The Gospel Changes Everything

Bethel Chapel is a gathering of people whose lives have been turned upside down by the Good News that Jesus Christ, the God-man, died for sinners. We believe that forgiveness of sins is based on the Scripture alone, through Christ alone, by faith alone, from grace alone, and for the glory of God alone.

Here’s a great video that explains the gospel:

What We Focus On

Christ-Centered Worship

Colossians 3:15–17

When we gather to worship on Sundays, the focus is on who Jesus is and what He’s done. Worship is not entertainment or a religious routine. Worship in the Bible is confessing the worthiness, the worth-while-ness, the weight of what matters most. Jesus is the King of the Universe. He’s our Savior who paid for our sins. He’s the first human being to rise permanently from the dead, so we center our worship on Him. Our prayers, the reading of the Bible out loud, our giving, and our singing are ways of focusing on Jesus.

Word-Centered Preaching

2 Timothy 3:16–17, 4:2

Just like our view of Jesus changes our worship, it also changes how we view preaching. Preaching is one of God’s main methods for communicating the Word of God to the people of God. We teach the Bible verse by verse, focusing on Jesus and applying His truth to our lives.

Baptism and Communion

Matthew 28:19, Acts 2:41–42, I Corinthians 10:16–17, I Corinthians 11:26–31

The two ceremonies that Jesus has given to the church are baptism and communion. Baptism is the first step of obedience that a follower of Jesus Christ makes to publicly declare their commitment to Jesus. Going underneath the water and coming back up is a symbol of the resurrection. Communion is the ongoing ceremony that believers partake in. It symbolizes the death of Jesus for our sins, His presence with us, and the future, final feast that we will enjoy with Jesus in heaven. Because of what these two ceremonies picture, we don’t see them as tiny, unimportant additions to our service. Baptisms and communion services are the heart of what we love and enjoy together as a church.

Meaningful Membership

Matthew 18:15–17, John 13:34–35, Romans 12:4–5, I John 3:16

In the New Testament, church is much more than just a service you attend. Church is a place where you love other Christians, receive accountability, choose leaders, and use your gifts. Something this important requires agreement and commitment. We ask our members to read and agree to our doctrinal statement and relational agreements.

Prayer

Matthew 6:5–8, Acts 2:42, Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 6:17–18

For a Christian, talking to God is a joy and privilege. For a church, prayer is our greatest source of power. God wants to hear us pray and because of Jesus we have perfect access to Him. Prayer is not just an obligatory, routine thing that we do at our church. Prayer is how we access His power. In addition to praying together on Sunday, we pray together every Wednesday at 7pm.

Spreading the Good News

Matthew 28:18–19, Romans 1:14–16, Colossians 4:2–3

Knowing Jesus is so life-changing and satisfying that we want other people to know Him too. Bethel Chapel is a place where Christians are trying to encourage and build each other up. It’s also a place where we’re sharing Jesus in our neighborhood. We also support missionaries that are serving the Lord all over the world.

What We Believe

Bethel Chapel is a Christian church. We hold to the historic truths of Christianity. Everything we believe is founded on the Word of God. We are not a part of a larger denomination, but led by a plurality of elders and the congregation. Here is a brief summary of our doctrinal statement:

WE BELIEVE in the only true God Who is eternal and Who manifests Himself to us in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and Who created all things, and upholds all things by the Word of His power; in Whom we live and move and have our being; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He; and He shall judge the world (John 17:3; Deuteronomy 33:27; Revelation 4:11; Hebrews 1:3; Acts 17:28; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 9:8).

WE BELIEVE in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the eternal Word manifested in flesh (John 1:14; 3:16). We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary and that He is true God and true Man (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 1:35; John 1:1; Philippians 2:6–8). We believe in His vicarious, substitutionary and redeeming death, Christ receiving in Himself the penalty of man’s sin (II Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; I Peter 3:18). We believe in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension, and in His personal, imminent return for His redeemed ones, and His coming in glory to judge the rebellious and to establish His millennial reign (I Corinthians 15:1–8; Ephesians 4:8–10; Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:3–51; I Thessalonians 4:13–18; Revelation 19 and 20).

WE BELIEVE in the Holy Spirit, in His personality, that He is God, the source and power of all acceptable worship and service, that He is our abiding Comforter and Helper, that He never takes His departure from the Church nor from the feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of Christ, seeking to occupy us with Him, not with ourselves nor with our experiences (John 7:38–39; 14:16–17; 15:26; 16:13–14; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; Philippians 3:3). We believe His work is to reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).

Sin

WE BELIEVE that by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Judgment and condemnation came upon all men, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12, 18; 6:23).

Salvation

WE BELIEVE we are saved solely by grace, through faith in the blood sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Ephesians 2:8–9; I Peter 1:18–19; I Corinthians 15:3–4).

WE BELIEVE in the eternal security and everlasting blessedness of the saved and the eternal judgment and punishment of all who reject our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14–15)

WE BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to life eternal and the lost to judgment and everlasting punishment (I Corinthians 15:42–44; Acts 24:15; John 5:28–29).
We believe in that blessed hope, the personal, imminent return of Christ who will rapture His Church. We believe Christ will personally and visibly return with his saints, to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom. (Psalms 89:3–4; Daniel 2:31–45; Zechariah 14:4–11; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13–18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11–16; 20:1–6).