If you’ve never been in one of our services you may be wondering what to expect. We’ve put together a few questions we think you might have along with answers that should help you decide if you would like to visit Bethany.
What are you like?
We like to think of ourselves as friendly people who demonstrate the love of Christ. Our average Sunday morning worship attendance is about 200 (total between the two services).
What can I expect as a visitor?
Hopefully some of us will greet you and introduce ourselves. We want you to feel comfortable and at home with us. During the Sunday morning worship service an opportunity will be given for first-time guests to raise their hand to receive information about Bethany. You will not be asked to stand or say anything – just to raise your hand. You may also request this information by asking an usher before or after any of our services.
What kind of clothing is acceptable?
You will find a wide range of attire at Bethany. Our senior pastor will usually be in a suit and tie on Sunday morning, but our youth pastor almost always wears shorts and sandals. Most of the rest of us are somewhere in between and even Pastor dresses more casually on Sunday evenings. You won’t likely look out of place whatever you wear – with modesty, of course.
What do you have for my children?
Bethany Bible Fellowship offers a fully-graded Sunday School program. From infants through Junior and Senior High levels, Bethany offers a time and place for children to be taught the Word of God. The time and location of classes can be found at the information booth each Sunday morning.
Babies up to age 2 are taken into the nursery (room A-104), located in the Worship Center.
2-3 year olds are taken to room B-106, located in the Fellowship hall building, next to the gated play ground.
Pre-K through 5th grade go to the Fellowship Hall at 9 am, and the following rooms at 10:30:
Pre-K to 1st grade: C-107
2-3 grade: C-105
4-5 grade: C-104
Junior High (6-8) is located in C-101 at 10:30
High school is in C-103 at 10:30
Junior High and High School attend Adult Worship at 9 am
What are your services like?
Sunday Morning
We have two Sunday morning worship services – at 9:00 and 10:30 am. These meet in the Worship Center lasting about 1 ¼ hours each. It typically begins with greeting and announcements followed by a brief time of “greeting those around you” where we all stand do just that. After a minute or two, our worship leader will restore order and begin leading us in about 15 – 20 minutes of worship through congregational singing. This is generally contemporary Christian music with occasional hymns accompanied by a band consisting of guitars, drums, piano and vocalists.
After the music an offering is taken. As our guest, please don’t feel that you have to contribute. There is usually special music performed as an offertory. Pastor Leckie will then give about a 35-40 minute sermon, sometimes on a biblical topic but usually studying a book of the Bible verse-by-verse with practical application. At the conclusion of the message we typically join hands, sing a chorus, and are dismissed.
Sunday Evening
We call our Sunday evening service “The Summit.” It meets in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 pm. We sing two or three worship songs before Pastor gives a 35-40 minute sermon, usually of a topical nature. Following the sermon we sing several more worship songs and are dismissed. This service is a bit unique in that crosses are set up at the side where we are can, at any time during the service, leave our seats and go to pray, take communion, or leave a prayer request.
What are the sermons like?
You can hear for yourself by selecting from the list you will find by clicking here.
What can I expect this coming Sunday?
The sermon titles for the coming Sunday are usually posted in the lefthand column of the "Home" page.
Extended Day Care
This is a service of Bethany Christian Academy. Extended Day Care provides supervision for children who attend the Academy as well as children of Bethany Bible Fellowship families who attend public school. There is a fee for this service and more information may be obtained by calling our Academy office, (714) 891-9783.
Our Name
Why We Call Ourselves Bethany Bible Fellowship:
Does our name raise questions in your mind? Perhaps you wonder if we really are a church since we do not have the word "church" in our name. You may question our reason for existence or how we function due to the uniqueness of our title.
BETHANY, as it is often used in Scripture, is synonymous with loving concern. During the life of our Lord it was in Bethany that one of the greatest acts of sharing took place. Mary gave her life savings in a great lavish act of loving concern when she anointed Jesus with her ointment. Bethany was the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Christ and His Disciples often enjoyed the gracious hospitality of their home. We feel that the word Bethany expresses the loving concern that a church should manifest.
BIBLE We believe, first and foremost, that the Bible is God's holy and inspired Word. We, therefore, draw from the Scriptures the principles that determine our beliefs and practices. As our name implies, it is the Word of God, rather than the words of men, that direct our church. We have found over the years that the Lord honors this conviction. We meet for worship, prayer, instruction and fellowship. We proclaim the truths of the Bible, being confident that God is glorified and man's needs are met when His truths are presented.
FELLOWSHIP The word 'church' is a good word; but, unfortunately, for many people is connotes a cold, rigid, legalistic structure. This is, of course, foreign to what Christ intended His church to be. Fellowship is a New Testament word meaning "to share in common" or "partnership." Fellowship is the result of what happens when those whose lives have been transformed get together for worship and study. There is a oneness, a partnership, a sharing of a common bond that develops that is unique in the world. We believe that this is what Christ intended His church to be. We invite you to worship with us this next Lord's Day.
- Written by Dr. Donald Shoff, Founding Pastor and thoroughly endorsed by Charles W. Leckie, present Pastor
