MISSION & VISION

"Connecting The Disconnected To  
A Christ-Centered Life."

Incarnating The Gospel
Radical Hospitality
Forward Thinking 
Unflinching Generosity
Prayer Focused

Faith begins and is sustained in relationships.  It begins with our relationship with God – a God that meets us where we are but doesn’t leave us there.  We believe that all of faith is built on a relationship with Christ (Eph 1: 3-13) and it is sustained through our relationship with Jesus (John 15:1-11).  While it is important for us to do this in our own time, faith is something that ultimately grows in community, and Christian community is a vital ingredient for growing in faith (John 13:34-35, Heb 10:24-25).

Throughout the history of Christianity, spiritual practices and disciplines have been an important part of growing in faith.  Three areas specifically are vitally important: Scripture, prayer, and obedience.  Hebrews tells us that Scripture is living and active (4:12-13).  It not only brings us to a knowledge of salvation, but it helps us better understand who God is and who we are.  Prayer is the opportunity to have a conversation with God, and to allow him to speak into our life. Last, we must remember that Scripture and prayer are not just there to help us know more about God and what he says, but these are given to us so that we can actually put Jesus’ ways into practice in our lives. This is what we mean by obedience.

One of the last things Jesus said to his disciples was “go and make disciples.”  When he said this, he did not mean “leave,” but rather the word “go” is better translated “as you are going.” What Jesus was saying is that he wanted his followers to share the gospel wherever they went.  As followers of Jesus today, we realize we grow in our faith when we share our faith with others in the places we live, work, and play.  We believe that God doesn’t do anything on accident.  We believe that when we leave church, we are being sent out into the world, wherever we are already going, to share the gospel in the world around us.  When we find ways to share the gospel in the places we live, work, and play we grow in our own understanding of the gospel, and what it means for our lives.

This is someone who lives a life that experiences the grace of God where they are.  They realize they are not loved by God because of what they have done, but because of what he has done for them (Eph 2:8-9).  This is a life that has daily rhythms with Scripture and prayer so that they can grow in their understanding and relationship with God.

A relationship with God naturally leads us into relationships with others.  When we connect to the grace of Jesus it causes us to connect in community with other disciples of Christ.   This is good for our own growth in the faith and for our understanding of how grace works in our everyday lives.  Our relationship with God also causes us to connect with those who are disconnected from Christ. The life of a disciple is one that loves those both in and out of the church and seeks to embody loving relationships in both areas.

When someone is experiencing and connecting Christ it naturally leads to a life that reflects the love of Christ in the lives of people where they live, work, and play.  A follower of Jesus is someone that will seize opportunities to serve selflessly and love people the way that Jesus loves people, whether they are connected or disconnected from Christ. (Eph 2:10) In order to better reflect Christ they continue to find ways to experience Christ and connect in relationship, realizing that the life of a disciple is a journey that takes a lifetime.

We live in a world where people no longer go to church and churches no longer strive to reach people. As a result, we are part of a world filled with declining and dying churches that need a new vision to move forward. Now is the time for us to be a catalyst for gospel renewal. Bethlehem's vision is to become a place where every home, school, workplace, neighborhood, and third space occupied by a member of Bethlehem will see and hear the Gospel. We will be a church of active disciples who are not spectators, but act as shepherds and missionaries in their neighborhoods. Our disciples will be people who are equipped and empowered to assess the needs of their community and bring Gospel solutions.