Hobby Lobby donates building to New Orleans congregation

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer

NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Faith-based arts and crafts retailer Hobby Lobby has donated a historic church building to the members of the NOLA Baptist Church.

The donation, which took place in late-Decem­ber, allows the congre­gation to move forward with plans to renovate the building and relocate from a leased warehouse space.

“We trusted that He would provide all that we needed if He wanted us to steward this property,” Pastor Kyle Jagers told the Baptist Message. “God far exceeded our expecta­tions.”

BACKGROUND

NOLA Baptist Church began in 2013 as a church plant of Norris Ferry Com­munity Church, Shreveport. The church relocated a few times, including in 2017 to its current location on Tchoupi­toulas Street.

Through conversations with New Orleans Baptist Association leaders, the church learned Valence Street Baptist Church (who donated the property to the association after they closed in 2016) was for sale.

NOBA and NOLA Baptist Church then signed a pur­chase agreement. However, Hobby Lobby learned of the situation and in November 2022 purchased the facility for $275,000, with the end goal of one day donating the property to the church.

Since then, NOLA Bap­tist Church has spent nearly $100,000 in renovation work on the 140-year-old build­ing that included removal of asbestos and some external repairs.

Moving forward, the church must continue reno­vations that may cost up to $2 million, and soon they will begin fundraising efforts.

“God was gracious to give us a verse to cling to in this season,” Jagers said. “In Revelation 3:8 Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia, ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my Word and have not denied my name.’

“Though we have but little power, we believe Jesus has opened door for us that no one can shut,” he said. “This verse also shows us how to walk through this door that he has opened. He says, ‘yet you have kept my Word and not denied my name.’ We move forward with stewardship of this property by keeping His Word and holding fast to His name. We receive all the means to renovate the prop­erty by keeping His word and holding fast to His name. We live as a light to com­munity around us by keeping His Word and holding fast to His name. Keeping His Word and holding fast to His name is faith that Jesus is all we need.

“This verse tells us if we are faithful to Him, He will providentially take care of everything that we need,” he continued. “He will provide all that we need in order to do all the works that He has appointed for us.”

NOBA Executive Director Jack Hunter expressed simi­lar excitement in a statement to the Baptist Message.

“The sister churches of the New Orleans Baptist Associa­tion are delighted that the historic church property on the corner of Magazine and Valence Streets in Uptown New Orleans has transitioned to NOLA Baptist Church,” he said. “This diverse congrega­tion is composed of persons who have come to faith and been congregationalized by the faithful public witness of NOLA Baptist Church’s pastor, Kyle Jagers, and her people.

“The Association stew­arded the aspirations of the pastor and people of Valence Street Baptist Church, the congregation that last owned and occupied this property, who hoped and prayed that the property would con­tinue to be a lighthouse for the Gospel in Uptown New Orleans, a pulpit proclaim­ing the whole counsel of God and the power of God unto salvation for all who believe and place their faith in Christ, and a place where the love of Jesus would be known by neighbors through the tender mercies of the future congregation,” he continued. “This transac­tion kept faith with our local Baptist predecessors and promises future faithfulness to our Baptist commitments and cooperation.”