Honor God - Encourage Each Other - Serve the Community - Missions

Welcome!

We are so, so glad that you visited our website today. When you visit us we may look a little different than the church down the street, so we want to tell you a little about us and how we got started so you know our background; we also hope to talk to you and find out yours.

In 2011, a small group of us that knew each other but were involved in different churches started asking each other questions. What did the Bible, specifically the New Testament, really say about a church, its purpose and why we actually meet together? We got a few other friends and friends of friends to get together and started a Bible study looking specifically at these questions. We went through verse by verse and spent a lot of time looking at doctrine, practices, spiritual gifts, roles, and what the purpose of the church really is.

After a year of studying these things and praying together, we one by one began to feel called by God to start a church. This was not our original intention when we started our Bible study, and we all were a little surprised by each other when we began talking about how we felt God wanted us to start another church. How could we? A small group, no experience in church planting, young, from all different backgrounds, no pastor, no great teachers or evangelists…how could we be used by God? But slowly and surely, the Lord continued to lead us all in that direction, and the birth of Bethesda Bible Church came about.

God has taught us a lot these last few years and continues to mold and form us into the church He wants us to be. We have spent a lot of time studying doctrine versus practice and tried to forget what we knew from our old churches and start fresh with what the Bible teaches. It has been and continues to be, a challenge but the reward has been great as we diligently seek God’s will.

We have been praying for you. Yeah, you’re right–we don’t know you, but God does and we have been asking Him to bring through our doors exactly who He wants us to meet. We don’t know if you’ll be back or not (we really hope you will be!), but God knows you and loves you and because of that, we love you. Please feel free to contact us with any questions!

Because of His love,

Bethesda Bible Church

Statement of Faith

Bethesda's Statement of Faith represents the foundational elements of Christian Orthodoxy, and basic Christian Theology.

We believe that there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence and redemption.

(Genesis 1:1,26; Isaiah 44:6-8; John 1:1,3; Matthew 28:19; John 4:24; Romans 1:19,20; Ephesians 4:5-6

JESUS CHRIST - We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin, sinless and perfect. He died as the substitute for the entire human race as a sin-bearer, was buried, rose bodily from the grave and ascended to the Father's right hand, where He ministers as our Great High Priest. He will come again to rapture His Church and subsequently return to reign on the earth. (John. 1:1,14; Romans 3:24,25; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Romans 8:3)


HOLY SPIRIT - We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, empower, and provide spiritual gifts all who believe in Jesus Christ. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells all who believe in Christ, and that He is an abiding helper, teacher and guide. (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26,27; 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; Galatians 5:22-26, Ephesians 4:7-13)


THE BIBLE - We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Mark 13:31; John 8:31,32; John 20:31; Acts 20:32)


HUMAN RACE - We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that through Adam’s sin the race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God. Man is totally depraved and utterly unable to remedy his lost condition by himself. (Genesis 1:26, 27; Romans 3:22, 23; 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3, 12)


SALVATION - We believe salvation is obtained by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and entirely apart from law-keeping or good works. Redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ. Sinners are saved by repenting of their sins and believing on the atoning work of Christ. Every person who truly believes on Christ and rests on His finished work as the only righteous ground on which a Holy God can forgive his sins is saved. (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus. 3:5; Hebrews 9:22; Romans 10:9,10)


ETERNAL SECURITY - We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37–40; 10:27–30; Romans 8:1, 38, 39; 1 Corinthians 1:4–8; 1 Peter 1:5)

THE CHURCH - We believe in the Universal Church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the head, and all regenerated persons are members. We believe in the local church, consisting of a company of believers in Jesus Christ, baptized on a credible confession of faith, and associated for worship, and building up the local body. We believe that God has laid upon the members of the local church the primary tasks of living a life of worship, nurturing the body of believers and giving the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost world. (Ephesians 2:19-22; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 5:19-21; Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:23-25)


CHURCH ORDER - The supreme authority of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sovereign Lord appoints Church leadership to guide the church body. There is plurality of elders in the church, men who meet the scriptural qualifications. Each local church has deacons to serve the practical needs of the church. (I Peter 2:5,9 & 5:1-5; Ephesians 4:11,12; Titus 1:5; 1 Timothy 3:13)


ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH - Water baptism is only intended for the individual who has received the saving benefits of Christ’s atoning work and become His disciple. Water baptism is a visual and symbolic demonstration of a person’s union with Christ in the likeness of His death and resurrection. It signifies that his former way of life has been put to death and vividly depicts a person’s release from the mastery of sin. As with water baptism, the Lord’s Supper is to be observed only by those who have become genuine followers of Christ. This ordinance symbolizes the breaking of Christ’s body and the shedding of His blood on our behalf. As we corporately partake of the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of faith and self-examination, we remember and proclaim the death of Christ and His imminent return. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts. 8:36-39 & 20:7; I Corinthians 11:26)


SPIRITUAL GIFTS - We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowing of spiritual gifts. It is, however, the believer’s responsibility to attempt to exercise their sovereignly given spiritual gift(s). These gifts are needed for the growth of the Church. As we work together, the Holy Spirit gifts each one of us to benefit the body as a whole. (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4)


SECOND COMING - We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the eternal felicity of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Mark 14:62; John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15)