Bethel Vision 2016: DEUS

Bethel Vision 2016: DEUSFrom 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 (Ephesians 4:16).

A “corporate vision” is intended to be a statement of what is held in common.

It defines identity and purpose.

In brevity and simplicity, it answers Who we are, Why we exist, What we value, and Where we’re going.

For the first time that any of us can remember in our century-old history, we formulated a Bethel Vision in 2013. In part, it was built on the concept of each part of the local Body contributing for the good of the whole and the glory of God. We called it Every Supporting Ligament (ESL), based on Ephesians 4:16 (above).

Our next vision builds on that foundation. We call it DEUS, the Latin term for God.

Preamble

As part of the universal Body of Christ, Bethel reflects the glory of God as we preach and live out the Gospel.

Like the church of the New Testament, we are devoted to Bible teaching, fellowship, worship, particularly at the Lord’s Supper, and prayer (Acts 2:42).

Our purpose is to see the Holy Spirit use Bethel as a factory and repair shop, making disciples of Christ and directing them toward spiritual maturity and service.

Vision

This will be achieved under the sovereign authority of the Tri-une God, as we actively engage in a 4-part plan of Diet, Exercise, Unity and Synergy (DEUS):

Diet – maintaining a deliberate diet of Bible reading, study, memorization, meditation, and applying its principles to our lives, marriages, families and faith community (Acts 17:11; Ephesians 4:13; 2Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12).

Exercise – discovering and developing our spiritual gifts and exercising them to support and serve others (Romans 12:6-8; 1Corinthians 12:1-11; Ephesians 4:11,12; 1Peter 4:10,11).

Unity – making every effort to maintain the spiritual unity the Lord has created (John 13:34, 17:23; Romans 12:18; Ephesians 4:3).

Sanctification – through the synergy of local church fellowship (koinonia), recognizing that our working and serving together in local Body life is essential in our individual development to be more like Jesus (Romans 12:3-6; 1Corinthians 12:12-26; Ephesians 4:12-16; 1Timothy 3:14-16; 1Peter 4:10,11).

~ graphic by Cristina Romano, freeimages.com

About Us

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28 The community at Bethel includes a wide range of ages and backgrounds. Young and old, families and singles, English-speakers and those with a French mother-tongue, various ethnic and religious backgrounds. We reflect the make up of the city of North Bay. More importantly though, we are a group of people who Jesus has saved through his work on the cross. By God's plan of redemption we were all brought into one family as brothers and sisters in Christ, given a mission to reach into our world and make disciples for Him. We hope you will find at Bethel a friendly, loving group of people striving to live for Jesus Christ. Whether you are visiting for the day or trying to find a permanent church home, you are welcome to join us as we together seek out Him.

Logo