A New Look at Church
Churches use slogans like that to make themselves seem hip and cool. I don’t know if we’re hip and cool, but I do think we’ve discovered some things about church over these last few years that bears some reflection. So, let’s take a brief look in the mirror.
GodSpeak: Integrated Discipleship
You can’t be a part of Bethel and not be touched by GodSpeak. As we read the Bible together as a church, everyone associated with the congregation is impacted. By meeting in groups and focusing on our readings on Sunday morning, disciples are made every day of the week.
Multi-Generational Ministry
Just because there’s a generation gap doesn’t mean we treat it like an impassable chasm! We are one family from the oldest of the old to the youngest of the young. We respect different generational viewpoints and learn from each other, bringing a unique richness to everything we do.
Unified, Thematic, Eclectic Worship
You never know what you’re going to get at our 9:30 worship service. Organ, band, choirs, bells and more are all possible any given Sunday. With our eclectic worship, some days will suit your style and others won’t. What you can count on every week is that God will be worshipped! At Bethel, we put our own personal preferences aside when we worship. We don’t worship our preferences anyway! Our worship is meant to praise God, receive His grace and make a memory, filling you up with His word for another week in the world.
Future Church Now
Our high school youth are not shoved into a corner where we hope they don’t break something. We know they are the future church and they are treated that way NOW. If they only know “youth group,” then we’re training them to look for that when they grow up. No, we involve our youth in the whole church now so they are ready to be tomorrow’s Christian leaders.
Raising Up Servant Leaders From Within
Look at the staff of our church, and every person except the Pastor has been raised up from within our church in one way or another. Take our own Lusienie Fofana, who is one year away from being ordained as a Pastor. Take Jordan Ray who started here as a Concordia University field worker and just couldn’t leave. Take Connie Halverson and Lynne Rustad who have found their callings here. And it’s more than just our staff. Leaders have been raised up all across our congregation making an impact in our church, neighborhood and world.
Christ Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone
We have embraced our Lutheran roots. God’s grace has been shown to us through Jesus Christ. Even in our sin, God has sent his Holy Spirit into our hearts to give us faith. We have forgiveness and life eternal through Jesus alone. God’s word is truth. All of it! These are non-negotiable fundamental beliefs that we simply hope to communicate clearly to the world around us. No frills. Just truth. Because… it’s true.
Enough looking in the mirror…
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Heb. 12:2
Blessings,
Pastor Seabaugh