Attachment A
New Birth Outreach Church History
On August 21, 2002, sixty-one people gathered for a meeting at 2951 Norris Road
- Columbus, GA., to discuss their desires and intentions for a new ministry.
Pastor Farnsworth Coleman Sr. called the meeting to order and he presented the
options and plans to go forward with a new ministry. After discussion, the
group expressed their desire to indeed start a new ministry and that Farnsworth
Coleman Sr. would be the Pastor.
After much discussion, the members voted unanimously that the name of the new
Church would be New Birth Outreach Ministries.
Each person present signed a large souvenir poster that was dated and labeled
Founder?s Meeting. Pastor Coleman stated that all persons attending the
meeting, who make a commitment to New Birth Outreach Ministries, will go down
in history as FIVE-STAR MEMBERS. All persons who joined the new ministry within
the first three months will go down in history as FOUR-STAR MEMBERS.
This meeting took place at a prospective site that was on the market at the
time. After viewing the property, the members were in agreement that New Birth
Outreach Ministries should secure the site with a deposit as soon as possible.
Pastor Coleman presented the mission statement for the new ministry. He also
proposed a seven-member board that will manage the governmental affairs of New
Birth Outreach Ministries. This board will be recommended by the pastor and
voted on by the members of New Birth Outreach Ministries annually.
The first worship service was held at Brookstone Full Gospel Church in
Columbus, Georgia on August 25, 2002 at 8:00 A.M. The next service was held at
the new home of New Birth Outreach Ministries, 2951 Norris Road in Columbus,
Georgia.
The Board of Directors was elected by the Church Body to manage the
governmental affairs of New Birth Outreach Ministries on September 8, 2002. On
November 20, 2002, the Church completed the permanent financing for the
property at 2951 Norris Road, and 3110 Norris Road, Columbus Georgia.
Pastor Farnsworth Coleman presented the Church?s organizational chart and
vision on Saturday, December 28, 2002 during the year end business meeting.
Church ministries included; Sunday School, Women?s Ministry, Men?s Ministry,
Youth Ministry and Children?s Worship & Nursery. New Birth became a covenant
partner with Full Gospel Fellowship during the first year of our existence.
(www.fullgospelbaptist.org).
After the ministry was in existence for almost two years, we purchased 26.5
acres of land on Veterans Parkway on July 8, 2004. The land was one of the
last large tracts of land left in the most sought after northern part of the
city. The land would be later used to develop a campus to include a Sanctuary,
Family Life Center, recreation and much more.
The property at 3110 Norris Road was remodeled from a home and re-opened for
operations in December 2004 and was used as the Administrative Building.
The ministry continued to grow year after year and eventually began to outgrow
the current location. It was time to fulfill the vision that God had given our
Pastor. Before moving, we changed the corporate name of the church from New
Birth Outreach ?Ministries? to New Birth Outreach ?Church?. The ministries had
served its purpose for its season and now God had blessed us to be a full
service church. A church comprised of various ministries.
On January 1, 2007, the Pastor initiated a pledge drive toward the vision of
occupying the property on Veterans Parkway. The initial project was projected
at $1.5 million and there were three levels of giving to permanently show
support of our move to Veterans Parkway. One thousand dollars for the Champion
Level of giving (144 Spots), Six thousand dollars for the Elder Level of giving
(24 spots) and Twelve thousand dollars for the Disciple Level of giving (12
spots). The Pastor also committed to the Master Level of giving of Eighteen
thousand dollars to lead all pledges. This pledge drive gave us the catalyst
to pursue financing for the new Sanctuary.
On June 1, 2007, the pledge drive ended and we listed the Norris Road property
on the market for sale. We also interviewed architects and builders. We
decided to proceed with the construction project and Webb Construction was
chosen to be our builder.
Plans were finalized and financing secured in the fall of 2007. New Birth
Outreach Church officially broke ground on January 2, 2008. The once $1.5
million project was now just at $2.8 million with $850,000 of that being site
preparation. The Lord said about Peter, ?Upon this rock, I will build my
church?, but for New Birth, the Lord literally built our new home on a rock.
Blasting, grading, filling and engineering all took place to make way for the
new sanctuary.
After many months of showing the property at Norris Road and many failed
promises to purchase, The River of Columbus Church and Pastor Mike Childs were
blessed of the Lord to purchase our Norris Road location. They moved their
already existing ministry into a building of their own. We completed the sale
of the Norris Road location. In an instant, we went from owning to renting.
But this was only for a season. The Board of Directors facilitated a buy/lease
back for the remainder of our construction period, which was supposed to be
October to November 2008.
In August 2008, we celebrated our last Founder?s Day in the Norris Road
Sanctuary. In December 2008, we celebrated our last Christmas program in the
Norris Road Sanctuary. There have been many lasts in the Sanctuary at Norris
Road, but as we reflect, we are so thankful for all of the firsts. The first
cry from a new born baby whose mother had been told she would be motherless.
The first smile from a soldier after returning from Iraq to be with his
family. The first breaking down of strong holds from an addict as he receives
the gift of eternal life. There have been so many firsts in the glorious place
that we have called home for New Birth Outreach Church for the past 6 years.
The Lord has been so good to us and we are eternally thankful. Now, we must
continue a ?new work?.
After approximately 14 months, Webb Construction put the final touches on an
absolutely gorgeous Sanctuary. In this Sanctuary, there is an office for the
Pastor, First Lady, Church Assistant and Ministers. Also included is a
conference room, finance room, four classrooms, a nursery, multi-purpose room,
ladies suite, two additional bathrooms and a sanctuary that will initially seat
550 people and expand to 700 at a later date. It is a beauty to behold. But,
as the Pastor has cautioned each member, ?Brick and mortar is nothing if the
Holy Spirit is not present. As we go to the new sanctuary, we seek God for His
anointing.?
Finally, the moment that we all had been waiting for came on February 25, 2009.
We moved into our new church on Veterans Parkway. We had our Ribbon Cutting
Service on February 27, 2009 at 7:00PM. 2009 was a transitional year for us.
Transition was made easier after Elder Carlos Coleman was elevated to Pastor of
Administration on September 27, 2009.
Church growth, for the first year in the new church, opened the door to
purchase twelve additional acres of adjourning land making a total of 38.6
acres. This will be developed as provision for the vision as it is released.
Our Senior Pastor and Founder, Farnsworth Coleman, Sr. was elevated as the
Overseer of the Georgia West District of the Full Gospel Baptist Church
Fellowship International on June 21, 2010.
As God continued to bless us by increasing our lot of families, we experienced
a Youth Explosion. God blessed us with our first female Pastor. Minister Tyila
Cooks was elevated and ordained on July 25, 2010 as Youth Pastor of New Birth
Outreach Church.
In March of 2011 we buried a 100 year time-capsule in honor of our founder to
be opened in August of 2102. The capsule was filled with sermons, pictures and
a letter from the founder to the presiding Pastor at the time. We pray for a
wonderful day when the ceremony takes place and the time capsule is opened.
As the rest of the world experienced some of the toughest economic times to hit
the United States in 70 years, New Birth was blessed to pay of the additional
12 acres purchased in 2010 in just over 15 months. God?s Blessing is on the
house of God overseen by the man of God.
At the December 2013 Business Meeting, our Senior Pastor and Founder,
Farnsworth Coleman Sr. announced a 10 month transition to retirement for the
first Sunday in October 2014. His reasoning was ?There is no better time than
now to make the Shift.?..? Pastor Carlos D. Coleman was named as the successor
as he had served as Pastor of Administration for the previous 6 years.
Construction began on the roughly $3 Million Future Life Center in January and
is currently 50% complete. The Future Life Center will provide much needed
classroom space for Sunday Worship, additional offices, a fellowship area for
special events and the first floor will be home to the Emanuel Preparatory
School of Math and Science. The Science and Math Institution for boys will
provide an advanced education in the areas which are a part of the schools name
as well as the core curriculum in the Muscogee County School District. The
construction is about 6 weeks behind but our contractor has plans to cut that
in half over the next 5 month.
In 2014, One of our very first Deacons was retired as a member of our inaugural
Deacons ministry in 2002. David Williams retired as a deacon under good
standings, exceptional service and stewardship to God?s Kingdom and New Birth
Outreach Church. David Williams always served with a smile and a great
attitude in Jesus? name.
In July 2014, we completed a 6 month search for a Youth Pastor to take the
vision of our youth ministry and run with it. William Cooper III was announced
as the first ever Youth Pastor outside of the ministry and he has the
experience and the qualifications to reach the youth in our community and our
church.
......To be continued.
Attachments
No attachments for this document.