Who we are

Started in 1959 by a group of like-minded believers, Bethel is made up of people from many different communities. We are from Storm Lake, Sac City, Pocahontas, Pomeroy, Lakeside, Albert City, Rembrandt, Alta, Fonda,  Schaller,  Manson, Varina, Marathon, and Newell; each and every one calling Bethel their church home.  


Bethel Baptist Church, though unaffiliated with any denomination, associates with like-minded churches in theology and in practice. The name “Baptist” recognizes Bethel’s early formation as a church, and celebrates its historic roots and distinct convictions. Several of those distinctive are as follows:

• That the church should be free and separate from the state and its dictation. Luke 20:25, Ephesians 4:11-16,

 

• That the church is made up of those who voluntarily choose to follow Christ and is not mandated by an institution. Acts 2: 46-47

• The belief and practice of the priesthood of all believers, as opposed to God directing only the hierarchy of the church. 1 Peter 2:5-9

• The belief that the Bible clearly teaches believers baptism, a baptism that follows salvation. Acts 8: 35-36

• The Bible, not man or the church is the final authority in all matters of faith. This supersedes the authority of the state. Acts 5:29, Hebrews 4:12

PURPOSE

Bethel Baptist Church is a family of followers of Jesus Christ who desire to honor God by applying His sufficient Word to all areas of life and ministry. We seek to glorify God through the following actions:

1. Worshipping God together:

We seek to give worship to God in Spirit and in truth through the study of God’s Word, as well as prayer, music, song and the testimony of our lives. John 4:23-24, Isaiah 42:8 -12

2. Proclamation of God’s Word:

We are committed to proclaiming all of God’s Word, including the gospel, through diligent preaching and teaching, classroom instruction and other ministries. Romans 6:17, Romans 10:13-15

3. Equipping the Followers of Christ:

We seek to encourage and guide new and young believers to become mature in Christ through biblical teaching and by example. We desire all believers to become Spirit led disciples, and joyful servants of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:12, Hebrews 6:1, 2 Timothy 2:2, Colossians 1:10

4. Loving and Serving one another:

We seek to love one another without discrimination, through the encouragement of Biblical fellowship and community (Koinonia) and demonstrating true Biblical faith.

John 13:34 – 35, Hebrews 3:13, Galatians 5:13, Acts 2:42-47

5. Evangelism:

We are committed to the participation in God’s great commission, through the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ with our friends and neighbors in our community, our nation, and the world.

Matthew 28:19 -20, Luke 24: 47-48

We hope that all who choose Bethel to be their home for family and personal worship, come and learn, appreciate, and embrace these distinctives of this fellowship. Together, our goal is that we would be a growing church, reaching all the communities we come from with the saving message of Jesus Christ. We hope that people will involve themselves with Bethel's ministry opportunities as they grow commitment to Jesus.  We especially feel God is calling us to reach Storm Lake and the eastern part of Buena Vista County, Pocahantas County, northern Sac County, and southeast Calhoun County. 


Our mission

Bethel Baptist is a local church of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." 

Matthew 16:18b, NASB.


We are called together to build the church of Jesus Christ in this part of the country until He returns for His church. God asks us to be involved in building His church.

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 
Mt. 28:18-20. NASB

Truly, Truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father. John 14:12 NASB

We seek to do this through a process called "disciple-making".  

A disciple is one who follows and lives for Jesus Christ with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength.

What is disciple-making? We believe "disciple-making" includes these four spritual privileges in the life of a believer:

1. Evangelism - Prolclaiming and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved.
2. Education - Teaching each person the commands of Jesus Chirst.
3. Encouragement - Loving each other and helping each other grow in Christ.
4. Exaltation - Coming together frequently to worship and enjoy God through Jesus Christ.


1. Evangelism - To the Cold, the Curious, the Confused

          The Cold - People who have no interest in Jesus .
          The Curious - People who want answers to who Jesus is and what Bethel is about.
          The Confused - People who are living in dysfunction in our communities without Jesus.

2. Education - To the Convicted, the Convinced, and to Children

         The Convicted - Those who have recognized they are sinners and separated from God. 
         The Convinced - Those who have turned to Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation.
         The Children - Those who are children. 
                                     
3. Encouragement - To the Captives, the Crippled, the Closed Up, the Cured

         The Captives - Those who are in sin and need recovery.
         The Crippled - Those who have been hurt by the difficulites this world brings.
         The Closed Up - Those who have shut themselves off from people and God.
         The Cured - Those actively engaged in helping people get free from past sin.

4. Exaltation - To The Creator & The Cross Bearer

          The Creator - God who deserves our praise and exaltation through songs and testimony!
          The Cross Bearer - Jesus, who is the name above every name and deserves our praise for
                                           purchasing our salvation.

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ."  
Ephesians 4:11-13. NASB

Our hope is that we will grow and be involved in all four of these spiritual privileges, as we worship and serve together.