Changed by Christ so We Can Change the World

 

Jesus said to his disciples: "‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

About Us

 

At Bethel Presbyterian Church we believe that we are changed by Christ so we can change the world. This is simply said for a reason: discipleship—walking with our Lord Jesus—does not have to be overly complicated. While this is our vision it’s more than an idea; it’s our mission/purpose as well. We are not a community content with navel-gazing. We sense that God has placed us in this community for a reason and that God is calling us to look beyond the walls of the church building; to be attentive to those places that Jesus is working and ministering within our lives and our community. So how do we know that we are changed by Christ so we can change the world? How does it happen?

 

There are four aspects of our life together that shape this vision: worship, prayer, spiritual growth, and acts of love. Worship is that space within our discipleship where we hear the good news of the gospel, where we are reminded of God’s love shown to us in, through, and as Jesus Christ, and where we can sense the Holy Spirit moving among us. In worship we begin to hear the ways Christ is changing and shaping the landscape of our lives. But worship also prepares us to change the world. While our focus in worship rests wholly upon God, we are sent forth from worship into the world as Christ’s disciples, sent to bear witness to God’s love through word and deed.

 

Prayer is that space within our discipleship where we rest our lives upon the life of Jesus. We confess our sin, we lift our burdens, we share our joys, and we praise God for the ways that we’ve been blessed. Through prayer we are reminded that we belong to Christ, that because of his life we too have life, and that he seeks us out and changes us for the glory of his kingdom. But prayer isn’t wholly focused on our needs and wants. In prayer we lift others as well; we lift our concerns for the world, situations beyond our control, and ask that God’s will be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

Spiritual growth is that aspect of our discipleship where we confess that we are all pilgrims on a journey. We are all in need of learning and growth. This learning can happen through sermon or bible study, conversations or classes. Spiritual growth can occur while serving on a committee or volunteering to help with a church project. Spiritual growth is the fruit of Jesus’ work in our lives. When we grow spiritually we are able to reflect upon our lives and see the ways that Christ is changing us. And as we continue to grow, we begin to see those opportunities where Christ is leading us and showing us how to change the world.

 

The final aspect that shapes our vision involves acts of love. These acts can range in appearance from operating the chair lift on a Sunday morning to participating in a mission trip. An act of love is anything that fulfills the call of Christ our Savior, living as his disciples in the world and seeking to witness (through word and deed) to his continuing presence and ministry in our midst. Acts of love involve the use of the various gifts our gracious God has poured into our lives. The more we participate in acts of love, the more we recognize Christ’s work in our lives and sense a call to participate in acts of love.