Grant Thigpen is the founder and senior pastor of New Hope Ministries in Naples, Florida. He is a native Floridian, born in Fort Myers in 1949. He and Susan were married in 1972, and they have one son, Stephen. Grant joined the U.S. Army in 1969 and was honorably discharged in 1972. His tour of duty included one year in Vietnam.
Grant was raised in a Christian home and has two siblings. His father was the pastor of a non-denominational Pentecostal church. Grant graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1980 and started a home Bible study in Naples in 1982, which was the beginning of New Hope Ministries. The church now has an average weekly attendance of 2,000.
Pastor Grant focuses on the development of the Christian in practical application of living by faith. His ministry has touched the lives of many through his many sound recordings and videos that are sent all across the world.
Pastor Grant also founded the New Hope School of Ministries (NHSM) in 1990. Through this avenue of teaching, many pastors, teachers, and ministries have emerged. His desire is to see the body of Christ develop into its full potential so that the world will see the glory of God manifested through a victorious church.