When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was what did he say? “Love God”. Then he said that the second one is like it: “Love your neighbor”. Simple words from our Savior and the Author of Life, but how are we to do this? Why is it so difficult for us to love … Read more
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility valueothers above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you tothe interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4 There are those alive today who would do their best to convince you that selfishness really isn’t so bad. In fact, they would … Read more
“You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught us much about kingdom living. He taught us kingdom values and priorities. He taught us true faith from earthly ritual. … Read more
In the opening line of Galatians 3, Paul asks them harshly why they have strayed from the truth. “You foolish Galatians!” he says, “Who has bewitched you?“ Throughout his letter to the Churches in Galatia we can see a different tone in Paul’s voice than we witness in his other letters. He is upset. Actually, … Read more
What is that collage of words just outside the youth room? When did that get there? What does it mean? Last fall the youth from our church and others took time during the EPIC Lock-In to paint a mural on the wall outside of the youth room. They wanted to paint a mural for the … Read more
Here at Bethel we believe that God has given us all a WaterLife. The idea is simple: through your baptism, God has given you a new life in Him that is marked by grace and forgiveness. We are freed to serve God with our life and resources! Part of that WaterLife is to be involved … Read more
Have you ever set a New Year’s resolution? Have you set a goal to be a better version of yourself? Maybe you’ve decided to quit smoking, give up cheeseburgers or even read your Bible everyday. The truth is we all desire to do better, to be better. So how well have your resolutions gone in … Read more
On November 16th, a group from Bethel Lutheran headed over to the Phillips Neighborhood to serve a meal, have a cross-cultural experience and hear about what God is doing in the neighborhood. We were hosted by Chris Zemple a DCO Intern and Kurtis Smith who serves as the Director of Community Outreach at Trinity First. … Read more
We are called by Christ to be disciples. A disciple not only knows or believes in the Rabbi’s teaching, but follows it. As Christians we follow the teaching of Jesus. Jesus’ words to his disciples in the 14th chapter of Luke are striking. He tells his disciples to count the cost of following their master … Read more
Last month my Bethel Banner article dealt with Jesus words at the end of Matthew 6. Today we are going to look at the verses that precede it. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells his disciples not to worry. These verses echoed through my mind on our recent LAMP VBS Trip to Cat Lake, Ontario. Since … Read more