Dr. Sherman L. Helton Sr.

Dr. Sherman Louis Helton, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. Pastor Helton has served in this capacity since June 4, 1978. Under his leadership, the New Hope congregation has experienced tremendous growth, spiritually and numerically. The church is medium size which offers a family-like atmosphere, and Pastor Helton knows the majority of the members by name or at least by family.  All members are recognized and celebrated on their birthdays and wedding anniversaries by Pastor Helton with singing from the congregation. One of the highlights each year is the recognition of lifelong members during church anniversary that Pastor Helton implemented over 20 years ago.

Pastor Helton believes in serving his community and was a bi-vocational Pastor and was employed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Here he was able to assist clients who were victims of discrimination.  Pastor Helton serves in multiple other capacities including President of the North Mississippi Baptist Education Convention, Board Member at the National Baptist Convention, and Board Member of the Sunday School Publishing Board.  Pastor Helton has led the New Hope congregation in home mission as well as foreign mission.  The most notable is with Compassion International where we financially supported a well for a community without water and young people to obtained Christian and secular education.

Dr. Helton is a lifelong learner, and his educational experience lends to this fact.  He is an alumnus of Tennessee State University, Mid-South Bible College, (Crighton), International Theological Seminary and has graduate hours at Memphis Theological Seminary.  The Tennessee School of Religion, under Dr. Rueben Green, bestowed the Doctor of Divinity Degree on Pastor Helton.  Dr. Helton is a lifetime member of his beloved fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc.

Under Pastor Helton’s leadership, he has ordained nine men who are now pastors, and four who are still under his tutelage.  He has been married to his best friend Pamela for 55 years and they birthed two sons, Sherman Jr. and Roderick, and one daughter, Rachel.  He’s the proud grandfather of six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.  His favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Sherman Louis Helton, Sr. (shearer, hero), is living proof.