About New Hope Center
Origins
The group that formed New Hope Center church started by having prayer and worship at the home of Scott and Nancy Spencer, in 1993. The meetings at the Spencers were held on Sunday afternoons. The initial meetings at this church building were also on Sunday afternoons.
Scott and Nancy Spencer, Ross and Joyce Clark, Craig and Esther Gibler, Violet Kimbel, Margaret Likes, and the first pastor, Rev. Jay Wagner and his wife Esther came to this old building to purchase it for the new location for this fledging congregation. This group stood in a circle and held hands in prayer. Mr. Ross Clark took a $100.00 bill from his wallet and stated that this was seed money for this building. Rev. Wagner and Mr. Spencer conferred with the Baptists on the purchase. They made an offer to purchase this church building, and the offer was accepted. The first meeting at this church building was on October 10, 1993.
The first pastor was Reverend Jay Wagner with his wife, Esther from 1993 to 1998. The second pastor was Rev. George Moore from 1998 to 2002. The third pastor was Rev. Rich Schaus, from 2002 to 2006, and the fourth pastor is Rev. Richard Lee from 2006 to present. Richard Lee is the resident current pastor, who also serves as an evangelist and occasional chaplain.
Meet the Pastor
Richard Lee is a trained clergyman and practicing trial lawyer. Rev. Lee’s biography was published in Who's Who in America, 2000 Millennial Edition. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in comparative religion from the University of Washington, a Doctorate of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Gonzaga University School of Law, and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Fuller Theological Seminary.
New Hope Center doctrinal statement
These are nonnegotiable tenets of faith we adhere to:
- The Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16).
- There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
- In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years (John 1:1).
- In the blessed hope-the rapture of the Church at Christ's coming (Titus 2:13).
- The only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ (John 14:6).
- Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation (Titus 3:5).
- In water baptism by immersion (Matthew 28:19).
- The redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer (1 Peter 2:24).
- The baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it.
- In the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life (Galatians 5:16-25).
- In the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation (Revelation 20:11-15).
