is founder and headmaster of New Hope Christian Pre-School (Infants through K4) and New Hope Christian Elementary School (K5 through 6th grade).

With visionary insight for ministry, Dr. Jerry Young has taken up the staff of pastor to lead the people of God at New Hope Baptist Church to embrace its vision for ministry and missions which 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.” From this global perspective, Brother Young’s ministerial objective for the church is “to glorify God through our commitment to help Christ fulfill His mission for the world.” Under his watchful pastoral care, Pastor Young began early on to lead this church to experience explosive growth spiritually, numerically and influentially for the cause of Christ. His is an administration of order, skill, technique, and influence that brings Glory to God. To date, New Hope Baptist Church has over three thousand members, a consistent increase in growth from the modest 300 hundred plus members when he accepted the pastoral call. As a mission-driven church, New Hope Baptist Church excels in ministries and missions in various and varied services.

The leadership ministry consists of a viable Administrative Staff that is comprised of core ministry chairpersons and the church staff as well as a dedicated Deacon ministry of forty-five plus servants who follow the “Shepherd Model” to care for the needs of the members via the Deacon Family Ministry Plan. Visibly active are numerous ministries such as: Assimilation-Outreach, Banner, Christian Education, an accredited (SACS) Christian School, College/Young Adults, Couples, Divorce Care, Drama, Education Awareness, Elective Sunday School, Evangelism, Family Discipleship, Family Enrichment, Financial Management, Grief Share, Health, Laymen, Music, Pre-marital Counseling, Prison, Public Relations, Seniors, Singles, Small Groups Bible Study, Visitation/Care, Women’s Mission, Youth, and other ministries and committees.

Through Fiscal & Financial Management, the church increased its budget from $72,000 annually in 1980 to over $3 million dollars annually to date. In 1997, the congregation began to operate and minister in its $5.2 million dollar Family Life Center and by the grace of God liquidated its mortgage in December, 2005. Seeing to it that our future plans are such that only God could bring them to pass, a Future Development Ministry was designed to plan a Northeast campus that includes recreational facilities, softball/soccer fields, tennis courts, jogging track, picnic grounds, and additional parking as well as a Northwest campus that includes a new worship center, an educational facility and a senior citizen complex. The church owns seventy-three plus acres in addition to its present site.

Of Missions, Pastor Young established the “Honduras Mission Project” and other mission drives through ministries and budgeted giving. In 2007 the church sent 18 member-missionaries to Honduras in order to provide spiritual, medical and housing needs to the people of that country. To date, the church has partnered over eight (8) years with the Salt & Light Ministry in Honduras to minister to the people of Honduras and has purchased a van for the local ministry, a water purification plant and has opened and sponsors a local Dental Clinic and day care center. Also, in 2007, the church commissioned its first African missionary excursion as a fact-finding trip to start its ministry in Malawi, Africa. Since then, the church has sponsored three trips to Malawi and plans to continue this relationship by sending a team of medical professionals and other laypersons to Malawi each year. New Hope Baptist Church is also an active supporter and participant in the international ministry of Feed the Children. Of local missions, the church is actively involved in building houses for Habitat Humanity, now in its 11th year. In adopting the Forest Park Apartments, a complex of mostly single-parent tenants, the church shares in its educational and equipping ministries, fellowships and provides Christmas’ ‘Angel Tree’ gifts and toys to the children of that complex. The Small Groups Bible Study and Sunday School ministries each adopt local ministries and missions to engage in evangelism, outreach and mission projects throughout the year. New Hope Baptist Church is noted for its generous support and services to local missions’ organizations. New Hope Baptist Church is blessed to have a visionary pastor-leader who exerts a great influence for the Cause of Christ, His Church and the Community.

Dr. Jerry Young’s ministerial expertise reaches out to touch extra-church boards and ministries. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Baptist Seminary as well as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Biracial Baptist Commission. He has served the Seminary as a consultant in Evangelism, Leadership Development and Church Administration and as an instructor in Homiletics. Pastor Young served on the Ministerial Advisory Board at Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi and as an adjunct instructor in Homiletics.

Active in the community, Dr. Young has served on the Mayor’s Community and Economic Development Commission, the Planning Board for the City of Jackson, as Chairman of the sub-committee on the “Family” of the Mayor’s special committee on Partnership Against Crime and the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities. Currently, he is serving on the Board of Trustees at Belhaven College as well as the City of Jackson’s Comprehensive Planning Committee and the Capital City Convention Center Commission. Pastor Young has received numerous civic and community awards including BLACKmississippi.com’s “2004 Most Influential African American in Mississippi,” the 2005 Mississippi Majesty Award in celebration of living African American legends in Mississippi, the Phi Beta Sigma Lifetime Achievement Award in religion, as well as Rust College’s 2007 Tower of Leadership Award for Distinguished Minister & Civic Leader. Dr. Jerry Young was conferred an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA., May 2008.

Presently, Dr. Jerry Young serves as President of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Mississippi, Inc. and serves as Vice President-at-large of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. where he has the responsibility for churches in both the Bahamas and Germany.