Staff Bios

 

Rev. Scott Brown
Senior Pastor
Email: scott.brown@nbumc.org

As senior pastor of New Beginnings for the past eleven years, Scott has overseen its growth from rented facilities to its present beautiful building.  While he is passionate about all of our ministries, one of his top priorities is creating a church environment that is compelling to men.  Scott is a visionary leader who focuses every ministry on reaching out to the community and to all who need to know that Jesus loves them.  He is on the Board of Directors of the Kennesaw State University Wesleyan Foundation and spends time teaching and ministering in the community with various organizations.  He received his Master of Divinity (MDiv.) degree from Asbury Theological Seminary.  Scott and his wife, Amanda, have two sons, Graham and Ellis.

  

Rev. Christopher Chance
Children’s Ministry Pastor
Email: chris.chance@nbumc.org

Chris joined New Beginnings as the Children’s Ministries pastor in 2008.  While holding a position teaching music in the Cobb County school system for the last 13 years, he has also served as a music minister and youth director in several churches, as well as leading youth and children’s choir programs.  Chris holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Kennesaw State University and a Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty Theological Seminary.  With a passion for linking children into a relationship with Jesus Christ, Chris believes that children are not only the future of our churches, but that God has a plan right now for their lives.  Chris and his wife, Racheal, have two sons, Travis and Cody.

 

 

Amanda Brown
Minister of Music
Email: amanda.brown@nbumc.org

A gifted worship leader and musician who truly brings our congregation into the presence of the Lord, Amanda plans all of the music and special services for New Beginnings and leads our worship team.  She began to play and sing for churches when she was four years old, and has played and toured all over the country.  Amanda earned her Master of Music Education (MMEd.) degree from the University of Georgia.  Along with her work at New Beginnings, Amanda also teaches at North Atlanta Talent Education (NATE) in Roswell, GA and often accompanies local school and community group musical productions.  Amanda is the wife of Pastor Scott Brown and the mother of their sons, Graham and Ellis.

 

 

Benjamin Lee
Administrator
Email: benjamin.lee@nbumc.org

Ben, a native of Singapore, has made Kennesaw, GA his home since 2001.  After working for ten years with the then world’s busiest port, PSA, as a cruise development and HR supervisor, he came to the United States to continue his education.  He earned a BSc. (Management) degree from Southern Polytechnic State University and later worked as the HR Manager / Accountant for a hotel management company.  He brings his experience and skills to New Beginnings to support the ministry leaders as they focus on developing their ministry areas.  In his free time, Ben enjoys working on math problems and listens to disco and jazz while his cat, OJ, lazes nearby.

 

Blake Ivey
Youth Director
Email: blake.ivey@nbumc.org

Blake took on the challenge of developing and leading the New Beginnings youth program for middle and high school students.  He loves working with students and directing them to the wonderful Savior we worship.  He has a heart to see students meet a very real, very powerful God.  Blake is working on a Communications degree at Kennesaw State University.  In his spare time, Blake enjoys hanging out with his friends, playing the guitar and video games, as well as watching and discussing sports.

 

 

April Ellis
Nursery Coordinator
Email: april.ellis@nbumc.org

April has a ministry heart for families with small children.  With two children of her own, she knows firsthand that they need to be supported and loved.  She never sees her role as a baby-sitter but one who would partner with parents to lead each child to knowing Jesus as his/her personal Savior.  With that vision and years of teaching children of all ages, she delights in creating and teaching the nursery curriculum for infants through pre-kindergarteners.  She is a firm proponent of child safety; as such, she firmly enforces the church’s Safe Sanctuary initiatives.  April worships at New Beginnings with her husband, Sean Ellis and their children, Hope and Faith.

 

 

Betty Hart
New Beginnings Christian Academy Director
Email: betty.hart@nbumc.org

Betty knows the realities of being a part of children’s lives.  Having raised three children and now helping them raise theirs, she fulfills her role as the Director of New Beginnings Christian Academy with passion and poise.  She leads NBCA not just as a business entity, but as a ministry.  This had led to NBCA’s development into one of the best Christian childcare and preschool centers in the region.  Betty graduated from the West Virginia Wesleyan College with a BA in Psychology and Sociology and has a passion for working with special needs children and Alzheimer’s patients.  Despite her hectic schedule at New Beginnings and time devoted to helping raise her five grandchildren, she is close to completing her work on a Masters in Education degree.