Here at NHBC, we understand that church is more than a spiritual quick fix in a fast food world. It's about serving God and other people, building lasting relationships and encouraging spiritual growth.

Our ministries follow the example of Christ, who focused not on personal fulfillment but on meeting the physical and spiritual needs of those around Him. They revolve around five key concepts known as the Five E's: exalting the Savior through God-centered worship, edifying the Body of Christ through preaching, teaching and discipleship, evangelizing the lost through the proclamation of the Gospel, encouraging one another through fellowship that reflects a commitment to demonstrating the love of Christ, and equipping one another with the right attitudes and tools so that each member is involved in ministering to others (Acts 2:42-47).

You'll find some of our ministries listed herein. We hope you'll explore them not just for what you can get out of them but for how you can get involved.



NHBC's Worship Philosophy
Just as the early church was "continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer" (Acts 2:42), so we believe we should follow in their steps and do the same. We treasure the gathering of our church family together on the Lord's Day to delight in the beauty of our God (Psalm 27:4). We view Sunday worship as a time to be God-centered. The congregation must engage in the work of worship and exercise itself to godliness. We also believe that worship transcends the bounds of time and place into all of our lives so that we can glorify our Lord in the most mundane tasks all throughout our weekly routines (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Lifestyle Worship
We are impressed with the reality that New Testament worship does not end when one walks out of the church door on Sunday morning. Paul exhorted the Romans to offer up their bodies as a living sacrifice to God; he told the Corinthians that whatever they did was to be to God's glory. We believe that means every aspect of our living should be done in such a manner that other people who observe our lives get the right opinion about the character of our God. This impacts every aspect of our existence, every relationship we have. Families, HEART Groups, neighborhoods, and work places provide a wonderful opportunity to put this truth into practice. Within these small groups the church family is given the chance to live out the "one another" passages in scripture.

Community Worship
Each Sunday morning we unite together as the children of God to praise our Lord for who He is. It is our desire to be a congregation that worships the Lord in "spirit and in truth." We believe this means we must be authentic in our worship and have every response to God grounded in the truth of His Word. As the Word of God richly dwells within us we believe the Holy Spirit will allow us to offer up a sacrifice of praise that is pleasing in God's sight. Our worship service expressions to God may include elements of repentance, confession, praise, joy, hope, peace, and love. There are times of quiet stillness and resounding congregational singing. We want our worship to include a complete expression of the Christian experience.

A typical Sunday morning worship service might include prayer, singing, Scripture reading, special music, an offering, and a sermon. We periodically quote the Apostle's Creed to remind ourselves of the essentials of the faith and our connection to the "great cloud of witnesses" who have quoted it for centuries.

A particularly special time in our church is the observance of the Lord's table. We delight in this solemn, yet joyful reminder of the cross and our salvation. It is a time to be brought back to the basics of the faith and also to personally analyze our relationship with God and other believers. We also enjoy holding baptismal services for new converts at a local reservoir. Initially we did this outside due to a lack of a baptismal pool, but we have come to enjoy this public confession of a new life in Christ. On Sunday evenings we gather to work on the application of Scripture to our lives. It is not enough to hear the Word - we must be living it! This Bible study time is an informal, interactive discussion of the passage or topic covered during the morning service.

Music Ministry
The goal of NHBC's music & worship ministry is to focus our praise on God, following the Biblical command to "Let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).

We encourage those with musical ability to participate in the church orchestra or to provide special music during the Sunday morning worship service. Those with vocal talents may choose to sing in the choral ensemble. It is our desire to sing music that is God-centered, theologically sound, characterized by beauty and excellence, and sung in a style appropriate to the occasion.




Discipleship
Jesus said, "If you abide in my words, you are my disciples indeed" (John 8:31). A disciple is a learner, someone seeking to understand more about a teaching before sharing it with someone else. The Bible tells us the disciples of Jesus spent three years with Him before they were commissioned to go out on their own.

We believe discipleship takes time and requires an ongoing mentor relationship. Therefore, we provide special biblical education for mature Christians who want to help others grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Our elders offer a six-week course designed to highlight the essential elements of discipleship, and those who complete the course are better prepared to help a new or struggling convert in their walk with God.

Counseling
The elders at NHBC offer biblical counseling services on an intimate, confidential basis, including divorce care, marital preparation, biblical financial advice and individual spiritual needs. For more information, please contact NHBC Pastor Jon Trainer.

Teaching Ministry
We are commanded to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel," and our desire at NHBC is to further that Great Commission by providing solid, practical education in the essentials of the Christian faith.

Our teaching ministry is focused on the authority and necessity of Scripture in our lives "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2Timothy 3:17). This centrality of the Bible is applied in every aspect of our ministry - from the Sunday morning worship service (at 10:30 a.m.) to the evening adult Bible study (at 6 p.m.) and other classes and programs throughout the week.

All of our Christian Education opportunities are aimed at transforming a person toward the character, values, motives, and attitudes of Jesus Christ. The knowledge imparted in the classroom is just one part of the process. We also encourage our teachers to develop transactional relationships with their students so that students can learn through the process of identification. We learn the most from someone who embodies in an attractive manner the very qualities they are teaching.

Youth Program
The primary purpose of NHBC's youth ministry is to help today's teens understand biblical teaching and establish spiritual priorities in their lives. Our young people meet weekly in a small mentoring group on Sunday nights (at 6 p.m.) to study the Bible and discuss its impact on their lives and today's culture. They are encouraged to grow in their faith and to share that faith with others in their peer group at school and at work.

Our teens also participate in fun recreational activities and outings designed to promote relationships, teamwork, and leadership. They are exposed to ministry opportunities and community service projects through the youth program, HEART groups, and the NHBC missions program.

Children's Program
The NHBC children's church (ages 2 to 12) is designed to help parents "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

All of our teachers have been approved by the elders and trained in our childcare policies and procedures. Children ages 5 to 12 attend the first portion of the adult worship service (Sundays @ 9:30 a.m.) before being dismissed to their own class. Children of pre-school age can be taken directly to class before the adult worship service begins. Please contact the church or ask a greeter for more information.

Koffee Klatch
Our Saturday morning Koffee Klatch (a "klatch" is a meeting characterized by informal discussion) is open to anyone interested in spending a hour or so discussing a featured book, praying about spiritual needs or just catching up with friends. We meet at the New Albany Tim Hortons at 8:30am; the atmosphere is casual; and regular attendance is not required.

Bookends
Bookends is a women’s ministry that meets at the home of one of our members in New Albany. The purpose of the group is to be actively engaged in reading texts, both classic and contemporary, that challenge our thinking and our faith. Warm fellowship and vigorous discussion characterize a typical Bookends gathering. Participation is open to all and reading the current book is not even required.




Redemptive Relationships
Believing that God's love is communicated most effectively through lasting, meaningful, redemptive relationships, NHBC strives to encourage Biblical evangelism on a personal level.

We encourage our church family to follow the New Testament example of Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul in building constructive mentoring relationships with new believers that are focused on discipleship. This is also a priority in our midweek small group fellowships known as HEART groups.

Evangelism Training
Christians share a responsibility to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel," yet sharing our faith can be an intimidating process. NHBC offers specialized training designed to help Christians overcome the obstacles in telling others about Christ. Members of our ministry staff are trained to provide instruction in sharing our faith. The elders just recently completed reading the Going Public with Your Faith by Peel and Larimore.

International Missions Support
NHBC understands that reaching the world with the "New Hope" of Jesus Christ means looking beyond our local community. As a small congregation seeking to develop a global vision for ministry outreach, we currently provide financial and spiritual support for two missionary endeavors.

Our goal is to develop "redemptive relationships" with the missionaries we support, keeping constant check on their progress; supporting them physically, emotionally and spiritually; and holding each other accountable.

The Howells
Rob and Kara Howell have been working since 2000 to establish a non-denominational church ministry in Mwanza, Tanzania. They face many challenges adapting to African culture and great opportunities in reaching an area of the world where 50 percent of the villages have no evangelical witness. To learn more, please visit the Howells and their ministry.

Missions to Military
NHBC also provides financial and prayer support for Missions to Military, an international organization working to evangelize the United States military community both here in the U.S. and abroad. MTM ministers to servicemen and women through Military Christian Centers, providing free bunks, meals, recreation and Bible studies that function as both a home away from home and a Bible Institute. For more information please visit Missions to Military.

Missions Links



HEART Groups
Here at NHBC, we are committed to our vision of being a balanced church, focused on the importance of what we call the Five E's: Exalting, Edifying, Evangelizing, Encouraging and Equipping (Acts 2:42-47).

To further this process, our church meets weekly in small groups around Central Ohio to pray, study the Bible and develop personal and spiritual relationships that help enhance our ministry.

Locations
HEART groups currently meet in Columbus, Gahanna, New Albany, Newark, Johnstown and Westerville.

Leaders/Contact Information
For more information on times, locations and study topics, contact the following HEART group leaders:

Gahanna - Sean Maxfield
New Albany - Tom Prinsen
Newark - Thad Claggett
Johnstown - Ed Jaeger
Westerville - Ron Leach
Columbus - John Trainer

Communications Group
The CommGroup, as it's affectionately called, consists of a small committee of church members who have talents or occupational training in certain areas of communication, such as writing, graphic design, publishing, web development and audio/visual technology.

This group meets regularly (reporting to the Deacons) to develop and implement the communications outreach of the church. They maintain the web site, publish newsletters and brochures, coordinate the audio/visual program, oversee advertising and manage the general branding identity of NHBC and its ministries.

Nursing Home Ministry
Every third Sunday of the month, you'll find members of our church family spending time at a local senior care center sharing the Gospel, singing songs and spending personal time with the residents. Their hearts may echo the prayer of Psalm 71: 7-9: I have become a marvel to many; for You are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with Your praise, and with Your glory all day long. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails. Just as God is faithful to them, we want to be as well. For more information, check the calendar for times and locations.

Greeters
Our Sunday morning greeters fill one of the most important roles in NHBC's weekly encouragement ministry. They're often the first person you meet when you visit the church, and they serve as a point-person for your questions about the nursery, children's classes, HEART group locations and overall church information. If you need to find a greeter, look for the big smile and hand shake right inside the door.

Service Ministry (nursery, ushers, facilities management, etc.)
Our Service Ministry is an essential, behind-the-scenes element of NHBC's day to day operations. The people involved in this volunteer effort help fill a variety of key positions, from nursery care and ushering to facilities management and lawn maintenance.




Supper Six
To encourage lasting and meaningful relationships at NHBC, many of our church families, couples and single adults participate in a small-group program called Supper Six. Participants are matched randomly in groups of five or six adults who meet together for dinner and fellowship during a six-week period.

Recreational Activities
The NHBC church family participates in dozens of recreational activities throughout the year, from weeknight pick-up basketball games and regular golf outings to youth group paint ball outings and picnics on the farm. If you're looking for a friendly place to find a spiritual and physical challenge, you'll find it at New Hope.


Several New Hope kids get ready for a hayride

Visitation
The elders of NHBC visit members of the church family who are in physical or spiritual need. These scheduled visits are often designed to reach out to those who are not able to join us each week because of long-term illness or other personal struggle. If you would like to be visited by an elder, please contact Pastor Jon Trainer at the church office.

College Care
Not only do we live in a community that's home to 10 nearby colleges and universities, but many of our own church families also have children currently studying for a college degree. So meeting the needs of college students is important.

At NHBC, we believe it's important to treat our college students like members of our extended family. We keep them informed of what's happening here at their home church through our regular e-mail updates, and many of our ministry groups participate in care package projects, sending cards, food and special gifts to our college students as a pick-me-up for those long, hard days of hitting the books.