www.mississippilink.com VOL. 20, NO. 6 NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4, 2013 50¢ THANKSGIVING: transformation of gratitude to living Christ-like Interviewwith Pastor Jerry Young of 100-year-old New Hope Church Pastor Jerry Young enjoys Pastor Appreciation Day with First Lady Helen Young, daughter Jerlen Young- Nelson (standing), daughter Kelli Young-Hart (holding infant) and her husband Benjamin Hart. PHOTO BY CARLYN PHOTOGRAPHY The current (left) and future New Hope Baptist Church By Ayesha K. Mustafaa the expansion of the New Hope There are several things in- to teach and you’ve got to train. tist Church. Many of those good New Hope Church. There was a Editor Christian Elementary School. volved, but first of all is a serious So thirdly, if you exalt Christ, things laid a tremendous foun- tremendous consciousness about and Jackie Hampton Young is hard to catch sitting faith commitment to the Lord Je- educate and train the saints, that dation for me. And I have been that. Publisher still. Not only is he active in his sus Christ. It has to be a commit- allows you to be in a much better blessed and privileged to be able to That is why I talk about social New Hope Baptist Church is city and state but also as a promi- ment essentially to his purpose: position to evangelize sinners. build on what he did. responsibility. The Bible says celebrating its 100th year, 1913- nent leader in the National Baptist what is it that Christ has called the MS Link: Pastor or reverend He, of course, built on what Pas- that Christ went about teaching, 2013, with reflection on its cen- Convention USA, Inc., now serv- church to be and do. This commit- …. tor George Hunte had done. And preaching and healing. Then the tennial legacy, including its seven ing as its vice president-at-large. ment to His purpose allows the YOUNG: I prefer pastor…. that is how it happens. God does Bible says that he went about do- pastors over the 100 years, a testa- This Thanksgiving weekend, church to be able to count on His MS Link: For this church over it. And that link is the reflection ing many other good works. That ment to the church’s cohesive con- The Mississippi Link recognizes presence. 100 years to have just seven pas- of that providence and its purpose is social responsibility. gregation and leadership. the church legacy, Pastor Young, To count on His presence means tors shows a close knit, cohesive and why God brought a pastor at a I am convinced that part of what “Standing on His Promises to First Lady Helen Young, the New that He (Christ) is going to be in- group of leaders. So how do you particular time. is missing to some extent in the Realize Our Godly Potential” was Hope church family and its fu- volved in that. It allows you basi- see the link from one pastor to the MS Link: You have different church today is that people who the celebratory theme of the cul- ture. The following interview with cally to claim His promises, and other; how are they connected? ministries listed; there’s the minis- preach justification seem to deny minating event held at the Jack- Young will shed some light on the His promises become ours. Young: At this stage in my try to the children and ministry to that the God of our justification son Convention Complex. Sev- mission and vision of New Hope There are a lot of times when life, I am absolutely convinced the prison services. Which is more is also the God who is concerned eral other programs were sprinkled Baptist Church. churches commit themselves to that when it comes to the life of the important, what is the priority? about justice. throughout 2013, including the MS Link: Congratulations on something other than His promise church and what we do, God does YOUNG: When you start talk- MS Link: Your school has 33rd anniversary of Dr. Jerry the 100th year anniversary of New and purpose. Sometimes we major not deal in accidents. He deals ing about various kinds of min- a long history and great signifi- Young as the church’s seventh pas- Hope Baptist Church. So what has in minor things and minor in major with appointments. So my answer istries, there are two things you cance, which is evident in the tor and the groundbreaking for the sustained the church to reach such things. I am convinced, as I have is very short: It’s providential. God have to acknowledge and agree edifice itself. It draws attention to new church complex. a milestone? said to our church over and over brings people to the place for that that they occur in scripture, when something is going on here. How There is the legacy of consistent YOUNG: It is essentially what again, that Christ’s last command particular season. I recognize in a it comes to Christ and ministering. did a school of this magnitude and sustained growth, from meet- will sustain any church. I believe ought not be the church’s least real sense that whatever I accom- That is why I mentioned evange- evolve for the church? Are these ing in the home of Ida Taylor on without exception that that which concern. plish, it happens for two reasons. lism first. Evangelism is absolutely children from the congregation; Whitfield Mills Road in Jackson allows any church to exist for Our commitment is to make One is because of God’s provi- number one, in terms of what the are they children from the com- with seven members to its future any duration of time - particularly sure that we do three things in par- dence and secondly because of Bible teaches. The church has to munity? How did you grow the site (in the next 18 months) at the when you start talking about a ticular. Number one, make sure the people who came before. You be involved in evangelism. school? former Jackson College of Minis- hundred years - and to be success- we always highly exalt Christ; be build on that foundation. The second aspect of Christ’s YOUNG: Actually, we started try complex at 1555 Beasley Road. ful in ministry is to be growing and Christ-centered all the way. The Emmett Burns was the pastor ministry is social responsibility. with the preschool, and here is The current church building at involved in what Christ has called second thing is to make sure that I followed here. Burns did some The church cannot, in my opinion, what my philosophy was and is. 5202 Watkins Drive will facilitate us to do. we educate the saints. You’ve got good things at New Hope Bap- be a New Testament church if that I have always wanted to be in- church does not involve itself in volved in Christian education. I evangelism and social respon- have always been convinced that sibility. if you are going to change behav- To be socially responsible ul- ior, you have to change what you Pastors to preach about AIDS epidemic on World AIDS Day timately means that we’ve got believe. Belief precedes behavior. to be concerned not only about If you are going to change my what the church does to share actions, you have to change my at- the good news of the Gospel in titude. If you are going to change terms of preaching and teach- my attitude, you have to change ing, but the church has to dem- what I have been taught. For me, onstrate the Gospel, not just teaching is paramount. So I de- declare the Gospel. cided I wanted to have a Christian All of the various ministries school. you see in our church grow out So I asked, “How do we start Pastor Jerry Young Bishop Ronnie Crudup Pastor Michael Williams Pastor Joe May Pastor Jennifer Biard Pastor Tony Yarber of that commitment to demon- this school?” Then I thought the strate the Gospel. best way to do this is to start with MS Link: Over these 100 a preschool, and then grow from years, were your predecessors the preschool. That is what we involved in the Civil Rights did. In the first few years, probably Movement? 90 percent of the children who YOUNG: Emmett Burns came to our school were from the was for sure. He epitomized the community - not members of our Civil Rights Movement. Em- Representative John Hines mett was field secretary for the Pastor Young NAACP while he was pastor at Pastor James Henley Pastor Hosea Hines Pastor Dewayne Pickett Pastor Roderick Richardson Senator Kenneth Jones See story on page 13 Continued on page 6 A. G. Gaston: Prayer for BOOK REVIEW: Share this issue with a friend ‘Find a need holiday “Letters To An by mailing it to: and fill it’ blessings Incarcerated Inside Brother” Page 11 Page 13 Page 18 2 • the mississippi link november 28 - December 4, 2013 www.mississippilink.com National Safety Award presented to Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area and local law enforcement leaders MetLife Foundation honors alliance to reduce crime and revitalize neighborhoods The Mississippi Link Newswire Habitat for Humanity Missis- sippi Capital Area (HFHMCA), along with local law enforcement leaders have been recognized with a national MetLife Founda- tion Community-Police Partner- ship Award for greatly improving the safety and vitality of neigh- borhoods in the Metro Jackson area. The partnership among HFHMCA, the City of Jackson, and local law enforcement agen- cies supported and strengthened by community stakeholders and vested homeowners - clearly demonstrates that blighted, inner city neighborhoods such as Mid- City/Georgetown and Englewood Gardens can be revitalized.