Core
Values
Core Values Show How We Express Our Faith at Bethel
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Experiencing God’s Love and Grace
We value the free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
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Believing the Bible
We value the Bible as God’s authoritative Word, study it together, and build our lives on its truth.
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Worshiping God
We value heartfelt worship that is God-honoring, Spirit-directed, and life-changing.
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Following Jesus
We value whole hearted obedience to Christ Jesus through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
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Belonging to the Community of Faith
We value integrity in relationships and mutual accountability in an atmosphere of grace, love, and acceptance.
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Witnessing to the World
We value an active and loving witness for Christ to all people.
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Serving Compassionately
We value serving others at their point of need, following the example of our Lord Jesus.
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Pursuing Peace
We value all human life and promote forgiveness, understanding, reconciliation, and non-violent resolution of conflict.
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Living Simply
We value uncluttered lives, which free us to love boldly, give generously, and serve joyfully.
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Relying on God
We confess our dependence on God for everything, and seek to deepen our intimacy with Him by living prayerfully.
Our Articles of Faith and Doctrine provide summary statements about our theological beliefs.
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We affirm an understanding of scriptural interpretation that recognizes:
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The inspiration and illumination of the Holy Spirit
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The centrality of Christ in divine revelation
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The New Testament as interpreter of the Old Testament
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The scriptural focus on piety and obedience
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The essential value of community consensus in the interpretive process
BIC Position Papers
We as the BIC family prayerfully explore topics at the intersections of theology, faith, and culture.​Engaging with matters of faith together, over time we have developed positions on subjects affecting us individually and corporately. Our perspectives reflect our heritage: The Anabaptist, Pietistic, Wesleyan, and Evangelical streams of Christianity that have shaped our history still influence our faith today.​Taken together, our positions represent our ongoing desire to live out our faith in accordance with the Spirit, with Scripture, and in community.
Manual of Doctrine and Government
Since our founding in the late 1700s, the Brethren in Christ family has produced statements on doctrine and organizational structure.
The Manual of Doctrine and Government is intended to promote deeper spirituality, cooperation, and unity across our global community. The manual is divided into the following sections:
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Part One: Doctrine — Articles of Faith and Doctrine, Core Values, Statements of Christian Life and Practice
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Part Two: Government — Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Congregational Handbook, Ministerial Credentialing
Each edition of the Manual of Doctrine and Government follows the revisions of previous editions. We work to keep this manual relevant, as we seek to foster a fellowship of believers whose objective is to worship and obey the triune God and to proclaim his gospel to all people.
