Philosophy           Mission           Purpose

Our Philosophy

"Home-based, Church-supported"

 

     Bethlehem  has committed to Youth and Family Ministry as our best way to serve God.  The philosophy of youth and family ministry at Bethlehem  is  based on  these premises.

 

1.  It is the parent's responsibility to bring up their children  with the loving discipline of the Lord Himself:

 

-  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9

 

- Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.  Proverbs 22:6

 

- Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Matthew 19:13-14

 

- Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4

 

2.  It is the Churches responsibility to assist and support the home in the education of al members of the family:            

- It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  Ephesians 4:12-13

 

-Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  Colossians 3:16

 

-Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.   Galatians 6:6

 

 

Our Mission Statement

"We are equipped to equip!"

(Eph. 4:12-13)

 

      Bethlehem's youth and family ministry will provide opportunities for the families of youth and young adults to grow in their relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ and each other and to equip each to become a 'minister' for the Lord Jesus in Church and the community.

 

 

Our Purpose

 

1.  Provide opportunities:

     - to study God's Word

     - for growth in Christian love through service

     - for Christian fellowship

     - to build Christian leadership skills

 

2.  Encourage parental involvement in youth ministry.

 

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