Pastor teaching children

Discipleship

Historically speaking, discipleship is a term that refers to the way students were taught in Jesus’ day. Jesus had 12 disciples who followed Him everywhere and learned from Him as He interacted with them and others around them. Those disciples were then able to teach others when Jesus ascended to heaven.


In our context, discipleship refers to our relationship with Jesus as more than just knowing Him, but also following Him. Jesus’ instructions to His disciples before He ascended probably summarize this best, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and look I am with you always to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).


Discipleship means that our relationship with Jesus is one of continually learning from Him (Bible study), and putting into practice what He has taught us (service to others), as He Himself walks with us (Sunday morning services).


The source of everything that goes on at Bethlehem is the love and mercy God gives through His Word and Sacraments each Sunday morning. God gives us opportunities every day of the week to show our love for Him by loving those around us according to His command. God also gives us opportunities to receive from Him what we cannot earn by our imperfect love and obedience. As we gather to hear God’s Word and receive the Lord’s Supper, our hymns and songs are a heartfelt response to the more important action of God, forgiving, renewing, and strengthening us to grow in love for others and faithfulness to Him.


Regular Sunday morning services are at 8:00 and 10:45 am and special services are held throughout the church year, including Lent and Advent. The 8:00 Sunday morning service is live streamed to our Facebook page. As this page is public, a Facebook account is not needed.

Our sanctuary offers an environment where congregants may remain physically distant.

Communion Practice
In our effort to be faithful to God’s intent for the Lord’s Supper we ask that visitors to our services who are not members of another Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregation decline the Lord’s Supper until full communion can be established. This is not a reflection on anyone’s relationship with Christ, but on the Scriptural expectation of a relationship with one another that goes along with sharing the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 10:16-17 and 11:26-27, etc.). While this may seem unusual to many Americans, it is in fact the standard practice of most churches dating back to ancient times.

Please make an appointment with one of our pastors for more information.