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Our Story » Our Purpose » Our Pastor » Our Staff » What We Believe » Good News
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OUR STORY
[/text_output][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][responsive_text compression=”4.0″ selector=”.h-shrink” min_size=”6px” max_size=”16px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”25px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]Our story begins in the summer of 1974 in a downtown Tacoma YWCA. That very first service started with less than ten people in attendance. Today, that small group of strangers has grown into quite a large family. And it’s still growing. Over the past forty years, people all over Tacoma, Spanaway, Puyallup and the surrounding area have chosen to make our church their church. Since 1974, BBC has endeavored to share the love of Jesus and to spread His message of hope to the people in our community.
We are a growing church. In 1979, a five-acre parcel of land in Spanaway was donated, and, since then, God has blessed our church, growing those 5 acres into 16. Each week, hundreds of people walk through our doors. Our mission is to help as many of them as we can. Over the years, we have built and remodeled several buildings on the property to provide space for outreach and ministries that accomplish this goal. Future plans include a 1,000-seat auditorium with room to accommodate even more.
We are a military church. Located in the backyard of JBLM, scores of military families are making the move to Spanaway. Many of them have had to leave a good church back home as the military moves them to bases around the world. We understand the challenges that military life brings and appreciate all the sacrifices made by those who serve our country. Our goal is to provide a loving and supportive church for those men and women and their families who serve in our nation’s armed forces. In fact, many of our members are veterans who have chosen to settle down in Washington State and make Bethel their permanent church home.
We are an international church. Our church family is made up of nearly twenty different nationalities, and we like it that way! At BBC, everyone is welcome. Because of the strong military presence in our community, we welcome people from every culture and all walks of life every single week.
We look forward to meeting you at one of our services. Maybe you’ll find that Bethel is the right fit for you. We would love to welcome you into our church family. There’s always room for more.[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”45px” border=”none” class=”h-shrink”][vc_column fade=”true” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”80px” width=”1/1″][text_output]
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OUR PURPOSE
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[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h5″ looks_like=”h5″ icon=”fire”]Preaching the Gospel[/feature_headline]Mark 16:15- And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. The Bible definition of the Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. In life, that is the supreme truth! Scripture tells us that Christ came into the world to save sinners (I Timothy 1:15). God’s desire is that no one should die without being saved (II Peter 3:9). We believe in obeying the Great Commission (Mark 16:15), and that it is the privilege and priority of the believer to share the Gospel with those that are lost. Many weekly activities and outings are centered around this very thing. It is our prayer that members of Bethel will make it a lifestyle to always be conscious and active in sharing the Good News. Another focused effort at BBC is that of World-wide Missions. Our church is honored to financially support scores of missionaries around the world, in their efforts to reach people with the Gospel of Christ. We believe every Christian should either GO, or help SEND missionaries around the world by prayer and/or financial support. In donating financially to the Missions Program at Bethel, one is literally supporting getting the gospel to the world.
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[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h5″ looks_like=”h5″ icon=”leaf”]Growing in Grace[/feature_headline]II Peter 3:18- But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. One of the essential themes of life is Growth. It happens, and continually happens to all of us! The Christian life is much the same, it is a constant cycle of growth. God desires us to grow, and BBC is a place where we put a high emphasis on Christian growth. Salvation changes our destiny, but growth in the Christian life is a journey that takes time for each individual. With God’s word as our guide, we have several venues in our church that are all about encouraging and instructing growth in each person’s life. From our regular services, to our adult Bible classes, to our Bible studies, to our youth programs, we dive into the truths of God’s word to find wisdom to apply to everyday life. And in the process, we enjoy fellowship and build friendships that sharpen us for a lifetime.
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[feature_headline type=”left” level=”h5″ looks_like=”h5″ icon=”heart”]Serving the Lord[/feature_headline]Matthew 22:37-39- Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Our church thrives on finding and providing opportunities to serve the Lord. Our weekly agenda is packed with events that promote a life of service. Service to the Lord can be explained simply in two ways: Showing our love for God, and showing our love for others. We believe that a fulfilling Christian life, one that pleases and honors God, is attainable when one actively loves the Lord, and serves others. If you are looking for a place where you can be involved in meaningful service, BBC has a place for you! Our list of ministries and service opportunities is long and wide, and we are constantly looking to add volunteers. We all have God-given gifts and abilities, Bethel is a place where everyday people can use their talents to serve the Lord.[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”45px” border=”none” class=”h-shrink”][vc_column fade=”true” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”80px” width=”1/1″][text_output]
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OUR PASTOR
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Terry Minge
Pastor, Bethel Baptist Church
[/text_output][/vc_column][vc_column fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”2/3″][visibility type=”visible-phone”][gap size=”25px”][/visibility][vc_row_inner no_margin=”true” padding_top=”15px” padding_bottom=”15px” border=”none” bg_color=”#ffffff” style=”border-radius: 6px; padding-left: 25px; padding-right: 25px;”][vc_column_inner fade_animation_offset=”45px” width=”1/1″][text_output]Pastor Terry Minge was born in Great Falls, Montana, in 1958, but grew up in Athens, Tennessee. Upon graduating high school, he joined the Army and served for three years as a paratrooper at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After serving in the military, he was saved and began attending an Independent Fundamental Baptist church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Soon after, he felt the call of God on his life and surrendered to full-time service. He then moved his family to the Midwest, to train for the ministry in Bible College. Upon graduating from Bible College, Pastor Minge moved to Brooklyn, New York, where he served as an Assistant Pastor at a local church for two years.
In 1990, Pastor Minge and his family moved to Tacoma, Washington, to become the pastor of Tacoma Baptist Church. The Lord blessed Tacoma Baptist under his leadership and in 1995, Tacoma Baptist Church uniquely merged with the Bethel Baptist Church of Spanaway, Washington. Over the last couple of decades, Pastor Minge has been used of the Lord to lead Bethel to reach many people and families for Christ. He is a pastor with a sincere heart for people, and a strong commitment to the ministry of the local church.[/text_output][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”45px” border=”none” class=”h-shrink”][vc_column fade=”true” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”80px” width=”1/1″][text_output]
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OUR STAFF
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Chris Adkinson
Bus Ministry and S.S. Director, Media
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Dennis Goltiao
Music Director, BBCS Instructor
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Jon Minge
Youth Director, Assistant Pastor
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CORE BELIEFS
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The Holy Scriptures
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and that they compose the entire Word of God. The Scriptures are inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed; and therefore, are the final authority for faith and life. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the complete and divine revelation of God to man. The Scriptures shall be interpreted according to their normal grammatical-historical meaning. The King James Version of the Bible shall be the official and only English-language translation used by Bethel Baptist Church. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21)
The Godhead
We believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each coeternal in being, coidentical in nature, coequal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:10, 26)
The Person and Work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man without ceasing to be God, having been begotten by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful men. (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-2, 14; II Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-8) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the cross as a representative, vicarious, substitutionary sacrifice; and that our justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead. (Acts 2:18-36; Romans 3:24-25; I Peter 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:3-5) We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministries of Representative, Intercessor, and Advocate. (Acts 1:9-10; Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2)
The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a Person Who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; and that He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption. (John 16:8-11; Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians 1:13-14) We believe that He is the Divine Teacher Who assists believers to understand and appropriate the Scriptures and that it is the privilege and duty of all the saved to be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 1:17-18; 5:18; I John 2:20, 27) We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowal of spiritual gifts to every believer. God uniquely uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip believers in the assembly in order that they can do the work of the ministry. (Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:4-11, 28; Ephesians 4:7-12) We believe that the sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary. We believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit and that ultimate deliverance of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation in the resurrection, though God frequently chooses to answer the prayers of believers for physical healing. (I Corinthians 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22)
The Fallen Nature of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but that in Adam’s sin the human race fell, inherited a sinful nature, and became alienated from God; and, that all men are sinners by birth and by choice, and, of themselves, utterly unable to remedy their lost condition. (Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:22-23; 5:12; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
Salvation
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose precious blood was shed on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-10; I Peter 1:18-19) and that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process.
The Eternal Security and Assurance of the Believers
We believe that all the redeemed, once saved, are kept by God’s power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Romans 8:1, 38-39; I Corinthians 1:4-8; I Peter 1:4-5) We believe that it is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh. (Romans 13:13-14; Galatians 5:13; Titus 2:11-15)
The Church
We believe that the local church, which is the body and the espoused bride of Christ, is solely made up of born-again persons. (I Corinthians 12:12-14; II Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:25-27) We believe that the establishment and continuance of local churches is clearly taught and defined in the New Testament Scriptures. (Acts 14:27; 20:17, 28-32; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-11) We believe in the autonomy of the local church, free of any external authority or control. (Acts 13:1-4; 15:19-31; 20:28; Romans 16:1, 4; I Corinthians 3:9, 16; 5:4-7, 13; I Peter 5:1-4) We recognize water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the Scriptural ordinances of obedience for the church in this age. (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:41-42; 18:18; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
Separation
We believe that all the saved should live in a manner that does not bring reproach upon their Savior and Lord; and that separation from all religious apostasy, all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices, and associations is commanded of God. (Romans 12:1-2; 14:13; II Corinthians 6:14-7:1; II Timothy 3:1-5; I John 2:15-17; II John 9-11)
The Second Advent of Christ
We believe in that “blessed hope,” the personal, imminent return of Christ Who will rapture His Church prior to the seven-year tribulation period. At the end of the Tribulation, Christ will personally and visibly return with His saints to establish His earthly Messianic Kingdom which was promised to the nation of Israel. (Psalm 89:3-4; Daniel 2:31-45; Zechariah 14:4-11; I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; Titus 2:13; Revelation 3:10; 19:11-16; 20:1-6)
The Eternal State
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men—the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment. (Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29; 11:25-26; Revelati on 20:5-6, 12-13) We believe that the souls of the redeemed are at death absent from the body and present with the Lord, where in conscious bliss they await the first resurrection when spirit, soul, and body are reunited to be glorified forever with the Lord. (Luke 23:43; II Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23; 3:21; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 20:4-6) We believe that the souls of unbelievers remain after death in conscious punishment and torment until the second resurrection when, with soul and body reunited, they shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast into the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment and torment. (Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-26; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Revelation 20:11-15)
The Personality of Satan
We believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin, and the cause of the fall of man; that he is the open and declared enemy of God and man; and that he shall be eternally punished in the Lake of Fire. (Job 1:6-7; Isaiah 14:12-17; Matthew 4:2-11; 25:41; Revelation 20:10)
Creation
We believe that God created the universe in six literal, 24-hour periods. We reject evolution, the Gap Theory, the Day-Age Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories of origin. (Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20:11)
Civil Government
We believe that God has ordained and created all authority consisting of three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state. Every person is subject to these authorities, but all (including the authorities themselves) are answerable to God and are governed by His Word. God has given each institution specific Biblical responsibilities and has balanced those responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other. The home, the church, and the state are equal and sovereign in their respective Biblically assigned spheres of responsibility under God. (Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 5:22-24; Hebrews 13:17; I Peter 2:13-14)
Unchaste Conduct
We believe that God has commanded that no intimate physical activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography is a sinful perversion of God’s original intent for a physical relationship between a husband and wife. (Genesis 2:24; 19:5, 13; 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Romans 1:26-29; I Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4)
Divorce and Remarriage
We believe that God hates divorce and intends marriage to last until one of the spouses dies. Although divorced and remarried persons or divorced persons may hold positions of service in a church and be greatly used of God for Christian service, they may not be considered for the offices of pastor or deacon of a church. (Malachi 2:14-17; Matthew 19:3-12; Romans 7:1-3; I Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Abortion constitutes the unjustified, inexcusable taking of unborn human life. Abortion is murder. We reject any teaching that abortions of pregnancies due to rape, incest, birth defects, gender selection, birth or population control, or the mental well-being of the mother are acceptable. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5; 139:14-16; Isaiah 44:24; 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15-18; Luke 1:44)
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations so that there might be a great multitude from every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language group who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors of Christ we must use all available means to go to the foreign nations and not wait for them to come to us. (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8, II Corinthians 5:20)
Lawsuits Between Believers
We believe that Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians or the church to resolve personal disputes. We believe the church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between members. We do believe, however, that a Christian may seek compensation for injuries from another Christian’s insurance company as long as the claim is pursued without malice or slander. (I Corinthians 6:1-8; Ephesians 4:31-32)
Giving
We believe that every Christian, as a steward of that portion of God’s wealth entrusted to him, is obligated to support his local church financially. We believe that God has established the tithe as a basis for giving, but that every Christian should also give other offerings sacrificially and cheerfully to the support of the church, the relief of those in need, and the spread of the Gospel. We believe that a Christian relinquishes all rights to direct the use of the tithe or offering once the gift has been made. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9-10; Acts 4:34-37; I Corinthians 16:2; II Corinthians 9:6-7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; I Timothy 5:17-18; I John 3:17) This doctrinal statement does not exhaust the extent of our faith. The Bible itself is the sole and final source of all that we believe.[/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”45px” border=”none” class=”h-shrink”][vc_column fade=”true” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”80px” width=”1/1″][text_output]
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GOOD NEWS
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There are big questions that haunt all of us. What happens when I die? Where will I spend eternity? The single most important question that you will ever answer is this – “If I were to die today, would I spend eternity in Heaven with God?” Your relationship to Jesus Christ is central to the answer to that question.
The Bible Way to Heaven
The Bible tells us in I John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…” The simple truth is God wants you to know where you’re going! So, here it is in a nutshell:
* First, you must understand your need for a personal Saviour. The Bible is very clear that we all have a huge problem called sin. Romans 3:23 says it this way, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” This verse simply means that none of us are perfect. Are you willing to admit that?
* The problem is this – sin has a high price tag. Romans 6:23a says, “For the wages of sin is death…” In other words, the price for sin is eternal death apart from God in a place called Hell – not a good thing! Because of our sin, none of us can make it into Heaven alone.
* Here’s the good news – God sent help! The rest of Romans 6:23 says, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Again in Romans 5:8 God says, “But God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!” This leads us to the second step.
* You must believe that Jesus Christ wants to be your Saviour! Jesus Christ came to earth as God in the flesh, lived a perfect life, and then voluntarily died on a cross because He loves you. On that cross, He literally paid for all of your sins. He took your blame! He punished Himself for your wrong-doings. What a great gift!
* John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God, in His awesome love, came to earth to make a way for you to be forgiven of your sins and given eternal life!
* Finally, you must place your full trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In verse ten of that same chapter God says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” He says it’s as simple as believing and receiving! It’s as simple as asking! If you’ve never asked Jesus Christ to be your personal Saviour, you could do that right now! With Him in your heart, life will make a lot more sense. You could stop right now and sincerely pray something like this:
“Lord Jesus, I believe that You are God, that You died for my sin, and that You rose again from the dead. I know that I am a sinner, and I ask You now to be my personal Saviour. I’m placing my full trust in You alone, and I now accept Your gift of eternal life. Thank you for keeping Your promise! Amen.”
You’ll never regret that decision! If you have just trusted Christ, we would love to know about your decision and give you a Bible and some other materials to help you learn more about that new relationship! Give us a call at 253.537.2504 and let us know today!
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