Bethel Assembly Of God

 

Our values as a Church  

 Relationship with God

We value relationship with God which includes personal spiritual growth through prayer, Worship and obedience to his word. Mk 12:29-31; Acts 2:44-47; 1 Tm 4:7-8; 1Peter 2:2

 

Relationship with people 

We are about relationships, sharing our relationship with Christ through sharing our stories and lives in our church and beyond, to build biblical friendships. John 4:28-30

Rev 12:11;

 Mission focus 

We value sharing missions in our community and to the entire world telling others what Christ has done through our activities and our giving.  Acts 1:8 2 Cor 8:15; Col 3:17

 Every member ministry 

Every person is a minister who has been given gifts that must be discovered developed and used for the glory of God.  Eph 4:4 Mark 10:45 Eph 2:10 Romans 12:1 1 Cor 12:14-20

 God empowered prayer 

God wants to heal, restore, and release the oppressed, not through our strength but through God’s Holy Spirit empowered prayer. Luke 4:18 Mark 16:17-18 John 14:12-14

 Relevant Worship 

That draws church and unchurched people closer to God’s heart with joy, reverence, and celebration. Ps 27:4; Luke 24:52-53; Ps 122:4

 

 

 

 

The purpose of our church is to bring: 

Gift of Hope- Bring the hope of Christ to people.Acts1:8, 2Cor5:17-20, 1Peter 2:9-10

Gift of Family- Devoted to one another.Acts 2:42-45, 1 John1:6-7, Eph 4:2-3

Gift of Growth- Steadfast commitment to hearing, studying, and applying the Bible to everyday life. Matt 28:18-20, Col1:9-11, Eph 4:11-13

Gift of Celebration- Joyfully doing all we do with our hearts mind and will.Eph 5:19-21, Heb 10:25, John 4:19-24, 1Thes 5:17-18

Gift of Giving- Meeting peoples needs using our gifts by faith serving as Christ did. Luke 4:18-19, Matt 25:37-40, Romans12:3-8

 

The 16 fundementals of The Assemblies of God

  1. We believe… The Scriptures are Inspired by God and declare His design and plan for mankind.
  2. We believe… There is only One True God–revealed in three persons…Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (commonly known as the Trinity).
  3. We believe… In the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. As God’s son Jesus was both human and divine.
  4. We believe… though originally good, Man Willingly Fell to Sin–ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world.
  5. We believe… Every Person Can Have Restored Fellowship with God Through ‘Salvation’ (accepting Christ’s offer of forgiveness for sin). [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]
  6. We believe… and practice two ordinances—(1) Water Baptism by Immersion after repenting of one’s sins and receiving Christ’s gift of salvation, and (2) Holy Communion (the Lord’s Supper) as a symbolic remembrance of Christ’s suffering and death for our salvation.
  7. We believe… the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a Special Experience Following Salvation that empowers believers for witnessing and effective service, just as it did in New Testament times. [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]
  8. We believe… The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is ‘Speaking in Tongues,’ as experienced on the Day of Pentecost and referenced throughout Acts and the Epistles.
  9. We believe… Sanctification Initially Occurs at Salvation and is not only a declaration that a believer is holy, but also a progressive lifelong process of separating from evil as believers continually draw closer to God and become more Christ like.
  10. We believe… The Church has a Mission to seek and save all who are lost in sin. We believe ‘the Church’ is the Body of Christ and consists of the people who, throughout time, have accepted God’s offer of redemption (regardless of religious denomination) through the sacrificial death of His son Jesus Christ.
  11. We believe… A Divinely Called and Scripturally Ordained Leadership Ministry Serves the Church. The Bible teaches that each of us under leadership must commit ourselves to reach others for Christ, to worship Him with other believers, and to build up or edify the body of believers–the Church.
  12. We believe… Divine Healing of the Sick is a Privilege for Christians Today and is provided for in Christ’s atonement (His sacrificial death on the cross for our sins). [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]
  13. We believe… in The Blessed Hope—When Jesus Raptures His Church Prior to His Return to Earth (the second coming). At this future moment in time all believers who have died will rise from their graves and will meet the Lord in the air, and Christians who are alive will be caught up with them, to be with the Lord forever. [1 of 4 cardinal doctrines of the A/G]
  14. We believe… in The Millennial Reign of Christ when Jesus returns with His saints at His second coming and begins His benevolent rule over earth for 1,000 years. This millennial reign will bring the salvation of national Israel and the establishment of universal peace.
  15. We believe…
    A Final Judgment Will Take Place
    for those who have rejected Christ. They will be judged for their sin and consigned to eternal punishment in a punishing lake of fire.
  16. We believe… and look forward to the perfect New Heavens and a New Earth that Christ is preparing for all people, of all time, who have accepted Him. We will live and dwell with Him there forever following His millennial reign on Earth. ‘And so shall we forever be with the Lord!’

Tithing Statement

The Assemblies of God has always been a proponent of tithing (or giving one-tenth of one’s personal income to support the work of God). We believe tithing is a recognition that everything we have comes from God. The practice checks our greed, promotes personal discipline and thrift, testifies to our faith, promotes God’s work in the world, and alleviates human need. While we do not believe tithing to be a condition for salvation, we do believe it is a very important biblical model, one which should set the minimal standard for Christian giving for people in all income ranges.Though some people believe tithing was an Old Testament practice not intended for New Testament Christians, we believe and teach that tithing is still God’s design for supporting the ministry and reaching the world with the gospel. It is true there is no direct commandment in the New Testament saying, “You must tithe to God one-tenth of your income”; but there is also no statement declaring the Old Testament plan as no longer valid.

Some oppose tithing today quoting Matthew 23:23 as proof text. In doing so they actually twist Jesus’ words to teach just the opposite of what Jesus clearly said. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices… But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness.” Stopping at that point in the verse might allow some misinterpretation. But Jesus continued, “You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” From here we see that Jesus regarded the Old Testament practice of tithing as continuing into the new covenant under which we now live.

The practice of tithing predates the giving of the Old Testament law. Abraham tithed in response to God’s blessing and faithfulness (Genesis 14:18-20) and was no doubt blessed because of his faithful tithing. Under the law, proceeds from the tithes were directed primarily for the support of the Levites and priests who provided religious leadership (Numbers 18:21-29) and for the relief of the needy (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Today’s church still relies on the support of those who tithe.

Concerns:

Christians can miss out on God’s abundant blessing by looking on the tithe as the entire requirement for giving. The tithe is only one aspect of support for the church and its ministry of spreading the gospel. The Bible also mentions voluntary offerings given by God’s people over and above the required tithe. Of course, the attitude with which both tithes and offerings are given is very important. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). The giving of either tithes or offerings with a grudging spirit loses much of the blessing that can come as we faithfully give out of love rather than obligation.

We are also concerned about people who withhold tithes when they do not like decisions and directions espoused by spiritual leaders. Christians should fellowship with a local body of believers and bring their whole tithes into that storehouse (Malachi 3:10). Though some of the Israelites may not have liked decisions made by Moses and his successors, they were given no alternatives. While we may designate some of our offerings (beyond the tithes) to ministries outside the local church, the tithes rightfully belong in the church with which the Christian identifies. And if one is not identifying with a local body of believers, he or she disregards God’s instruction that we not forsake assembling together with believers (Hebrews 10:25).

Some Christians do not tithe, claiming they cannot afford to give up 10 percent of their income. Simple arithmetic may suggest that 90 percent will not go as far as 100 percent in satisfying essential family needs. But God has built a multiplication factor into our giving of tithes and offerings. Malachi recorded God’s words, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse… Test me in this… and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Malachi 3:10). Though we do not give to God in order to get more back, as some suggest we should, God’s promises are still true–if our giving is according to His instruction.

[1] Copyright ©2006 The General Council of the Assemblies of God 1445 North Boonville Avenue, Springfield, MO 65802 Telephone: 417-862-2781 This Tithing statement is based upon our common understanding of scriptural teaching. The official delineation of this position is found in the General Council Bylaws, Article IX, Section 7a. All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise specified. This document reflects commonly held beliefs based on scripture which have been endorsed by the church’s Commission on Doctrinal Purity and the Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God.

 

Two years after the founding of the Assemblies of God, members adopted 16 beliefs for the Fellowship. This list, known as the Statement of Fundamental Truths, remains virtually unchanged. Four of these beliefs are considered the major tenets of the Fellowship. They are:

1. Salvation Through Jesus Christ (John 3:3, 16, 17; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8, 9)
Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, being justified by grace through faith, man becomes an heir of God, according to the hope of eternal life.
   
2. Baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2:4; 17, 18, 38, 39)
All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.
   
3. Divine Healing for the Sick (James 5:14-16)
Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers.

4. The Second Coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:14-16; 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52)
The second coming of Christ includes the rapture of the saints, which is our blessed hope, followed by the visible return of Christ with His saints to reign on earth for one thousand years.
   
For a complete list of the 16 Fundamental Truths of the Assemblies of God, click here.