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BETHEL CHURCH
Current building
OUR STORYBethel Church is an awesome place because God is here in our midst! For well over a century, people who gather and call themselves Bethel have seen God’s faithfulness. You can trace Bethel Church back to its humble beginnings in 1891 when 15 Scandinavian believers organized as a congregation in downtown Fargo. They called themselves The Mission Church and services were conducted in Norwegian only. Through a devastating fire, church growth, and the depression, the little group rebuilt, expanded ministries, and persevered. In 1933, they changed names a final time to Bethel Evangelical Free Church and all services were then after conducted in English.
We are humbled, yet thrilled to be on God’s mission to reach the lost and encourage Christ-followers toward spiritual maturity. We are committed to empower men and women to love like Jesus in their respective realms of influence. We have global mission partnerships in a dozen nations around the world and our regional ministries connect with many in our community, including numerous New Americans who now call America home.
OUR MISSIONBethel Church is a disciple-making community helping the spiritually hungry experience and proclaim the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. From our history to our beliefs and from our finances to our intentional disciple-making ministries, you will see that we are a people who are actively seeking opportunities to reflect this mission. Hearts have been touched, minds have been transformed and lives continue to be changed as we seek to become more like Christ in our realms ofinfluence and around the world.
OUR VALUESAuthenticity - Being RealAvailability - Being ResponsibleAccountability - Being Ready
The Bethel family remains fervently committed to helping people from all walks of life know Jesus Christ and thrive in relationship with Him—within the Bethel family, throughout the greater Fargo community and region, and all the way across the globe. For a snap shot lookat the various ministries, refer to the 2014-1015 annual report.
STAFFBethel currently has10 full-time and 26 part-time employees, which includes 9 members of our Ministry Leadership Team. Each member of the Leadership Team represents an area of ministry and has support staff.
125 YEAR CELEBRATIONOctober 24, 2015 kicked off a year-long celebration of 125 years of ministry in and through Bethel Church. The celebration began with a banquet and program visiting Bethel’s rich history by honoring our former pastors and the ministry of Bethel in the community and world. The celebration will continue throughout the year, as the Bethel family remains fervently committed to helping people from all walks of life know Jesus Christ and thrive in relationship with Him.
FACILITIESThe 100,000 square foot facility includes a gymnasium, the Family Life Center (previously the sanctuary), a coffee shop, the Worship Center (with seating capacity of 1254), 29 classrooms on three floors in the children’s wing, 6 classrooms in the adult wing, and several multipurpose rooms used by various groups from Bethel, from partner ministries, and from the community.
Bethel Church 1958
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CURRENT SNAPSHOT
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Sunday attendance averages about 1200 adults with an additional 275 children attending Sunday School. Adult Bible Fellowships (adult Sunday School classes) provide a context to make friends, learn together, and serve.
During the week, a large variety of opportunities for growth and service are available: Awana (with about 300 kids each week), various weekly Bible studies, women’s groups, men’s groups, small groups, Worship Ministries, senior adult ministry, and para-church organizations.
Bethel offers several venues, each with a unique style designed to help a diverse and multi-generational congregation connect with God and His people. The venues include LIVE, Traditions, Solid Grounds, Radio, and live web stream. Bethel LIVE includes live teaching and a variety of worship music. Traditions features video teaching, live music with a mix of hymns and old favorites, along with liturgical and traditional elements. Solid Grounds provides tables and chairs for people to watch Bethel LIVE while in a coffee shop environment. Life 97.9 plays the previous week’s sermon each Sunday morning. A live web stream is available of each service for people unable to make it to the campus.
MINISTRY FUNDS
The 2015-2016 budget of $2.32 million translates into a weekly average need of $44,520. In 2012, Bethel launched a campaign to pay off the church’s mortgage debt of $2.3. Through the Lord’s blessing, the campaign has received $1.59 million. The church prayerfully expects to have the balance paid off in the next year, freeing up financial resources for other projects.
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2015-2016 BUDGET
Description Description
Expenses
Salaries & Benefits 1,325,000
Facilities/Debt Reduction/Capital Expenses 660,750
Outreach 246,200
Ministries 83,050
Total Expenditures $2,315,000.00
Salaries & BenefitsFacilities/Debt Reduction/Capital ExpensesOutreachMinistries
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2015-2016 BUDGET
Description Description
Expenses
Salaries & Benefits 1,325,000
Facilities/Debt Reduction/Capital Expenses 660,750
Outreach 246,200
Ministries 83,050
Total Expenditures $2,315,000.00
Salaries & BenefitsFacilities/Debt Reduction/Capital ExpensesOutreachMinistries
1
2015-2016 BUDGET
Description Description
Expenses
Salaries & Benefits 1,325,000
Facilities/Debt Reduction/Capital Expenses 660,750
Outreach 246,200
Ministries 83,050
Total Expenditures $2,315,000.00
Salaries & BenefitsFacilities/Debt Reduction/Capital ExpensesOutreachMinistries
1
Description
for more info on the greater Fargo Moorhead area:fargomoorhead.orggfmedc.com
Fargo is one of the best-kept secrets in the upper Midwest. Think low… unemployment, taxes, crime and cost-of-living. Statewide think quality: health care, big budget surplus, and education. The area is known for steady growth, an outstanding quality of life, and a place to call home. With some of the best schools in the nation, Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo is a regional center for learning. High quality elementary and secondary education is a priority. The FM area offers a small-city atmosphere, yet also a big-city vibe.
Fargo Moorhead is a metropolitan area with a thriving population of approximately 224,000 and almost 30,000 college students. The FM area is home to two Universities; NDSU (15,000) and MSUM (7,000) and one 4-year Liberal Arts College; Concordia College (nearly 2,000). It’s also home to one community college (M State) and a satellite campus for another community college (NDSCS) as well as the home to two “for profit” colleges (Rasmussen College and Globe University).
DID YOU KNOW?• Fargo is the home of the NDSU Bison football team,
the four-time defending NCAA Division 1-FCS National Champions (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).
• The FM metro area boasts 175 public parks that cover more than 3,000 acres, including 99 miles of biking and hiking trails, 20 public and several private golf courses, and softball, baseball, tennis, swimming and cross-country skiing facilities.
• West Acres Shopping Center in Fargo is the largest shopping mall between Minneapolis and Seattle.
• Now in it’s 12th year, the Fargo marathon brings about 20,000 runners and is a Boston Marathon qualifier.
NDSU Bison Gameday, downtown FargoCourtesy of Bison Illustrated
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• Fargo’s state-of-the-art Red River Zoo sits on 33 acres of land and has over 600 animals, including red pandas and features a fully restored and operational 1928 carousel.
• Fargo is home to Microsoft’s third largest campus. Microsoft acquired Great Plains in 2001 and has almost 900 employees plus hundreds of vendors.
• Fargo’s all-time high temperature of 114 degrees was recorded in July 1936, and is actually one degree higher than the all-time high temperature of 113 degrees recorded in Dallas, TX.
• There are over 400 lakes within 70 miles of Fargo for year round recreation.
• North Dakota is the #4 place to retire with more golf courses per capita than any state in the nation.
• North Dakota is the only state never to have had an earthquake!
• It has more National Wildlife Refuges than any other state.
• North Dakota is home to the Medora Musical, the Eight Wonder of the World!
• Some Famous North Dakotans include: The champagne music man, Lawrence Welk; Home run king, Roger Maris; NBA player and championship coach, Phil Jackson; World Series champion baseball player, Darin Erstad; Singer/songwriter, Gwen Sebastian; Film and TV Actor, Josh Duhamal; and best-selling western author, Louis L’Amour.
• Then there’s the oil, which has transformed the state economically in the past 30 years!
LOCATION
SENIOR PASTORTHE POSITIONFormer senior pastor, Matthew St. John, served for the past seven years, recently transitioning to New Hope Evangelical Free Church in Minneapolis in August of 2015. Bethel Church has contracted LeaderFinders to conduct a fully retained search, which will prayerfully result in the call of a new senior pastor by late summer of 2016. Bethel is ready for growth with a sense of optimism, hope, and unity as the congregation and leadership await the call of a new senior pastor.
1. Preaching: The next senior pastor will be the primary speaker and communicator, but has additional staff members who can also fill the pulpit if needed.
2. Pastoral Care: He will ensure the staff and congregation are cared for though, it may not happen by him directly. He is likely to have an outgoing and relational style of ministry.
3. Leadership: He will be a collaborative leader who has managed others in a multi-staff context. He will need to evaluate the current leadership structure as to its effectiveness.
4. Vision Casting: The next pastor will be someone who can cast a compelling vision and develop a strategic plan for the future and communicate it clearly to the congregation.
5. Elder Board: As an ex officio member of the Elder Board, he will provide theological stability and strategic leadership.
6. Community Impact: Historically, Bethel has been a consistent evangelical voice in the community at large. He should be articulate and well spoken in dealing with the media. Bethel also aspires to be a a “resource” church for the smaller churches in the region.
THE QUALIFICATIONSThe next senior pastor of Bethel Church will have the following qualifications:
1. A love for Jesus Christ and His Church. He will possess the character qualifications of an elder according to (I Timothy 3; Titus 1).
2. Be in agreement with the Statement of Faith and the Ministry Vision of Bethel Church. This includes a clear and articulate understanding of theology consistent with the church’s historic practices as a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America.
3. A minimum of ten years of full time pastoral/ministry experience in a large, dynamic, and growth oriented environment. Experience as a senior pastor or teaching pastor is highly desirable as well as experience managing staff.
4. An understanding of the upper Midwest culture in general and of North Dakota/Minnesota in particular.
5. Education: An M.Div. (or its equivalent) is required.6. Excellent oral and written skills. Clear proficiency in
preaching and teaching. 7. Transparency related to previous job history
and the ability to share references from current and past ministries or employers as a potential candidacy develops.
8. A minimum of five years of experience in managing a multiple staff environment.
Fireworks display at MSUMPhoto and cover photo
courtesy of Shane Mercer
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THE OPPORTUNITYBethel sits at a crossroads in its ministry. In the midst of celebrating 125 years of ministry, the future looks bright and is filled with anticipation. The next pastor will need to be respectful of the past, but not be bound by it.
1. Bethel is stable and healthy as a church body. The staff is unified and ready to be led by their next senior pastor.
2. The next pastor will need to be a strong, Biblical communicator that teaches expositionally, has strong theological instincts and communicates to a broad spectrum of both younger and older believers.
3. There is a commitment to being a resource ministry outside the church and in the community. There are strong, outreach focused ministry initiatives that keep the church from being too inwardly preoccupied. A new public school adjacent to the property has “partnership opportunities” written all over it! They also are strong supporters of Elim Care and other para-church ministries.
4. The church plans to be “debt free” by the fall of 2016 ($600,000 remaining on the facility). This will free up some much-needed funds for future ministry initiatives. Bethel’s fiscal stewardship has resulted in the accumulation of a healthy cash reserve. The budget for 2016 is $2.3 million.
5. The Board of Elders is strong and Biblically focused. They will expect integrity to be modeled, transparency to be evident, and collaboration to be developed.
6. There is a talented and committed staff who genuinely love each other, but need a unifying vision and direction from the next senior pastor. They are servant oriented and strategic in their approach to their respective ministries. Ministry is multi-faceted and extensive. They do a lot of things well. (See 2015 annual report).
7. Bethel also has two specific targeted language groups (Sudanese and Burundi) worshipping on Sundays and Fargo Moorhead is home to seven universities and colleges with a combined student population of over 30,000 students.
8. The facility has a sense of warmth and is very inviting. It is well maintained. The next senior pastor will have plenty of tools to work with.
9. There is a robust radio ministry that serves the entire region through the Northwestern Radio Network. Through their website, approximately 160 families view the online service each week.
10. There is genuine excitement about the future and anticipation about what God will do in the next chapter of Bethel’s future.
THE CHALLENGE1. Attendance has declined over the last several years,
plateauing in the last two years, averaging a campus total of about 1500 people on any given Sunday. The next senior pastor will need to grow the church both numerically and financially.
2. The next senior pastor will need to develop an organizational structure that fits the future needs of the church.
3. Relationships in the church run deep and are very family focused. The next pastor will need to be patient in building relationships with the congregation as it can take time for the church to warm up to its pastor.
4. Fleshing out the church-wide discipleship strategy will be key. “Moving toward Jesus and taking others with us” needs to have feet and hands and not just be a slogan.
5. Ministries tend to work independently in “silos” like many large churches. The staff is strong and capable, but they are waiting to see if the right leader shows up.
6. Bethel has a bit of an identity crisis: it is a big church that wants to hold on to many facets endearing to a small church identity. There is tension between tradition, change, and being culturally relevant. Worship needs to have clarity and resolution as the church moves forward.
7. Clarity is needed on how the elders and staff will work together. Specifically the role of the elders in church governance in relation to the senior pastor. Casting a clear and captivating vision will be critical.
8. Overcoming geographic location bias and cold winter perceptions weighs in the minds of potential candidates not familiar with the Midwest.
THE OPPORTUNITYAND CHALLENGE
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LeaderFinders
LeaderFinders
we bring leadership transition clarity
John Erwin, LeaderFinders [email protected]
c:714-865-4645 o: 805-222-5361
Bethel Church 2702 30th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58103 701-232-4476 bethelfc.com
For individuals referred to the opportunity and for those seeking to explore next steps, please provide the following:
• Current resume: Please include size of the churches you have served in. Include adults in worship as well as campus total with children and students. Please highlight some of the major accomplishments for each church.
• Questionnaire:
1. Describe your faith in Jesus Christ and how you came to know the Lord. Describe how your relationship with Christ impacts your life and ministry. How is prayer incorporated in your life?
2. Why are you open to being considered as the next Senior Pastor at Bethel Church? What is compelling about this position that motivates you to apply?
3. Describe your approach to preaching and how your style might be described.4. Please send the current vision statement/master plan for your current church or ministry.5. Describe how you have led, trained and motivated the paid staff that you have managed. Include your
mentoring of elders and other key lay leaders.
• References: List at least 7 references and your relationship to them. We will not contact them without your permission and only if you are one of the final possible candidates. 1. At least one needs to be from your current church. 2. One from a pastoral friend who knows you well.3. Someone who has worked for you.
• Additional documents1. Include a recent family picture. 2. Provide video links to current sermons preached within the last year. 3. Sample sermon outlines, a church bulletin and last year’s annual report.
Submit all of the above via email to: [email protected]
NEXT STEPS
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