OUR HISTORY

The Birth of New Life Ministries

New Life Ministries was founded in April 2002 and continues to thrive today. After being led by the Lord in June 2001, Apostle Karen Hale returned to Fayetteville, NC. In January 2002, she was divinely inspired to establish New Life Ministries, with the Word and Love as its foundation. God imparted a great vision for this ministry.

The ministry began in her home with her three sons—Robert, Donte, and Raymond—as well as her spiritual daughter, Haven, in April 2002. The next meeting place was at the Ramada Inn on Eastern Blvd. After a period of prayer and fasting, God blessed the ministry with a new location in June 2002 in Hope Mills, NC, which became the church’s first official home. The inaugural service was held on August 11, 2002, with the Overton family as the first guests. By the end of that month, they had joined as members. Soon after, Lena and Michelle Morris, along with Manuel Evans, also became part of the growing congregation. God was not only adding to the church but also strengthening it both spiritually and numerically. This was just the beginning of New Life Ministries.

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Expanding the Vision

In alignment with the church’s mission, NLM Community Development Corporation was established in 2005, launching initiatives such as a clothing bank and a summer camp. In 2006, New Life Ministries Association of Churches was formed to further expand the ministry’s reach.

As the church continued to grow, a larger facility became necessary. Once again, God provided. In April 2007, we moved to our current location to Murchison Road—a building that accommodates 300 people and includes offices, a full kitchen, a multi-purpose room, and classrooms. The dedication service took place in June 2007, marking another milestone in our journey.

In August 2007, we celebrated Apostle Hale’s 30th year in the ministry and the church’s 5th anniversary, during which she was officially consecrated as an Apostle. The following year, in 2008, New Life Bible College was established in accordance with our church vision. The college offers Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs.

In 2012, we achieved another significant milestone by purchasing our current building and property.

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Advancing Toward Greater Heights

In 2015, we fasted and prayed for God’s land provision to fulfill our vision's next phase. In 2016, the process began, and through God's favor, we purchased 16 acres of land in Hope Mills, known as The Promise Land, on January 10, 2017.

In 2019, NLM Community Development Corporation was rebranded as Hope for the Future CDC, aligning with its evolving mission. Additionally, in 2018, the college’s name changed to New Life Bible College and Seminary, and in May 2024, it became New Life Theological Seminary. The school received a religious education exemption from the University of North Carolina and obtained its accreditation from Transworld Accrediting Commission International in June 2024.

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Persevering Through Challenges

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained steadfast in our mission, serving both the Body of Christ virtually and our community through the continued distribution of clothing and food. God has been faithful and continues to do great things for New Life Ministries.

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Embracing the Future

We are now prepared to step into the next phase of our vision. We will go to “The Promised Land”! What God has promised, He will surely perform in Jesus’ name.