What We Believe

We know it is important to you what we believe so we have summarized our core beliefs below. Our core beliefs are what guide us as a community of Christ-followers. They unite us and keep us working together even when we may disagree on different issues. Our core beliefs are not about religion – they are about God, His people and the mission He has given us to a hurting and broken world.

About God and His Son, Jesus Christ

That God loves us (1 John 4:10); that God is holy — far beyond our ability to comprehend holiness (Ps 99:9); That Jesus Christ is God’s one and only Son (John 3:16). Only the sacrificial death of God’s perfect Son is sufficient to remove the sin barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity; and through His death, all people are offered eternal life (1 John 2:2); That we receive eternal life by God’s grace, alone. Our response is to place our faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:8-9) and thereby receive the gift of eternal life offered to us by God.

About His Church

That the Church is the sum total of all Christ-followers who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ (1 Cor 12:12-13); The God-given mission of the Church is to witness to the atoning death and life-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ by word and loving actions. God gifts all members through the Holy Spirit and, as all members function together, God’s will is accomplished through His Church.

About His Christ-followers

That in God’s eyes, all who have placed their faith in Jesus are part of one community of Christ-followers; we are all equal – there is neither Jew nor non-Jew, rich nor poor, white nor black, male nor female, nor any other racial or ethnic distinction, for we are all one in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:28); and, the Church is to act on this principle in all aspects of its work.

About His Scripture

That the Bible is God’s holy and inspired Word; that it is inerrant in its original writings; and that it is true in all respects, profitable for teaching, for correction and training based on its instruction; and that it is and must be the absolute and complete authority for our lives (2 Tim 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21).

About Marriage and Family

“We believe God created human beings in His image — male and female, together, representing the image of God (Gen 1:27). Scripture deepens our understanding of this image when it tells us that God fashioned Eve from Adam’s rib as his helper—his “opposite like,” suitable and corresponding to him (Gen 2:18, 21). With this foundation, it should not surprise us that God biologically created man and woman so they could fulfill his command in Gen 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply.” Thus, children, from the moment of conception, are a “blessing and heritage” from the Lord, entrusted to parents to raise to godly adults, who know God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and to become co-laborers in God’s creation to make Him known to others. 

We believe these biblical standards for the family represent an ideal to which we all aspire. At the same time, we recognize that we are imperfect people living in a broken world, and our lives and relationships are often affected by that brokenness. When individuals and families experience these challenges, the role of the church is to embrace them with grace, friendship, prayer, and resources that support healing, restoration, and growth.

About Women in Ministry

We believe that God calls both men and women to use their spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Every believer is empowered by the Holy Spirit and commissioned by Jesus to make disciples.

We believe Acts 2:17–18 describes the era that began at Pentecost, in which men and women serve alongside one another in fulfilling Christ’s mission. Accordingly, both men and women may serve according to their calling as pastors, teachers, and in other spiritually gifted roles as they carry out Christ’s command to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8; 2:17–18). Because the believers gathered at Pentecost included both men and women, we understand Christ’s commission and the Spirit’s empowering to be given to the whole church.

We believe Scripture reserves the office of Senior Pastor/Elder for qualified men, as reflected in our church bylaws and consistent with our church’s history.  At the same time, we do not believe Scripture restricts ordination by gender or prescribes a single process for ordination. Therefore, qualified men and women who have been examined and recommended by an Ordination Council may be ordained by vote of the church.

We do not reserve the title ‘pastor’ exclusively for men because we do not believe Scripture requires us to do so or teaches that we should do so. While we respect those who understand these passages differently, we seek to follow what we believe Scripture teaches. We further believe that this honors and preserves the history of Southern Baptists, including the autonomy of the local church to interpret Scripture as the Holy Spirit leads.

At Bethany Church, we encourage every believer to discover, develop, and faithfully use the gifts God has given for the glory of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom.