SIDNEY – A Sidney native has returned home to head up a new church that meets at the Sidney YMCA every Sunday morning.
Pastor Scott New is the leader of New Covenant Church, an independent Baptist church. The congregation also offers a children’s service, and Tuesday night bible study. Sunday morning service begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Y conference room. Bible study is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the First Church of the Nazarene, 1899 Wapakoneta Ave.
New is originally from Sidney, but has been away for many years, he said. He has a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. He graduated from the school of Biblical and Theological studies at Cedarville University with a Master of Ministry degree in 2015.
He and his wife, Berni, will be married 20 years in September.
He claims the path back to Sidney, and the new church, was clearly defined.
“I was approached by a group of local folks who wanted to form a new church with the same purpose and goals (mentioned below). This came at a time when two other churches had approached me (to pastor). For a short while, I served as an interim pastor for New Covenant Church, but in time God’s will became clear to accept the position of full time pastor that the church offered me.”
New said he is driven by the message his church wants to send.
“We are a theologically conservative, evangelical Baptist church. We have a very high view of the Bible as the inspired Word of God. We consider ourselves to be a ‘back to the Bible’ church. We are therefore very much about the Biblical Gospel of Christ. This is what we teach and preach, and live our lives in the truth of it.”
He continued, “We do not come to the Bible with a leaf rake, we come to the Bible with a pick and shovel. We are not raking leaves, we are digging for treasure.”
“We even wanted our name to be Biblical. That is why we named ourselves New Covenant Church, after the words of Jesus himself in Luke 22:20. We wish to do our part in our community to fulfill our Lord’s great commission from the gospel of Matthew: Chapter 28, which is to make disciples, baptize disciples, and teach them to observe all that Christ commanded.”
New said the congregation is happy with being at the Y. They currently have no plans to find another location, which will be determined as the church grows.
“We have a great, cheerful atmosphere to worship in. We are in the process of starting new activities for all our church members, children and adults at the Y and elsewhere. The YMCA staff has been very helpful and gracious to us. God has opened so many doors for this new church. It has been quite inspiring.”
For more information, contact New at New Covenant Church, P.O. Box 878, Sidney, OH 4536; by calling 937-582-6556; or by email at [email protected].
