Pastor Benji Kelley is the founding pastor of NewHope and now Our Redemption Church, both located in Durham, NC. Benji is from Sumter, South Carolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1994 with an Associates Degree in
Religion and a Bachelors in Science and Interdisciplinary Studies. He then studied at Duke University’s Divinity School where he received two Masters Degrees in Divinity and The Theology and Practice of Christian Preaching. The Kelley family then traveled to Kentucky where Pastor Benji received his Doctoral Degree in Christian Leadership and Preaching from the prestigious Beeson Pastor Program at Asbury Theological Seminary. Upon graduation, Pastor Benji returned to North Carolina and started NewHope Church in 2002!
During Pastor Benji’s tenure at NewHope, this vibrant community of faith was ministering to over 7,000 people with 10 campuses in North and South Carolina. With an emphasis on leadership development, outreach, and a multi-site ministry Where Reverence Meets Relevance, NewHope was a thriving community of faith spreading throughout the world! NewHope was committed to a clear Vision to Reach people for Jesus, Teach the Bible, and Release fully devoted followers and other churches to the glory of God! NewHope witnessed steady growth, averaging between 30 – 67% growth annually. Thankfully, that growth was not just in numbers, but involved thousands of salvations, baptisms, missions trips around the world, small
groups, ministry participation, and newhopers actively engaged in investing and inviting their friends to Christ! Outreach Magazine listed NewHope church as one of the top 100 Fastest Growing Churches in the United States on three different occasions. (2010, 2013, 2017) We praise God for the harvest!
Pastor Benji has authored two books, Preaching to Connect Truth to Life. (Copyright 2012) and Wrecked and Redeemed – A Story of How God Unleashes His Church! (Copyright 2018)
And now God has called Pastor Benji and an amazing group of people to do it again in and through Our Redemption Church! Let the ORC journey begin…again!
Pastor Benji is the proud dad of five adult children. He is married to Jess Kelley and they live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
