Vision and Purpose

Our Vision and Purpose

Vision and Purpose are meant to define direction and here at Bethany, ours is no different.  Our vision is the direction we are traveling as followers of Christ in fulfilling What the Word of God, the Bible says a church should be:

Ephesians 4:11-16 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, ¹²  to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴  Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

In order to realize our vision, we have defined three steps.

 

Step 1 – We Gather Together.  This is the time where the church is the church.  Coming together to discover, enjoy, and worship our God and creator.  This is a place where needs are shared and prayed for, where the Word of God is taught in a way that is understandable and applicable, and where people participate in worship.  This is the church in COMMUNITY

 Step 2 – We Grow Together.  This is the time where we mature in both our knowledge of the Scripture, and more importantly our application of the Word of God in our daily life.  Of course, this happens to a degree in our worship service, but it also happens to a greater degree in our classes on Sunday, our Bible study/prayer meeting and ELEVATE ministry on Wednesday, our discipleship groups, and other activities.  This is the church in MATURITY

 Step 3 – We Serve Together.  This is the time where we take what we have taken in through Community and Maturity and use this to serve others.  Jesus was all about sharing the gospel (how to get to heaven), yet He never neglected the sick, the infirmed, the poor, and the hungry.  Jesus preached, taught, healed, and fed thousands of people during His ministry.  We believe that we have a mandate to bring both the message and compassion of Christ to our world, whether that world is right around the corner, or around the globe.  This is the church in ACTIVITY.