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IntroductionOver the centuries, philosophers and theologians have dealt with human ethics and developed theories about how to find and live a good life. To do good and experience happiness are, perhaps, the biggest desires of humanity. Therefore, the most important questions asked today are: What makes people happy, and what is the highest good for humanity? It is the thesis of this essay that, in order to establish a Christian view of happiness, it is necessary to retrieve the doctrine of union with Christ as the basis and the foundation for ethics. My purpose is to demonstrate that the good life and true happiness must be properly understood within the framework of union with Christ, and I will demonstrate that based primarily on Herman Bavinck’s theology. I. The Good Life on Aristotle and AugustineThe Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) affirms that happiness is the highest aim of moral thought and conduct, and for him, humans can flourish and reach happiness by means of living and practicing virtue, that is to say, human happiness is the highest aim of moral thoughts and conduct, and the virtues are the requisite skills and dispositions needed to achieve a good life. He writes, “the good for man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, or if there are more kinds of virtue than one, in accordance with the best and most perfect kind” (Nicomachean Ethics, I, 7). To the question of “whether happiness is to be acquired by learning or by habituation or some other sort of training, or comes in virtue of some divine providence or again by chance,” (Nicomachean Ethics, I, 9) Aristotle tends to answer that happiness is acquired by the activity of learning and creating habits of some virtues. The basic idea is that, the real good life can be experienced through practical wisdom and the practice of virtue. Ethics, happiness and moral goodness are the results of habit. He believes that, human beings live well when they act rightly and possess all of the virtues, both intellectual and those relating to good character.Hundreds of years later, Augustine (354-430 AD), along with the Christian Church fathers, attempted to explain the meaning of happiness and the goal of humanity far different from that of Aristotle, although he studied the concepts of human reason and natural law mainly from Aristotle and agrees with the Greek philosopher in some sense. Augustine, along with the Church fathers, viewed human beings as sinners, with a sinful nature, and for this reason, he believed that humans only experience a good life and find happiness by means of obedience to God’s law. Unlike Aristotle, Augustine views the goal of humanity in terms of heaven and of a blessed life: “It follows that we could say of peace, as we have said of eternal life, that it is the final fulfillment of all our goods” (City of God XIX.11). For Aristotle, the highest goal of humanity comes through intellect, reason and rationality, by learning and practicing intellectual and moral virtues. For Augustine, the highest goal is achieved by using the intellect to turn away from sin and to pursue God. He writes, “man indeed desires happiness even when he does so live as to make happiness impossible… Why this paradox, except that the happiness of man can come not from himself but only from God, and that to live according to oneself is to sin, and to sin is to lose God” (City of God XIX.25). In fact, despite the differences, both Augustine and Aristotle understand that the good life is the life of rational understanding and practice of virtues in order to experience happiness.II. Where to Find True Happiness?In the sixteenth century, the Reformation introduced a new basis for the good life: faith over rationalism as the basis for virtue, Scripture and the reality of divine grace as the foundations for moral knowledge and moral goodness. For Luther, for example, moral goodness and virtue are not result of creating habits but the result of the work of the Holy Spirit through his grace within human beings, that is able to transform their hearts and to enable them to do good (Disputation Against Scholastic Theology, thesis 7). According to Luther, one cannot live a life of moral goodness apart from God’s restoring grace (Disputation Against Scholastic Theology, thesis 4). Calvin follows the same path as Luther, although, as Andrew J. B. Cameron claims, “Calvin does not seek with them [philosophers] a denotative definition of the good man, the good life, or human flourishing” (Engaging With Calvin, 2009, p. 235). Calvin writes,<blockquote style="text-align:left;">the intellect is very rarely deceived in general definition or in the essence of the thing; but . . . is illusory when it goes farther, that is, applies the principle to particular cases. In reply to the general question, every man will affirm that murder is evil. But he who is plotting the death of an enemy contemplates murder as something good. The adulterer will condemn adultery in general, but will privately flatter himself in his own particular adultery. Herein is man’s ignorance: when he comes to a particular case, he forgets the general principle that he has just laid down (Institutes 2.2.23). </blockquote>The Reformation took sin into account, bringing prejudice against rationalism. Calvin introduces the union with Christ as fundamental to Christian life. As Andrew Cameron claims, “union with Christ can integrate some disparate ethical themes and is rich enough to generate a ‘positive ethic for life in the world’” (Engaging With Calvin, 2009, p. 232). Through participation with Christ, human beings can find their highest purpose and begin to live the good life; in other words, the union with Christ is the basis of a Reformed ethics.Only in union with Christ human beings are empowered to obey God’s law, achieve moral goodness and find true happiness. Apart from Christ, it is impossible for humans to experience happiness and to do any good, because of their sinful nature. Thus, we could affirm that real happiness is only possible as long as humans are united with Christ.Thus, the doctrine of union with Christ is at the center of ethics and of the happy life because the problem of humanity is sin, and Christ alone can break the power of sin and make us to live a good life of moral goodness. Herman Bavinck affirms that, “sin, in the first place, breaks off fellowship with God, and then, in consequence, all genuine relationships that humans have with all other creatures. Thus, the first order of the day is restoring our proper relationship with GodThe cross of Christ, therefore, is the heart and mid-point of the Christian religion.” (Bavinck, “General Biblical Principles and the Relevance of Concrete Mosaic Law for the Social Question Today,” 443). For Bavinck therefore, this Christian religion is grounded on the mystical union with Christ. He writes, <blockquote>However, it is not itself a substantial but an ethical union between human beings and their God. In the case of God, one cannot speak of religion. It is his indwelling in human beings that from that side fosters the relation to God we call religion. Thus this relation, too, is of an ethical nature; it is regulated by the same moral law that governs the other relations human beings sustain to their fellow creatures. All religious actions performed by human beings are moral duties, and all of religion is a moral mandate. Conversely, the moral life is in turn a service to God. (Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics II, p. 262). </blockquote>As John Bolt points, in his book “Bavinck on the Christian Life”, that Christ restores fallen human beings to fellowship with God and enables them to live once again as the image bearers they were created to be. The imitation of Christ is of fundamental importance for a Reformed approach to ethics the good life. As van Keulen affirms, Christ is not only a king, a priest and a prophet, but also a model, an example, an ideal. This implies that we have to follow Him. And according to Bavinck, the imitation of Christ does not mean that we have to duplicate Christ’s way of living literally or physically, especially not his poverty, chastity, and obedience.” It means that, inwardly, Christ must take shape in us. Outwardly, our lives must be shaped in conformity with the life of Christ. The imitation of Christ becomes manifest in virtues like righteousness, sanctity, love, and patience. In other words, moral virtues and true happiness do not come by reason alone as Aristotle and many philosophers claim, but are the result of the union with Christ and of his work within human beings.Only the union with Christ enables humans to live in obedience to God’s laws, to find true happiness and achieve the purpose for which humans were created to. ConclusionTherefore, to the questions: how can one find true happiness, and what is the highest good for humanity, the answer the Reformers provide is that humans cannot be fully happy and experience the highest good apart from Christ. In fact, humans are happy when they achieve or experience the highest good, and Christ is the highest good of humanity, therefore, true happiness comes when humans, united with Christ, live in obedience to God’s laws in their relationship with God, with one another, and with all creation. It is not the purpose of this article to deal with all the implications of this union with Christ, but to provide a starting point for one to think about the highest good of humanity and how the union with Christ must be the foundation and the basis of a Reformed ethics, because only in union with Christ humans are able to obey God’s commandments out of love and gratitude, and experience real happiness.True happiness, according to the Reformed tradition, does not mean absence of suffering or hardships in this life, but it consists in the enjoyment of God in union with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Only by means of union with Christ human intellect is able to keep God’s law and is able to learn and practice virtues and experience the good life. Without union with Christ, the concept of happiness and the good life provided by Aristotle, Kant and other philosophers remains only a theory that can be vaguely and partially achieved. In order for one to talk about happiness and the good life from a Christian perspective, it is necessary to retrieve the doctrine of union with Christ as developed mainly by the Reformed tradition.Pastor Thiago Silva

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Finding Happiness in Union With Christ

“Prayer is beyond any question the highest activity of the human soul.” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones). What is prayer?It is helpful to know how prayer should work. Prayer is not a gift that we are born with or received from God, but a discipline that we learn (Luke 11:1), develop and need a conscious effort to practice. Without it there is no way to relate to God and without a relationship with Him there is no point in being a Christian. A relationship is only developed through dialogue, and prayer is nothing more than that - dialogue between man and God. <blockquote>Matthew 6:5 - “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”</blockquote>The word “hypocrites” means performer, actor. They are looking for people&#x27;s applause, approval, and they have already received the reward: people&#x27;s applause and approval. See, for example, Luke 18:10-12 - “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’”A hypocrite is someone who pretends. That&#x27;s why we don&#x27;t like hypocrisy. Hypocrisy creates false relationships. Do you realize the depth of what Jesus is saying? Jesus is exposing pretenders (those who cultivate pretended relationships with God). Jesus knows the truth about us. We are needy people, but usually we like to pretend that we are good, complete, we don’t need anyone. So, here&#x27;s the problem. We don&#x27;t pray because, deep down, we are hypocrites. We don&#x27;t pray because we pretend that we don&#x27;t need God. We think we can live life our way and solve things with our own strength. And this is absurd! It is fundamentally hypocritical not to pray. As well, it is fundamentally hypocritical not to go to church. Because we pretend that we don&#x27;t need others. We think: I don&#x27;t need the preaching of the Word of God; I do not need the fellowship of the body of Christ; and when I was saved, I was saved alone in a kingdom where I am the only person in it. This is hypocrisy: putting on a mask and pretending to be more than we really are. <blockquote>Matthew 6:6 - “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”</blockquote>Jesus does not prohibit public prayer (as in corporate prayer); on the contrary, it prohibits praying for the purpose of public recognition. When Jesus says to pray in the secret of our room, he wants to eliminate every motivation to show or expose piety before others. <blockquote>Matthew 6:7 - “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”</blockquote>In Greco-Roman religions, repetition was used to bother the gods to grant someone&#x27;s request. Some of the rabbis of Jesus&#x27; day taught that repeated prayers were effective. This type of prayer was an imitation of the pagans of the day, who were known for repetitive prayers. When Elijah challenged the worshipers of Baal, they invoked their god; &quot;they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted.&quot; (1 Kings 18:26). When Paul excited Demetrius&#x27; wrath, which in turn created an uproar in Ephesus, Acts 19:34 says that the angry crowd “But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” (Acts 19:34). It seems that the more people moved away from true spiritual worship (spiritual life), the more they valued these vain repetitions. Now ... this prohibition does not contradict the principle that someone should continue to ask God for what is believed to be his will (Luke 18), but it corrects the idea that God is impressed with the number of words, with eloquent speeches, voice imposition and so on. <blockquote>Matthew 6:8 - “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”</blockquote>What a vision of God is given here, in sharp contrast to the pagan gods! We are not facing any pagan god, who does not know all things and is impressed by vain repetitions. We are before the Almighty God, sovereign over all things, creator of heaven and earth, who has the whole universe in his hands, who has absolute control over everything and everyone. And when Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer he says that we must address God as “Our Father in heaven ...”. While he is the all-powerful, sovereign, majestic God, king over all things, he is also a Father. He is our Father. It is our Father who knows us completely and knows all our needs. This teaches us that our prayers do not change God. They change us. Our prayer life cannot change who God is, but it can change who we are and how we see and relate to God, our Father. Prayer is much more than simply presenting our orders and requests to God as a grocery list (even though he already knows what we need ...). Prayer includes this, but it is much more than that. Prayer is a dialogue; we speak, and we also quiet the heart to hear the voice of God. &quot;Be still and know that I am God,&quot; says Psalm 46:10. Prayer is a relationship. When we pray “Our Father”, we pray with our older brother, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Application:(1) Has my relationship with God been intimate, as a Father – son/daughter relationship? Or has it been a superficial relationship? (2) Has my prayer been a dialogue or a monologue? Through prayer, we confess at the same time the weaknesses of our resources and the greatness of the resources of God&#x27;s power and love. Prayer is one of the most extraordinary means of grace that we have. J. I. Packer once said that the men who know their God are before anything else men who pray. This week I challenge you to seek to hear God&#x27;s voice in prayer. He speaks to us through the Bible and he listens to us and speaks to us through prayer. Prayer (as well as reading and meditating on Scripture) is a discipline; develop the habit of having a daily prayer life, not just to speak and make requests, but to hear the voice of God and contemplate the greatness and goodness of God. Pastor Thiago Silva

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On Prayer (Matthew 6:5-8)

INTRODUCTION:What is the greatest blessing God has ever given you? What is the best thing God has ever done in your life? Usually people tend to answer this question by remembering some material, physical blessing, some healing, some miracle, some problem that was solved. However, the Bible teaches us that the greatest blessing God has ever given us is spiritual and not material. The apostle Paul says that God blesses us with all kinds of spiritual blessings in Ephesians 1:3-14:<blockquote>(v.3) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”</blockquote> What blessings are these? Following the order and structure of Ephesians 1, we can affirm that Paul speaks of a threefold blessing. Three aspects of this spiritual blessings: the election of the Father (v.4-6); the redemption of the Son (v.7-12); and the seal of the Holy Spirit (v.13-14). Let’s see each aspect of this spiritual blessings separately:1 - ELECTION OF THE FATHER (Eph. 1:4-6) <blockquote>“He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.”</blockquote> This is a doctrine that is poorly understood by many Christians. There are Christians who don’t even like to talk about predestination, there are people who are angry with this doctrine of election. And I believe that this doctrine is so misunderstood and poorly loved because it messes with something very precious to us all: our pride. The doctrine of election removes the control we think we have over our own life and salvation. We like to think that we are the agents of our salvation; that we are worthy of our salvation; that we have won our own salvation. See the words of Paul here:(v.4): “he chose us in him before the creation of the world.”(v.5): “he predestined us…”(v.6): “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” The doctrine of election talks about the choice of the sovereign God the Father of those who will be saved in Christ Jesus. This choice does not depend on our merits. God chooses us regardless of our future actions. God the Father chooses, elects and predestines people, not based on our merits or works, but freely, by his own grace, based on the merits of Christ, before the foundation of the world. Salvation is not by works, we are not worthy of such a great favor, we do not deserve it, because we sin, we choose to sin, we turn our backs on God. In v.5 the Bible says that God predestined us “in accordance with his pleasure and will”. The significance of this is that our election is based on God’s pleasure and will and not on something good that he saw in us. It was God alone who chose us, for his own glory. That is why we should not look for reasons in us to say: “This is why God chose me! I&#x27;m not that bad ...” or “I help people, that’s why I was chosen ...” No! It is not our works that make us acceptable to God. The Westminster Confession of Faith says that because of our sin, the distance between us and God is so great that we are not able to save ourselves or even prepare ourselves for salvation. It is only by the will of God and not by our actions. Salvation is by grace and not by merit. Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God says in John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.” The doctrine of election shows the great love of God in saving poor sinners like us. This understanding of God’s sovereignty is a refuge in the dark days, in those moments when we feel alone and hurt. How great is God’s love for us, who loved us when there was nothing lovely in us and chose us while we were still dead in our sins. What a great love! What a marvelous grace! May this understanding fill our hearts with fear and love for our heavenly Father! Let us not try to find reasons in us for our salvation but let us look to God as the author and finisher of our salvation, and may we rest in God’s sovereign election!2 - THE REDEMPTION OF THE SON (Eph. 1:7-12) <blockquote>“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”</blockquote> The second aspect of the spiritual blessing that was given to us is REDEMPTION IN THE SON. In the New Testament, redemption is used to refer both to deliverance from sin and freedom from captivity. We were slaves to sin. We lived according to our own pleasures; we followed the course of this worldly system (Eph. 2.1-3). Miserable, poor and sinners. Our condition without God was terrible. As slaves to sin, we were not worthy of anything. We were spiritually dead. Through the blood of Christ shed on the cross, the price of our ransom was paid. On the cross Christ redeemed us, he bought us and freed us from all types of slavery. God, in his infinite grace and mercy, sends his Son to die for his people, for his chosen ones, to free us from the bondage of sin. It was God the Father himself who determined the death of the Son, the death of Jesus. Our redemption and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was a divine plan. It was the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15. On that cross, according to the divine plan, the price was paid, and the price was the life of the Son of God. The price was paid so that we might be freed from the guilt of sin, that we might be reconciled to the Father, who chose us before the foundation of the world. On the cross, all our debt to God was paid off, all our sin was forgiven, and our salvation was won. It is not we who have won our eternal salvation, it is Christ who has won it on the cross when he cried out “It is finished”! At the cross, all human pride falls to the ground. No human work is enough to stand us up before God. Christ Jesus alone is sufficient. In him (in Christ) our election is confirmed, and our redemption is won. Look at Christ and not yourself! If you look at your deeds, your works, you will have an illusion about salvation. We fall into idolatry when we focus too much on our own efforts and not on Christ Jesus. Look at the cross of Christ and rejoice in the great redemption that he has provided for us. 3 - THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (Eph. 1:13-14) <blockquote>“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”</blockquote>The third aspect of the spiritual blessing is the seal of the Holy Spirit. When we believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. A seal had at least two main purposes:a) Authenticate something as genuine and true;b) Mark someone’s property (show to whom you belong to). The moment we believe in the gospel, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This indicates that we are, in fact, children of God by adoption and that we will be with Him forever. It is like a guarantee that God gives us! When we believe in the gospel, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This indicates that we truly belong to God. We are the exclusive property of the Lord. God elects us. Jesus Christ bought us with his blood shed on the cross. And now we have the seal of the Holy Spirit. The salvation we have in him is eternal, it is something that lasts forever. We can’t lose it. Those who have been called by God, repented of their sins and have placed their faith in Christ’s sacrifice, are sealed with the Holy Spirit for eternal salvation. This is the greatest of all blessings that God could give us. This threefold spiritual blessing should bring rest to our souls. CONCLUSIONPaul’s attitude towards these truths is one of gratitude and worship. That is how he begins his letter: <blockquote>“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (v.3).</blockquote> May these truths of the election of the Father, the redemption of the Son, and the seal of the Holy Spirit (everything that involves our salvation), bring us to our knees in gratitude and worship. Embrace these doctrines; see in these truths the love and grace of God that reaches us, despite ourselves.Pastor Thiago Silva

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The Greatest Blessing of All (Ephesians 1:3-14)

The Lord’s Supper was established by Christ. Just before the crucifixion Jesus met with His disciples in the upper room to celebrate the Passover. During the meal He broke bread and shared it with them, explaining that this would remind them of His own body broken for them on the cross. He then offered them wine to drink, to remind them of His blood shed to wash away their sins.This shedding of blood also sealed a new covenant between God and all followers of Christ. The following Bible verses record how the Lord’s Supper began: Matthew 26:26, Luke 22:17; 1 Corinthians 11:23.The Jewish Passover was the forerunner of the Lord’s Supper. In it the Jews remembered how their lives had been saved because the blood of a lamb had been sprinkled on the doorposts of their houses (Exodus 12). In the Lord’s Supper Christians remember how they have been saved because the blood of Christ has been sprinkled for them. There is therefore a strong link between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper (1 Peter 1:18-21).Christians continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper regularly because Jesus Himself has commanded it. In the Lord’s Supper Christ’s death is remembered, His risen presence is experienced and faith and devotion to Him are renewed.The Lord&#x27;s Supper is a sacrament. A sacrament is a visual aid which illustrates and confirms the spiritual truths and promises contained in the gospel. In the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper the bread represents Christ’s body broken on the cross, and the wine His blood shed for the forgiveness of sin. By participating in the Lord’s Supper we share by faith in the living Christ and all the benefits of His death. A sacrament is meaningless without faith. Those who come to the Lord’s Supper should have faith in Christ as the One who has died for their sins. <a href="https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ShorterCatechismwithScriptureProofs.pdf" target="_blank">Read questions 91, 92, 93, 96 and 97 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism</a>.The Meaning of Christ’s DeathIn the Lord’s Supper we remember Christ’s death for sinners. The Bible teaches us many wonderful things about the death of Christ and its benefits for believers. Take time to consider each of the following: First of all, in Old Testament times the sins of God’s people were forgiven through the sacrifice of a lamb without spot or blemish. By His death, Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed himself once and for all to take away sin. (Hebrews 9:26).Second, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from every sin (1 John 1:7). This means that sins, past and present, are forgiven as we confess them to God. Christ’s cleansing blood makes believers fit to come to God and to the Lord’s table.Third, in ancient times a slave could be set free when a ransom price was paid. This process was called ‘Redemption’. The slave was now free to live a new life. The person who provided redemption was called the ‘Redeemer’. Christ, by His death on the cross, paid the ransom price for us. Every Christian has been freed from slavery to sin and now lives a new life in Christ, their Redeemer (Ephesians 1:7, 1Peter 1:18-19).Last, sin has broken that personal relationship which originally existed between God and man. By His death on the cross, Christ removes our sins and reconciles us to God. A new relationship with God begins (Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18). Sharing in the Lord’s SupperWe make preparations for all sorts of events in life. It is very important that we prepare ourselves for this special act of worship. Self-examination should always precede our coming to the Lord’s table (1 Cor. 11:28). The Lord&#x27;s Supper means:REMEMBRANCE: In the Lord’s Supper communicant members remember Jesus and His death for their sins, “He loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, Luke 22:19).THANKSGIVING: At the Lord’s Supper communicants are filled with thanksgiving and praise for all the benefits they have received as a result of Christ’s death.TESTIMONY: Through the Lord’s Supper communicants give public testimony that Christ has died for their sins and that they now follow Him as Lord (Psalm 116:13-14).COMMUNION: Christians hold communion with God and with one another. In the Lord’s Supper communicants meet with Christ and Christ with them. Through the Holy Spirit, the risen Christ, the living Lord, is really present with His people as they meet around His table (Revelation 3:20, Hebrews 10:19, 22).NOURISHMENT: In the Lord’s Supper communicants receive nourishment for their own souls. This does not come from the bread and wine, but from Christ Himself. Jesus says, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).EXPECTATION: Sharing in the Lord’s Supper is an enriching experience; for this special meal points forward to the return of Christ and to the bliss of heaven (1 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 3:20). Who Should Come to the Lord’s Table?Sharing in the Lord’s Supper is for those who have received the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives. They recognize that they are sinners in the sight of a holy and perfect God and believe that Christ has died for the forgiveness of their sins. In repentance and faith, they have come to Christ for salvation, have committed their lives to Christ and recognized Him as Lord.The person who comes to the Lord’s table must be a person who has first come to Christ. Those who have come to Christ will not be perfect, but they will be conscious that the Lord is in their lives and that life is different with Christ. The Westminster Shorter Catechism is helpful in explaining what it means to come to Christ: “Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, by which we receive and rest on Him alone for salvation, as He is offered to us in the gospel.” (Question 86).According to the Book of Church Order (BCO) of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), “Communing members are those who have made a profession of faith in Christ, have been baptized, and have been admitted by the Session to the Lord&#x27;s Table.” (BCO 6- 2).It means that, before being admitted to the Lord’s Supper, one needs to be approved by the Session, after having given indication of their desire to participate, and be formally received into full membership of the church. And, “those only who have made a profession of faith in Christ, have been baptized, and admitted by the Session to the Lord&#x27;s Table, are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the church.” (BCO 6-4). BCO 57-1. Believers’ children within the Visible Church, and especially those dedicated to God in Baptism, are non-communing members under the care of the Church. They are to be taught to love God, and to obey and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. When they are able to understand the Gospel, they should be earnestly reminded that they are members of the Church by birth right, and that it is their duty and privilege personally to accept Christ, to confess Him before men, and to seek admission to the Lord’s Supper.BCO 57-2. The time when young persons come to understand the Gospel cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the Session, whose office it is to judge, after careful examination, the qualifications of those who apply for admission to sealing ordinances.BCO 57-4. It is recommended, as edifying and proper, that baptized persons, when admitted by the Session to the Lord’s Supper, make a public profession of their faith in the presence of the congregation.It is essential that those who come to the Lord’s table understand exactly what the Lord’s Supper means and what is required of those who share in it. The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a useful guide. It says, “The right way to receive the Lord’s Supper is to examine whether we discern the Lord’s body, whether our faith feeds on Him, and whether we have repentance, love, and a new obedience – so that we may not come in the wrong way and eat and drink judgement on ourselves.” (Q.97).Sharing in the Lord’s Supper on profession of faith in Christ is an important step for anyone. Talk to some of the elders of our church to know more about the steps to become a communicant member.

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On the Lord's Supper

Confessional Resources<ul><li><a href="https://pcanet.org" target="_blank">Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WCFScripureProofs2022.pdf" target="_blank">The Westminster Confession of Faith</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/LargerCatechismwithScriptureProofs1.pdf" target="_blank">The Westminster Larger Catechism (Part 1: Questions 1–115)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Larger-CatechismwithScriptureProofs2.pdf" target="_blank">The Westminster Larger Catechism (Part 2: Questions 116–196)</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ShorterCatechismwithScriptureProofs.pdf" target="_blank">The Westminster Shorter Catechism</a></li><li><a href="https://prts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Heidelberg-Catechism-with-Intro.pdf" target="_blank">The Heidelberg Catechism</a></li><li><a href="https://missionworldview.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ea8a85_5a1caff0ac624e25bcf5b43eda999fb7.pdf" target="_blank">Our World Belongs to God Catechism</a></li><li><a href="http://newcitycatechism.com" target="_blank">The New City Catechism</a></li></ul>

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Resources

J. Gresham Machen said, “In the sphere of religion, as in other spheres, the things about which men are agreed are apt to be the things that are least worth holding; the really important things are the things about which men will fight.” If Machen is right, and I think he is, then it is because baptism is very important that Christians often disagree about it. To be sure, debates about baptism are intramural, but they help us understand the distinctives of various Christian traditions. In this way, they also help us understand our brothers and sisters in Christ.The Reformed view is summarized in the confessional documents of the Presbyterian and Continental Reformed churches: the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms for the former, and the Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Canons of Dort for the latter. These documents lay out a view of baptism that is distinctly different from the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Baptist views. This view can be understood under three headings: the meaning of baptism, the recipients of baptism, and the mode of baptism.The Meaning of BaptismBaptism is the rite of initiation into the visible church, which consists of all those who possess faith in Christ, along with their children (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A39/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Acts 2:39</a>; WCF 25.2; 28.1). In administering baptism, the church exercises obedience to Christ’s command to “make disciples . . . baptizing them” (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Matt.%2028%3A19/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Matt. 28:19</a>).Baptism is a visible word, a sign act whereby Christ and His benefits are shown forth to believers and applied to them (WCF 27.1). Over against the Baptist view, the Reformed view asserts that something actually happens in baptism—grace is actually conferred to worthy recipients—and over against the Roman Catholic and Lutheran views, the Reformed view asserts that baptism does not regenerate; nor does it work through the automatic efficacy of the sacrament itself or in the precise moment of its administration. Instead, baptism works through the operation of the Spirit in His people, meaning that it can either precede faith or follow it (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/John%203%3A8/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">John 3:8</a>; WCF 28.6).The sacrament is a sign and seal of cleansing from sin and ingrafting to Christ (WCF 28.1). It is not simply an outward sign of an inward change; it is an act of God, a solemn promise to apply to worthy recipients the benefits signified in the sacrament—namely, the promises of God’s covenant.The Recipients of BaptismAnyone who comes to faith as an adult and who has never received a valid baptism should be baptized (Westminster Larger Catechism 167). On this, all sides agree; Presbyterians as much as Baptists will baptize adult converts. But the Reformed view, over against the Baptist view, is that the children of at least one believer should be baptized as well (WCF 28.4).Under the old covenant, children were considered members of the covenant community and were granted the sign of initiation into that covenant, which was circumcision (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Gen.%2017%3A9%E2%80%9314/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Gen. 17:9–14</a>). Under the new covenant, the substance of the one overarching covenant of grace has not changed; only the administration has (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Col.%202%3A11%E2%80%9312/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Col. 2:11–12</a>; WLC 35). Therefore, the children of believers are to receive the sign of initiation, which is now baptism (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A38%E2%80%9339/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Acts 2:38–39</a>).The Mode of BaptismProtestants agree that ordinary water is to be used in the sacrament, but they disagree on how it is to be used. The Baptist view of baptism asserts that immersion is the only valid mode of baptism, based partly on the meaning of the Greek word baptizō, which, it is said, means “to dip” or “to immerse.” Baptizō, however, cannot and does not always mean “to immerse” (see, e.g., <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Mark%207%3A4/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Mark 7:4</a> [“washing” = baptizō]; <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A41/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Acts 2:41</a>; <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Rom.%206%3A3/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Rom. 6:3</a>). In the Baptist view, immersion—going down into and coming up out of the water—is said to best picture the death and resurrection of Christ, but this misses the fact that in ancient Israel the dead were buried horizontally, in caves and such, rather than vertically as in the soft ground of North America.The Reformed view, over against the Baptist view, sees immersion as nonessential and instead sees affusion—sprinkling or pouring—as a better picture of what baptism signifies (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Heb.%2010%3A22/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Heb. 10:22</a>; WCF 28.3). Various passages speak of the Holy Spirit as “coming upon,” “falling upon,” or being “poured out” on believers (see, e.g., <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%201%3A8%3B%202%3A3%2C%2017%3B%2011%3A15%E2%80%9316/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Acts 1:8; 2:3, 17; 11:15–16</a>). When the Holy Spirit falls on someone in this way, it means He is regenerating him and working faith in him. This is baptism of the Holy Spirit—salvation (<a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Matt.%203%3A11/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Matt. 3:11</a>; <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Acts%202%3A33/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Acts 2:33</a>; <a href="https://www.esv.org/verses/Eph.%201%3A13%E2%80%9314/" target="_blank" class="esv-crossref-link">Eph. 1:13–14</a>; WLC 165). Therefore, it makes sense for the baptism of water to imitate the baptism of the Holy Spirit.To summarize, the Reformed view understands baptism to be a sacrament that was instituted by Christ and is properly administered to those who are in the visible church, along with their children.– Kevin Gardner, What Is the Presbyterian and Reformed View of Baptism?

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On Baptism

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Small Groups

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Missions

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Sunday School

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Women's Ministry

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Sunday Worship

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Men's Ministry

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New Members

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The Bible is the inspired word of God. It is without error in its original manuscripts, and contains everything we need to know about having a right relationship with God and our fellow human beings. The Bible is the basis for all of our essential beliefs (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

God is one (Mark 12:29), yet mysteriously exists in three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), who are to be equally loved, honored, and surrendered to (Matthew 28:19).

Jesus Christ is fully God and fully human. He is the sole Mediator able to restore the broken relationship, and the resulting alienation, between God and people (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. He is alive and active. He indwells followers of Christ, working in unison with the Word of God to guide them in all truth. He is the power that enables Christians to live as new creations in Christ and empowers believers for service (John 16:7-14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 6:17).

People are created by God and in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). On this basis, all people must be treated with dignity, honor, love and respect (James 3:9-10). At the same time, in their quest for independence and the centrality of self, all people begin their lives alienated from God, and in this condition are without hope and under judgment, a condition that can only be cured through God’s loving, gracious, and saving intervention (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1). As the image of God, we are most alive when our trust, affections and allegiances center on Him.

Restoration between God and people (also called ‘salvation’) happens when the Holy Spirit gives people a new heart, leading and enabling them to trust in Jesus alone for salvation (John 1:12-13). Because God loves His creation, He will also restore the entire universe to a condition of beauty, rest, joy, perfection, and freedom (Romans 8:18-30). God’s world, which began as a promising Garden (Genesis 1:27-31), will find its fulfillment in a perfected, life-giving City in which there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:1-8).

Good works do not and cannot make us acceptable to God (Ephesians 2:8-9), but are the natural outcome of authentic faith in Jesus (James 2:17). We become more fully human—the very best and most healthy version of ourselves—to the degree that we follow God’s loving commands. His commands, properly understood, are neither limiting nor oppressive but life-giving. Obedience to God’s commands is an essential prerequisite for true human flourishing.

The Church is the family of God and consists of those who place their functional trust (faith) in Jesus. God wants all members of His worldwide Church, together with their children, to be active in a local church which meets regularly to worship God, serve each other, and be a life-giving presence in their local community and world (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25).

We believe that God has created men (male) and women (female) equal in their essential dignity and human personhood, but different and complementary in their functions; He also created marriage to be exclusively the covenant union of one man (male) and one woman (female), and designed intimate sexual activity to occur exclusively within that covenant union.

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(337) 499-0115

2040 E. McNeese Street
Lake Charles, LA 70605

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Make sure you put this on your calendar! Bethel Crawfish boil will happen at Bethel PCA on Saturday, May 6th at 3:00PM. Invite your family and friends and sign up as soon as you can at the church. If you want more details or if you want to help, please, see elder Ben Hogue.

CRAWFISH BOIL

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Ben Hogue

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Thiago Silva

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Jared Oakley

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Jason Rashall

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Rick Condit

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Tony Lebato

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Mark Guidry

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Tom Keith

JOIN A SMALL GROUPWe are made by God to be in community as we share our joys, hopes, and struggles together. In a busy, transient world, the best way to form community is with people right around us: those in our neighborhoods.Why small groups? Followers of Jesus need each other to learn and grow. At Bethel, we believe community is the means by which God shows His love to all people and renews the earth. More than just another ministry, Small Groups are where we are truly the church — meeting regularly, praying for and with each other, being challenged and encouraged, opening our hearts and minds to those different from us, being vulnerable with one another, doing life together.WHAT SMALL GROUPS LOOK LIKE- Leadership: Each small group is lead by an Elder, Deacon, and/or Coordinator.- Size: Adults plus kids who live near each other and want to grow deeper in relationship with Christ and do good for their neighborhood.- Structure: Small groups may meet for monthly dinners, small-group studies, periodic picnic or other occasional events.- Service: All groups take an active role in serving each other and their communities, both through service projects and occasional needs or rides to church.- Neighborhood: Small groups are a great and non-threatening way to reach out to your neighbors.FIND YOUR SMALL GROUP- Central and Southwest Parish: Rick Condit and Jason Rashall- North, Sulphur and Moss Bluff Parish: Jared Oakley and Ben HogueSmall groups meet every 2nd Sunday of each month, from 4:30-6:00 pm.

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Jesus tells his disciples to “Go …and make disciples of all nations.” In worship, mission is given, directed, enabled, and finally initiated. It involves both worship and action. As God&#x27;s people we gather for worship and then, we are sent and prepared for God&#x27;s mission in the world.Missions takes place in a world that was created good but is now fallen and lives in sin and disobedience against God and is consequently under judgment. However, sin and evil were not able to dethrone God who promised to deliver man and the world. This promise was fulfilled in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ in whom the kingdom came to earth. It is through the church that this work of Christ is continued. He builds his church by His Word and Spirit. This church brings the gospel in a world, that, though it is under judgment, does know the concern of God. The church proclaims the new life and reality that is to be found in Christ and the kingdom in word and deed.Missions is that action of the church over the whole wide world—which in the deepest sense is an action of Christ himself—whereby she calls the peoples of this world in all their diversity to faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ, and to show them in the signs of our service, how the salvation of Christ encompasses the whole of life, and to teach them at the same time to look with hopeful expectation to the completion of the kingdom when God will be all in all. (J. H. Bavinck)The church as occupying a very special place within a nation and within world history. According to its inner nature, the church stands outside that great world union that originated with the fall in paradise and culminates in that terrible kingdom of man—the kingdom of Antichrist. The church works in the service of another and lives from another principle. At the same time, the church stands in the midst of this world and has a responsibility in it. The church is separated from the world. It lives from a different root than humanity as a whole: It belongs to a different age. However, the church is not indifferent to life in this world. It cannot forsake this world or be unfaithful to it because, until the last day, the church will see this world as the place of God’s impossible possibilities where he can include many in his plan of salvation. In that plan of salvation, the church is an instrument in the hand of God because Jesus says, “As the Father sent me so send I you.”A church in mission is first of all a church that proclaims the gospel of him who is the light of the world. In this, the Word aspect remains central. This is how the church stays relevant in and for the world even though the world may not recognize this as such. Apart from the gospel, the church has little to offer to the world. At the same time, because of the gospel and its effects, the reality of the shalom of the kingdom can be experienced in the midst of a sinful and broken world.With this conviction, at Bethel Presbyterian Church we want to impact locally and globally, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to our city and the world. The Missions Committee is the global arm of our local church. We are the liaison between our missionaries and our members. Bethel supports mission work in Peru, Germany and Spain, and is committed to praying for, financially supporting and sending missionaries to help fulfill the Great Commission.Coordinator: Mary Condit (<a href="mailto:marycondit@gmail.com">marycondit@gmail.com</a>)

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&quot;Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.&quot; (Proverbs 16:20)Revival is not something the church can schedule and accomplish. But we can certainly wish it to happen. The church can pray, plead, study the matter, check the Scriptures, know its nature, its results, and what lasting changes have been produced during church history.It is also possible to see the mistakes and lyings of the enemy and the exaggerations of leaders when blind zeal desires experiences for the sake of experiences and not the appropriation of their benefits for life in permanent sanctification.In the process of wishing and preparing for a revival to take place, Sunday School plays a very important, I would say key, role. One of the great challenges of the Church in the 21st century is precisely the lack of solid and quality biblical information. It is ironic that in a time of so many facilities and so many technological resources there is a growing biblical ignorance among the people of God.The Scriptures and many other resources such as dictionaries, commentaries, sermons and tools for exegesis and hermeneutics are available on all platforms. You can go to worship today with dozens of Bible versions and translations, a voluminous highly specialized library and the works of the most famous authors at the moment on your IPad and smartphone. Even so, ignorance does not seem to give way; rather, it gets worse every day. Lots of information and little transformation. Why?Because the mind needs to be trained to be able to profitably use these resources. Texts in digital format are usually short, synthetic, without great challenge for reasoning, without great difficulties for the mind to form its own conclusions. The answers can come even before the question is asked. The Sunday School can be a place of faith intelligence, equipped with these and other resources, it can be the ideal space for deepening the most relevant issues that challenge the veracity and rationality of the Christian faith.“Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). It is clear from this passage that preparation, training of the mind, the ability to argue coherently are all part of mature discipleship, and a life of work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in the Gospel.Therefore, it is a duty of local church leadership to invest in Sunday School. It is a moral duty of Christians to value this school for the edification of their souls and also for the spiritual and intellectual equipping of hearts and minds capable of witnessing and sharing the Gospel. When the Scriptures are disseminated, taught, and explained, when the sublime doctrines of Grace and the diligent study of all doctrines of the Trinity and the last things form part of the basic Sunday School curriculum, there will inevitably be an awakening to more grateful and vibrant worship. Undoubtedly, in a spiritual atmosphere ruled by truth and with worship sustained by reason, the way to revival can be opened.Sunday School also plays an important role in evangelization. It should be a discipleship and sending center. Like the apostles who sat at the Master&#x27;s feet and, after listening carefully to him, were sent on a mission. The same should happen in Sunday School. We sat down to hear about the Kingdom, the love of the Father, the Beatitudes, the practice of justice, etc.; we are sent to offer and give freely what we freely and by grace have received. In Sunday School we learn to live and act as disciples of Jesus, as those who learn the consciousness of being sent into the world.Without a well-trained Church, with an intelligent and articulate faith; without a people with solid and well-identified biblical and doctrinal bases; without rational and vibrant worship, and without a deep identification as disciples of Jesus neither revival nor evangelism will be possible. Thanks be to God for Sunday School. Let us therefore value this wonderful “school of life”.Bethel PCA offers Sunday school classes for all ages.CHILDREN AND YOUTH CLASSESBethel offers Sunday School classes for children of all ages, newborn to high school. The purpose of each age appropriate class is to teach, encourage, and equip our covenant children.We believe that all Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, has Christ as the central focal point. Each lesson is an opportunity for our students to learn who Christ is, why we need Christ, and what it means to be Christ’s disciples.Where are the Children&#x27;s classrooms?<ul><li>Ages 1-3 meet in the nursery</li><li>Ages 4-8 meet in the office</li><li>Ages 9-11 meet in the last classroom in the hallway</li><li>Ages 12-18 meet in the Fellowship Hall</li></ul>ADULT CLASSThe adults meet in the sanctuary for Sunday school after the worship service, and the lecture is based on the sermon that was preached. Sunday school provides an opportunity for us to go deeper into the Scripture and talk about ways we can apply the sermon in our everyday life. Sunday school happens every Sunday from 11:30am–12:15pm.

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Women&#x27;s Ministry at Bethel is a Word-based and Relationally-driven ministry.Women&#x27;s ministry is a great place to provide mentoring and encouragement to women of all ages, naturally putting Titus 2:3–5 into practice:<blockquote>Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.</blockquote>Women aren’t a separate entity but a unique part of a larger whole. We have the privilege of working alongside our church leadership to carry out Bethel’s mission within Lake Charles. We believe that ministry is a lifestyle and is therefore incorporated into all aspects of life: our homes, church, work, neighbors and the various communities we live in. We desire to equip all women, young, younger and young at heart, for ministry through Biblical teaching and training that glorifies Christ. We also recognize the importance of being intentional in spending time together, building a foundation for true, Christ-centered community. Women’s gatherings are a strategic and meaningful way that our church can help women to know Jesus and to make him known.Based on biblical principles, we seek to develop various activities aimed at studying the Word, prayer, edification, evangelization, counseling, communion, integration, care, and support for one another.Would you like more information or even be a part of this ministry? Contact us! Coordinator: Kristie Hogue (<a href="mailto:perkinskristie@hotmail.com">perkinskristie@hotmail.com</a>)

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As we have described in our order of worship, the worship service narrates the story of redemption, and in this aspect it has an anticipatory character, that is, we enjoy elements of eternity that we have not yet fully experienced here. For this reason, the Church, gathered for worship, is directed to a continuation of the worship performed on Sunday. What we experience in the Sunday liturgy flows into our weekly routine. The biblical texts read, the themes of the songs, the sermon preached, the challenge given to each of us, the beauty of the sacraments, the prayers to God. Each of these elements influences the weekly decisions, trains the heart to actually experience and enact the Missio Dei (mission of God).In worship, mission is given, directed, enabled, and finally initiated. It involves both worship and action. It is a field where the baptized, participants in worship, are now sent and prepared for God&#x27;s mission in the world. Our order of worship is designed to help us to remember that worship tells and retells, week after week, the story of salvation, namely, the Gospel narrative. The biblical drama includes: creation, fall, redemption and consummation (renewal). We are at the point of eschatological tension between redemption and the consummation of all things. This is where the Church lives and acts, and therefore has her mission. Christian hope, fueled by the anticipatory character of worship, does not generate a static local church, standing with its hands raised, waiting to be abducted. Rather, it creates a church in motion, that puts the hands and feet into action, walking in the world and sowing the Word of Truth.The people of God gathered, who have their hearts comforted and sin confronted, can be welcomed and taught, not only for their own enjoyment, but mainly to serve God in the midst of His world. Gathered, we are trained and sent. Then, we work and witness. The Christian church spread to the world after Christian worship must act according to what was learned during the worship, based on the implications and applications solidified in the exposition of the Word and the inspiration given in the songs, prayers and readings.Yes, the retelling of God&#x27;s story emphasizes his outpouring to the world, from creation, in the act of speaking and calling things into existence, to the incarnation of Christ, his Son, given to the world and present in temporality in order to fulfill the Father&#x27;s purpose in announcing reconciliation and forgiveness of sins. In the death and resurrection of Jesus, one of the central issues of Christian worship in the Lord’s Supper, we prepare each other to understand the same dimension that the disciples understood at Pentecost, moving them to witness to the ends of the earth (See: Acts 1:8).When the Word of God preached, sung, prayed, and explained in Christian worship is properly embodied in us, our presence in the chaotic and hopeless world will point to a Kingdom of order and real hope.OUR MUSICThe music we sing at Bethel is a blend of old and new. We love the doctrinally rich ancient hymns and we find blessing in the contemporary choruses. While lyrics and style are important in the songs we sing, we are most concerned with congregational singing which emphasizes the gathered body singing praise to God with one voice, over performed music, which tends to spotlight the abilities of some while encouraging passivity in the rest.NURSERYThe Bethel Presbyterian nursery exists to support our young families as they seek to grow in their devotion to the Lord. The nursery serves as an emotionally engaging and physically safe environment for children ages brith through three years. Our desire is to partner with the parents in the discipleship of their children by teaching them the truths of God’s Word and encouraging the very earliest stages of Christian community with their peers and adults in their church family. While Bethel welcomes families with children of all ages to worship together, we also want to offer parents of young children (Ages 1-3) the opportunity to worship and learn undistracted, especially during this very demanding season of life.We come together to worship every Sunday at 10:00 am.

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&quot;He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?&quot; – Micah 6:8We work to restore the biblical concept of Manhood, and challenge men today to take their positions as priests of the home and head of the family. Our desire is to see mature men who takes the responsability to serve God in every sphere of life, and love his family wholeheartedly.As a church we want to provide a healthy space where men can come together to talk, pray, encourage one another, and grow together as mature followers of Christ.We have a MEN&#x27;S BREAKFAST every Wednesday, 7:00AM at the Great Harvest Bread (4112 Lake St., #100). Join us for a time of devotion, prayer, and fellowship.Coordinator: Pr. Thiago Silva (tsilva18@prts.edu)

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The Bible refers to the church in many different ways. But, first and foremost, she is the body of Christ. The church, in this definition, is the spiritual organism composed of mutually interdependent parts, which are its members. Our union with Christ makes us members of Christ&#x27;s body and members of one another (Rom. 12:5). Interestingly, in the New Testament there are more imperatives that refer to our relationship with each other than our duties in the world or even our relationship with God. This implies that my relationship with the Lord is measured by my relationships with other Christians more than any other factor (1 John 3:23; 4:7, 20).Therefore, we must take seriously the fact that we are members of one another. But do we know what that means? The membership rolls of our churches seem more like a formality than the reality God intended. Biblically, membership means life shared together. Another word to describe the church is koinonia, which indicates a corporate or communal nature that is absolutely essential to its true being. The church does not exist, it cannot develop without community life. The natural expression of Christ&#x27;s life in the believer leads him to gather together with other believers (Acts 2:44, 46) and to resist the temptation to stop gathering together (Heb. 10:25). Any believer, therefore, who fails to experience the intimate life of communion with his/her brothers and sisters, fails to experience the church as the body of Christ.It is when the church is gathered together—whether as a small group in a home (Rom 16:3-5) or in corporate celebration in a building (Acts 3:1)—that the “life of the Body” can best be expressed in a way that fulfills the words of Scripture. who say, &quot;Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.&quot; (Eph. 4:15-16).The Purpose of Church MembershipThe purpose of church membership is for Christians to encourage and help one another to express the life of Christ; and that in this way they demonstrate the love and unity which should characterize the people of God.Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 12, records that each member of the body is needed by the others, consequently, by the entire church. God wanted all the needs of His people met. For this reason, He imparted to His children special skills and abilities. That is, through the Holy Spirit, God distributed gifts and talents to His church. The needs of each are best met in an environment where fellowship is well developed.Two basic elements define the purpose of membership:1. Mutuality: We can say that mutuality is a lifestyle in tune with the New Testament commands regarding what Christians should do to each other to express their love and unity. This attitude produces a healthy, vigorous church that will naturally impact the world. The result is that this local congregation achieves the main goal: to glorify God (Rom. 11:36).2. Exercise of spiritual gifts: In this basic manifestation of the life of the body, the members maintain fellowship with one another by the exercising of the gifts they have been given to serve one another (1 Pet. 4:10). One of the ways we build ourselves up is through the practice of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts become vital and practical when they are awakened, recognized, and practiced within the life of a living Christian community (Eph. 4:15-16).Key Characteristics of Church MembershipFar from allowing the idea of isolated disciples, or &quot;unchurched&quot; believers, this is what the Lord Jesus says: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).Mutuality expresses the love ordained by Christ. The concept of church membership emphasizes some vital characteristics:1. Church members value relationships<ul><li>Love one another (John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 4:8)</li><li>Subject to one another (Eph. 5:21)</li><li>Support one another (Col. 3:13)</li><li>Mutually confess their sins to one another (James 5:16)</li></ul>2. Church members contribute to the maturity of each other<ul><li>Build one another up (Romans 14:19)</li><li>Instruct one another (Col. 3:16)</li><li>They counsel one another (Col. 3:16)</li><li>Share psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19)</li></ul>3. Church members help each other<ul><li>Serve one another (1 Peter 4:10)</li><li>Bear one another&#x27;s burdens (Galatians 6:2)</li><li>Are mutually hospitable (1 Peter 4:9)</li><li>Are kind to one another (Col. 3:12)</li><li>Pray for one another (James 5:16)</li></ul>The goal of every Christian is to live in community. Every day more and more believers are discovering that they cannot be Christians on their own. Christians do not have the strength to live up to their divine calling to the Kingdom, except when they share life together in community.Steps to become a member at Bethel Presbyterian Church:1 - Understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and God&#x27;s plan of salvation: <a href="https://pcanet.org/about-the-pca-2/" target="_blank">click here</a>.2 - Know who we are and what we believe: <a href="/who-we-are" target="_blank">click here</a>3 - Study our membership vows found in the Presbyterian Church in America’s <a href="http://www.pcaac.org/resources/bco/">Book of Church Order</a> (section 57-5):<ul><li>Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?</li><li>Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?</li><li>Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?</li><li>Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?</li><li>Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?</li></ul>4 - Meet with the elders of the church._______________________* If you want to understand more about what it means to be a church member in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), <a href="https://www.twopathways.org/p/church-membership-in-the-pca#footnote-anchor-1" target="_blank">click here</a>.* If you want to become a member of Bethel PCA, <a href="/connect" target="_blank">click here and send us a message</a>.

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