Who is Jesus?
By his birth the world dates its calendars, and by his name millions curse and millions pray. Two thousand years and counting. Jesus remains the most prominent and influential person in history. All this from a man without earthly title and riches, the son of a carpenter, whose public ministry spanned less than four years.
The striking contrast between Jesus’ humble life and His impact on the world which trancends generations, continents, cultures, and creeds is nothing short of miraculous. Who is Jesus and why does it mattter to us? Was he a prophet, a good man, or a deity himself? The answer makes all the difference in the world. We invite you to explore this provocative question with us.
Discovering Jesus
Who is Jesus?
We believe that the Bible shows us how to meet, know, & follow Jesus. Through the Bible, we learn that though we are all sinners, God loved us and sent his son, Jesus, to die for us.
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” -Romans 3:23
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosover believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16
Why does it matter to you?
When we believe that Jesus is truly our Savior & choose to trust & believe Him, God receives us as his children.
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” -Romans 10:9-10
“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12
Encountering Jesus
You might be feeling especially hopeless right now. Or perhaps overwhelmed with the uncertainty around you. Or maybe you feel the ache of loneliness and are longing for connection. Whatever the reason, you may be experiencing a curiosity or even a hunger to find out more about Jesus.
Jesus encouraged seekers with these words: “Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” -Matthew 7:7-8
At Bethel Baptist Church, we are here as a resource to you. Whether you’re in a period of exploration & discovery, or if you are further along in your journey, we want to let you know that we are here and we care about you.
As you discover Jesus, and the unconditional love He has for you, we encourage you to consider taking these next steps:
Step 1: Accept Jesus and how He loves you
Step 2: Learn & Explore
Step 3: Commit and Connect
Step 1: Accept Jesus
Accepting Jesus for who He said He was starts with a simple prayer expressing your belief in Him. Questions will remain and discovery will unfold, but this statement of belief is the beginning of a new journey of faith for you.
Your prayer of faith can be in your own words, expressing your choice to believe in Jesus as your Savior and in His death and resurrection. In your prayer, you can express sorrow for wrongs you’ve done and accept His love & forgiveness, asking Him to guide you as you learn & grow in relationship with Him.
Your prayer could be something like this, based on Romans 10:9-10:
“God, I believe that Jesus is Lord, that He died for my sins and rose from the dead. I am sorry for the wrongs of my past. Please help me learn more about You, and follow You from this day forward. Thank You for loving me and saving me. Amen.”
If you are not quite ready to take this step, you are still welcome to join us as you continue your exploration. Attending church services, Bible studies, or meeting with a pastor or church leader are all ways to learn more.
In the meantime, we also encourage you to start a conversation with God, with sincerity and openness, asking Him to reveal who He is to you.
If you chose to pray a prayer of acceptance, we’d love to know so we can be praying with you. This can be done anonymously or otherwise.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like to know about other books and resources that we can recommend.
Step 2: Learn & Explore
Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a process like any other transformation and involves:
- Reading the Bible a little each day or several times a week is a great place to start. Starting with a reading plan or Bible app is helpful.
- Praying – as in every relationship, communication is key to expressing your needs, cares, and gratitude for God & learning how to hear Him communicate back to you.
- Sharing your journey & gaining support as you grow makes a difference. We’d love to support you through prayer. Feel free to email our prayer coordinator via the contact form.
- Getting connected with others who share your desire to grow in faith is an essential part of growth.
Step 3: Commit & Connect
Just as in any other endeavor, growth mainly comes from a commitment to learning and experiencing.
When this is done in a context of supporting community, results are exponential!
We invite you to reach out today, whether through our contact form or by phone.
You are also invited to review the Recurring Events and Special Events that offer various ways for you to meet new people and find new friends.
Remember, you are welcome as you are at Bethel Baptist Church. We hope to meet you soon!