What is a deacon? Why does the Bible establish this role in the life of the church? In this sermon from 1 Timothy 3:8–13 and Acts 6:1–7, Pastor Evan Bialk explores the biblical office of deacon—its purpose, qualifications, and modern application. Learn how deacons preserve unity, serve practical needs, and reflect the servant-heart of Jesus. Discover how Bethel Baptist Church is expanding its vision for deacon ministry to include care, hospitality, and mercy—not just facilities and finance. This message is part of the Ekklesia: God’s Design for His Church series.

Over the past few weeks in our Ekklesia series, we’ve explored what the church is, why it exists, and the vision Christ has for His people. We’ve seen that the church isn’t just a gathering—it’s a gospel-shaped community, called to worship, make disciples, and reflect the glory of God.

And now, as we turn to the topic of leadership, we’re asking: How does Jesus care for and guide His church today? Scripture shows us two distinct offices—elders and deacons—given by Christ for the health, protection, and flourishing of His people. This week, we begin with the office of Elder.

In this sermon, we look at the importance of church membership, what church membership is, and gain understanding why it is so important to be a member of a local body of believers.

Join us for an inspiring sermon as we explore the vision and mission of Bethel Church, rooted in God's eternal plan for His people. Drawing from Scripture, we delve into the importance of clarity in our church's purpose and how it aligns with God's design from creation to redemption. Discover how Bethel is called to be a gospel-saturated community where disciples make disciples, families are strengthened, and communities are transformed by the power of Jesus. Learn how each of us is empowered by the Holy Spirit to live on mission, reflecting God's glory and participating in His grand narrative. Be encouraged to embrace your role in this divine calling and say "yes" to God's vision for Bethel. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a movement that echoes into eternity!

Join us as we explore how Bethel's core values serve as guiding "bumpers" on our journey to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Discover how these values—gospel saturation, prayerful dependence, scripture-rooted teaching, and more—keep us aligned with our mission, ensuring we stay on course even when life gets challenging. This sermon offers a roadmap here at Bethel for living a Christ-centered life, both individually and as a community.

In this sermon, we explore the mission of the church as outlined in the Gospel of Matthew, focusing on Bethel Church's core mission: to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. By examining Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:19-20, we uncover the biblical foundation for these commands and how they shape our lives and community.

1. Loving God: We delve into what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This love is not merely emotional or verbal but is evidenced through obedience and a life surrendered to God. We discuss how knowing God through gospel-centered discipleship, worship, and teaching is crucial to cultivating this love.
2. Loving People: The sermon highlights how our love for God naturally leads to loving others. We explore the dual aspect of this love: internally within the church community and externally towards the world, including our neighbors and even our enemies. Loving people involves being present, engaging in discipleship, and extending gospel-centered love beyond the church walls.
3. Making Disciples: We examine the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, emphasizing that making disciples is not optional but the defining call of the Christian life. This involves not just gaining converts but forming followers of Christ who obey His teachings. We discuss practical ways Bethel Church is committed to this mission through community groups, equipping, and intentional discipleship pathways.

Join us as we commit to living out this mission with intentionality and passion, ensuring that our actions reflect the love and purpose God has given us.

In his sermon, Pastor Drew Culberth takes a reflective approach, beginning by sharing his experience at a church leaders conference that deeply impacted him. He expresses how the conference's theme of allowing Christ to work within him before he could lead others resonated profoundly, akin to the process of gutting and filleting a fish. This metaphor illustrates his feelings of vulnerability and transformation as he aims to be a better leader for his congregation. Pastor Drew then transitions into discussing happiness and presents the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the Beatitudes, which outline the characteristics and blessings of a believer.Pastor Drew emphasizes the significance of the teachings of Jesus found in Matthew 5, particularly how these blessings apply to the current life of believers, not just as future promises. He explores each Beatitude, discussing the qualities of being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, meekness, and the pursuit of righteousness, among others. By the end of the sermon, he encourages the congregation to introspect and evaluate their alignment with these teachings, prompting them to seek growth in their spiritual lives. He concludes with a prayer, reaffirming the importance of understanding and living out these scriptural principles while expressing gratitude for mothers and their influence in our lives.

In his sermon, Evan reflects on the foundational question, "What is the church?" He invites the congregation to move beyond surface-level understandings and to grasp the church as a vibrant, redeemed community filled with the Spirit and driven by a mission. Using the Nicene Creed, he underscores that the church is not merely a physical structure or a social club, but the bride of Christ—beloved, sacrificially redeemed, and positioned for a glorious future. Evan emphasizes the importance of understanding church history to gain insight into its present identity, highlighting how this history shapes the collective understanding and purpose of the church today.Evan details the multi-faceted role of the church: it is to be a unified body under Christ, a community of believers committed to growing together through discipleship, and a witness to the world. He stresses the necessity of deep relationships within the church, calling them to actively participate in each other's lives, bear burdens, and pursue reconciliation even amidst conflict. As followers of Christ, believers are called not just to attend services but to embrace their role in the body, championing the church's mission of spreading the gospel. Ultimately, the church must reflect the love and light of Christ in its community, fostering growth, unity, and outreach as it lives out its calling in a broken world.