About Us

A Profile of Bethel Church

Mission:

What is our ultimate goal?

Our mission is to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ so that people come to faith in Jesus and live for Him.

Character:

What kind of "personality" describes Bethel?

Bethel is a group of ordinary people living openly with God. This relationship results in loving care of family, neighbor, community and one another. We think being connected with God through faith in Jesus Christ is life's highest priority and greatest good!

We recognize that many people in our community at one time in their lives were part of a church, but somewhere along the line, they left - maybe the sermons didn't make sense, the music was dull, the people unfriendly, attitudes were judgemental, or maybe it just seemed like mony and policy were more important than people. At Bethel, we're far from perfect, but we seek to demonstrate the spirit of love, acceptance and integrity that marked the ministry of Jesus.

People from all walks of life connect at Bethel - children, seniors, teenagers, college students, singles and families. We welcome, equally, those who are simply curious to know more about God and the message of the Bible, as well as those who are really looking for a place to belong.

Values:

*Spiritual conversion resulting in a personal, living faith in Jesus Christ

*Bible Study and prayer - in small groups, families and individually

*Living as witnesses to Christ's redeeming love in our community

*Equipping God's people for ministry in our church and community

*Encouraging and strengthening families

*Preaching that is Christ-centered, Biblical and engaging

*Worship that is welcoming, vibrant and in the spirit of celebrating God

*Living life free in Christ and obedient to God's Word

*Supporting Christian mission endeavors around the world

Strategy:

How are we fulfilling our mission?

*By preaching sermons that build a bridge between the message of the Bible and people's lives

*By administering the sacraments (Baptism, Lord's Supper) through which God gives and strengthens faith in Christ

*By nurturing living, growing faith in children and adults through the study of God's Word, engagement in ministry opportunities and fellowship

*By training ministry volunteers and apprentices for serving the Lord

*By seeking to understand our culture and employ new methods to effectively communicate Christian truth

*By supporting mission endeavors around the world

Background:

What are our roots?

We are an evangelical Christian fellowship embracing historic Christian teaching.

All Protestant churches ultimately trace their heritage back to the historic teachings of the reformation. At Bethel, we align ourselves with the teachings of the Lutheran Reformation, due to the clarity with which these help us understand God's Word. Specifically, we are affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America, headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. We attract both un-churched people as well as people from various church backgrounds because, while we affirm our Lutheran heritage, we choose to emphasize our common love for Christ and passion for sharing Him with all.

Worship Ministries

Encounter...

Worship is God's gift to His Church. In gathered worship, God meets with us as a community of faith. He comes to us through His Word - the Bible, which tells us the truth about God and about His love and His will for us - and through the tangible means of the sacraments - Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Express...

We gather to worship not as initiators but as responders. As such, our gathered worship gives us the opportunity to respond to God in gratitude. We voice our praise, confess our sin and express our thanksgiving to God by offering our whole self to Him - our mind, our will and our resources.

Edify...

As we worship together, we are strengthened in our faith in Jesus Christ. We are instructed by God's Word and encouraged by the prayers and fellowship of those who are worshipping Christ with us.

Evangelize...

Our gathered worship serves to tell the story of the Gospel through proclamation, song and testimony. They encapsulate the foundation of what we believe to be true. The core of this belief is that humanity has been created to have fellowship with God. Our sin has broken this relationship. We are offered forgiveness and friendship with God through the finished work of Christ on the cross for us. Through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior, we can be forgiven and brought back to a right relationship with God again.

What is the Character of our Gathered Worship?

We strive for our gathered worship to include a balance of reverence and joy, celebration and reflection, receiving and offering. Our worship is simple, yet thoughtful and spiritually inspiring. We desire to be welcoming to visitors and seekers and, at the same time, meaningful for Believers and non-Believers alike.

What are the Values of our Gathered Worship?

We place a high value on worship that is Biblical and Christ-centered. Because we believe God's primary means of communication is His Word, we give the sermon prominent placement and time is our services.

Through visual, spoken and musical means we seek to engage the worshipper and invite participation that is meaningful, appropriate and honest. Intention is given to involve people of both genders and various ages in leadership of the different aspects of the gathered worship.

What is the Strategy for fulfilling the Mission of our Gathered Worship, according to our stated Values and Character?

We prayerfully plan for our worship gatherings to include elements which tell the story of the Gospel in simple, everyday language and which coordinate with the theme for that given gathering. This theme is directed by the specific Scripture passage chosen for the message by the pastor.

We work with volunteers and staff members to equip them to serve to the best of their potential. We also utilize various and appropriate means of presentation and multimedia technology to enhance the message of the Gospel for as many people as possible.