For many years, Adrian Clark had been thinking about starting his own church, but the time never seemed right. Then he heard God tell him, “Now is the time,” and New Vision Ministries was born.

New Vision Ministries will celebrate its official opening with a Launch Service on Easter Sunday, April 20, at 9 a.m. The service will take place in the Holiday Inn Banquet Hall, located at 115 Cypress Drive.

“We are very excited about this ministry,” Clark said. “People have already been joining to be a part of it. It’s a joyous work.”

Clark will serve as the head pastor of the non-denominational church. Although he holds a full-time job at Hinds Community College as a student advisor, he has pastored other churches and led youth revivals. He will finish his Doctor of Divinity degree in June.

“When it comes to doing the work of God, I like to move freely, by the spirit,” Clark said. “I want to do what the Holy Spirit tells me to do. I have a heart to serve people. I often tell people there is a difference between church and ministry. Ministry is to serve.

“This ministry is going to be very active in the community of Vicksburg. We’re not just going to come to church on Sunday and that’s it. We are looking to serve the community. I’ve been talking to a couple of agencies in Vicksburg, asking, ‘How we can collaborate and partner with you to help the city of Vicksburg be a better place?'” Clark said.

Clark added that mission work is an important aspect of any church, and it all happens outside of the sanctuary.

“In the ministry of Jesus, the vast percentage of his work was done outside the four walls. We’re going to try to model his example and do a lot of work in the community.”

Clark said he has a passion for youth and believes reaching out to young people means meeting them where they are, which may not always be in a church setting.

He said he also hopes to help troubled youth.

“Our main focus will be, ‘What can we do to help combat some of this crime, these youth going to jail?’ We know Christ is the solution for everything. So, if we can just find a way to get them to believe in Christ and to know that Christ loves and cares for them, then I believe this community can be a better place.”

He cited changing times and the age of technology as both tools and obstacles when it comes to spreading the message of Christ.

“We have to meet them where they are,” he said. “Our methods have to change, but the message doesn’t change.”

Clark said he envisions helping young people with more than their spiritual lives. He said he’d like to have back-to-school drives to help equip the less fortunate with backpacks, supplies and uniforms.

As he builds the new church, Clark said he is optimistic, adding the church already has a small core group of committed members and he is praying for God to send the right supporting ministers to assist him with the church. He said he wants his church to be visible to the community and believes he can achieve that by helping others.

In addition to services on Sunday, Clark leads a weekly Bible study at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays via Zoom. Information about participating in the class can be found on his Facebook page @Adrian Clark.

Clark added something else he hopes to accomplish with church members is to help them find the “special gift” God has bestowed on each of them. Clark said everyone has been given a gift, or a passion.

“As the overseer of this ministry, it is one of my responsibilities to help bring that gift out of them, to help them see the value that they hold when they come to the kingdom of God.”

Clark said he believes God will honor his faith.

“I see this church being a great pillar in the city of Vicksburg,” he said.