Pastor – Bethel Church, Bluffton IN
Bethel Church of rural Bluffton, Indiana is a stable, debt-free congregation looking for a full time pastor/teacher. We are praying for the man that God has chosen to replace our pastor/teaching elder who has recently resigned due to health and family issues. The man that we will choose must meet the Scriptural requirements as outlined in 1Tim.3:1-8 and Titus 1:5-9. We desire a man who is mature in faith, is confident of God’s leading in his life and is living in submission to the Word of God. Godly leadership abilities and vision for the future are also character qualities that we are praying for.
A Snapshot of Bethel Church:
Organized in 1986 as an Independent Non-Denominational congregation, Bethel Church called Dr. Patrick J. Harris, Pastor/Teacher in 1987. Pastor Harris served until 2012, at which time he resigned. The governing board is composed of three elders (one pastor/teacher plus two supporting elders), two deacons, two trustees, a clerk and a treasurer. The annual budget was $83,248 in 2010, $84,998 in 2011 and $83,024 in 2012. Estimated total wage package for the pastor/teacher position is $45,000. Services include Sunday School, Sunday morning Worship, and Wednesday evening Bible study and prayer. Ministries include Youth Group, Children’s Ministry, Missions Outreach Programs, Small Group Studies, Men’s & Women’s Meetings, Camps & Family Recreational Programs. Average attendance is 60-75 with 15-20 family units. We are a conservative, middle class, rural and small-town church. Our county has a population of 27,700, three school districts and a median household income of $45,500. Bethel Church Constitution and Doctrinal Statement are available upon request.
Bethel Church Distinctive:
- We believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, completed and authoritative Word of God and is our only rule of faith and practice. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21
- We place a high priority on preaching and teaching correct biblical doctrine as a guard against heresies such as Open Theism and The Emerging Church movement. 2 Tim. 2:15; Gal. 1:6-12
- We believe in God’s Sovereignty in all things including the salvation of condemned sinners based upon His election and predestination of them according to His will, while recognizing man’s responsibility to believe, repent and obey. Rom. 9:10-29; Eph. 1:3-14; John 3:14-21; Acts 2:36-41
- We believe that this salvation from God’s just wrath upon sinners and His forgiveness and justification of individuals was accomplished only by the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the sinless Son of God. This salvation is obtained by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to God’s glory alone. John 3:14-21; 1 Cor. 15:12-22; Eph. 2:8-10
- We emphasize evangelism and discipleship as the only means of growth and maturity into Christlikeness and the complete meaning of the Great Commission. Mt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11-16
- The Triune God is the sole object of our worship. Our only purpose as the local Church is to glorify Him by our lives lived in humility, love and obedience to His commands. John 14:15-31; 1 Cor. 10:31-33
Our Worship Style:
- We worship together as families and value interaction between all age groups.
- The greater part of our Sunday worship service is dedicated to the preaching of the Word of God.
- Our music as an aid to worship is a mix of traditional hymns and contemporary choruses.
- We provide a portion of the Sunday worship service as an opportunity for individual praise and testimony.
- We remember our Lord’s sacrifice by partaking of the elements of Holy Communion combined with a fellowship meal afterward on the first Sunday of each month.
If you sense God leading you to minister at Bethel Church, please contact one of our elders: Ted Claghorn tedclag@yahoo.com 260-346-2319, or Carl Cook carl@mailbox67.com 260-824-3381.