Doctrinal Statement
Statement of Faith (downloadable)

Bethesda Evangelical Church acknowledges Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Lord and Savior of humanity as the sole Head of the Church.  We claim as our own the faith of the historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant reformers as summarized in the following Statement of Faith:

We believe the sixty-six books of the Bible contained in the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of human beings, and the infallible authority for Christian faith and life.

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the deity of Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.

We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people regeneration by the Holy Spirit, through faith in Jesus Christ alone, is absolutely essential.

We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling power and fullness the Christian is enabled to live a godly life in this present world.

We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in Christ.

Furthermore, in accordance with the teaching of our Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, we recognize two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion.  

In recognition of our common heritage with the Christian church through the ages, we affirm and celebrate the basic tenets of our faith as summarized in the words of the Apostle’s Creed as follows:                                                                            

"I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.  

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the one Holy Universal Christian Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.  Amen."