The Core Values of Bethel Church serve to further answer the question of why we do what we do. They could be even seen as the motives behind the ministry programming that we as a church pursue. The core values work as a way to filter ideas and structures so that we ensure that we stay on the target set by our mission and vision. We have four core values here at Bethel.
- BIBLICAL TRUTH (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS (John 15:12; James 2:1-13)
- SERVANT HEARTS (Mark 10:35-45; Philippians 2:2-11)
- FAITH OWNERSHIP (Ephesians 4:11-17; Hebrews 5:12-14)
OUR STRATEGY
- SURRENDER
- SHARE
- SEEK
- SERVE
Our Strategy represents the roadmap for how we go about accomplishing our mission. It is our strategy for making the disciples that we have been called to make. An individual may enter into the cycle at any point, which is the reason it is circular in design. Its intention is tied to the process of sanctification that is found in Scripture, as we are called to mature in our faith and share about our faith with others.
MARKS OF DISCIPLESHIP
These four marks of discipleship are directly tied to our ministry strategy. These marks are not only used to identify areas of focus for the individual’s process of faith, but are very important in how we measure our success in accomplishing our mission and vision. These marks identify the characteristics that we look to see in an individual who works their way through the discipleship process here at Bethel Church. These Marks of Discipleship are in the form of questions and are:
1-Am I FULLY SURRENDERED?
(Matthew 16:24; Genesis 22:1-4)
The word “surrender” simply means to give up. To give up power, control, and authority to something or someone outside of yourself. Jesus sums it up by instructing us in Mathew 16 to “deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow” him. Looking at the life of Abraham in the Old Testament, we see three elements involved in fully surrendering ourselves to God’s leading. We must first make ourselves available when God comes calling on our life. How do we respond to God’s offer of salvation through the grace and mercy found only in Jesus Christ? God is calling, how are you responding? Secondly we must respond to God’s calling by being obedient in our active response. When God asks us to go, how do we respond? Thirdly, we must identify the areas of our life that are keeping us from fully surrendering every area of our life to God. That requires us to spend time at the altar in prayer, willing to sacrifice anything in our life that keeps us from surrendering every part of our life.
2-Am I ACTIVELY SEEKING?
(Colossians 3:1-14; Isaiah 6:1-8)
Answering God’s call to surrender is a great first step, but it cannot end there. As a follower of Jesus Christ we must continue to actively seek to stay connected to several areas of our faith. We must continue to stay connected to God’s presence. Jesus has promised us that he would be with us always & never abandon us, and we know the Holy Spirit lives within us. We must constantly seek to stay connected to God’s authority and holiness. We must also seek to stay connected to God’s power as we seek to live the life of faith that he’s called us to. As we stay connected to God’s presence and power, we can effectively seek our purpose. What are our spiritual gifts and what are the areas that God has given us a passion for serving in? Actively seeking God’s presence, and staying connected to his power for living this life of faith will naturally lead us to finding our God-given purpose.
3-Am I GENEROUSLY SERVING?
(Philippians 2:3-8; Mark 10:35-45)
This is the manifestation of adopting the core value of a servant’s heart. We embrace the call to serve others as it was Christ’s purpose to serve rather than be served. As adopted children of God it is then our mandate to humble ourselves in service to God and the body of Christ as we look to him as the head. We assume the same humble position of Christ in that way. To be generous in our service is to take on the mindset of serving above and beyond just checking off the box of showing up. It is truly a mindset that flows from a maturing faith and seeing the need to serve Christ and his church, because we embrace the call to build the body for the benefit of the Gospel. We have all been gifted. Are we generously serving with that gift to build up the body of Christ for the benefit of the gospel?
4-Am I BOLDY SHARING?
(Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:1-31)
As Jesus assures the disciples in Acts 1, with the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit coming to indwell in their hearts, they will be witnesses to the gospel message in their hometowns, throughout the region, and even to the remotest parts of the world. We as believers can boldly approach the great commission to make disciples through the sharing of the gospel from one end of the world to the other! We at Bethel do not take that mandate lightly as it is at the core of our mission, “to connect the lost to life in Jesus Christ.” It is our hope that as a maturing disciple of Jesus, those who have come through the discipleship process here at Bethel, are able to boldly share and defend their faith. We hope that through their boldness, they are able to bring others into the discipleship process as new believers or believers seeking to mature in their faith. Ultimately, it is our hope that, as people who may be near or far from God encounter believers that have come through Bethel, they recognize that they have been with Jesus. It is for the glory of God and the benefit of the gospel of Christ that we boldly share our faith?
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
WHERE ARE YOU IN YOUR WALK OF FAITH?
- ARE YOU FULLY SURRENDERED?
- ARE YOU ACTIVELY SEEKING?
- ARE YOU GENEROUSLY SERVING?
- ARE YOU BOLDLY SHARING?