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Mission
Love God. Love People.
Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.
At the heart of the Christian life is one central call: to love God. This command is the greatest of all commandments, according to Jesus (Matthew 22:36–38), and it sets the tone for everything else in the life of a believer and in the mission of the church.
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To love God means to worship Him, know Him, obey Him, and enjoy Him.
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Jesus didn’t stop at the command to love God. He immediately followed it by saying, “And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39). These two commands are inseparable. A true love for God will always manifest in a growing love for people.
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To love people is to reflect God’s love toward others: sacrificial, gracious, patient, and committed. It’s more than being nice or polite. Biblical love requires humility, intentionality, and action. It’s walking with others in the joys and pains of life. It’s bearing burdens, speaking truth, forgiving offenses, and offering help.
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At Bethel, we believe the church is more than a crowd, it is a community, a family formed by grace. The church should be the most welcoming, honest, compassionate place in the world. To love people here means we enter into gospel-shaped relationships where we are known, accepted, challenged, and encouraged to grow.
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The final command Jesus gave His followers wasn’t to build buildings, host events, or run programs, it was to make disciples. This wasn’t a suggestion for the spiritually elite, but a commission for every believer and every church. Making disciples is the core mission of the Church, and it’s the final pillar of our mission at Bethel.
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To “make disciples” means to help people trust and follow Jesus, growing in Christlikeness, obedience, and mission. A disciple isn’t just someone who believes in Jesus, but someone who is actively following Him, being transformed by Him, and helping others do the same.
Vision
We are a gospel-saturated church where disciples make disciples, families are strengthened, and communities are transformed by the power of Jesus. Rooted in Scripture and led by the Spirit, we exist to equip Christ-centered followers who live on mission for God's glory.
Our Story
Bethel Baptist Church began in 1959 when several families that were attending Seward Avenue Baptist Church at the time and lived on Topeka’s north side gathered in prayer, seeking God’s guidance for a new church in their community. The Lord answered those prayers, and in 1961 Bethel held its first services at 4011 North Kansas Avenue. From the very beginning, Bethel was marked by a love for God’s Word, a heart for worship, and a commitment to reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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The church quickly grew beyond its first meeting space, leading to the construction of a new sanctuary in 1964. Over the decades, Bethel expanded with classrooms, a baptistery, and other ministry areas to meet the needs of a growing congregation. By 1984, the church celebrated paying off its sanctuary mortgage, a testimony of God’s faithfulness and the congregation’s dedication. Later renovations and expansions continued to provide space for discipleship, worship, and community outreach.
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Throughout our history, Bethel has carried a deep passion for missions. What began as a local church plant soon grew into a church family with a vision for both local and global impact. Generations of members have been sent out into ministry, and countless mission efforts have been supported through prayer, giving, and going. Bethel has also served its community faithfully, investing in children, students, and families in Topeka through Vacation Bible School, AWANA, community events, and acts of service.
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Bethel has been shepherded by faithful pastors through the decades:
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Herbert Major (1961–1966)
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Dan Griffin (1966–1968)
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Terry Ribble (1972–1975)
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John Rogers (Summer 1975)
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Arlyn Nies (1977–1985)
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George Johnson (1985–1986)
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James Keller (1986–2016)
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Glenn Faris (2018–2023)
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Evan Bialk (2024–Present)
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Each has built upon the legacy of those before, faithfully pointing the church to Christ and His mission.
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In October 2024, Bethel Baptist Church entered into a season of revitalization. This effort is rooted in prayer, Scripture, and a renewed sense of mission: to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Revitalization at Bethel means rediscovering the biblical vision for the church, strengthening families, building up discipleship pathways, and reengaging the Topeka community with the hope of the gospel.
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As Bethel looks ahead, the church remains deeply committed to its calling: to be a gospel-saturated people who live on mission in Topeka and to the ends of the earth. The story of Bethel Baptist Church is one of God’s faithfulness in the past, His grace in the present, and His promise for the future.