About - Bethany Christian Church

Our Purpose at Bethany Christian Church is to Exalt Jesus Christ as savior, so that every person will know God, live free, find purpose, and make a difference

Our Mission

At Bethany Christian Church, our mission is to lead people on a transformative journey—helping the lost find salvation, guiding the saved to grow in faith, equipping believers to be trained for their purpose, and mobilizing them to reach others with the hope of Jesus.

Simply-we get lost people saved, saved people pastored, pastored people trained, and trained people mobilized to reach lost people.

Our Vision

Our vision is to exalt Christ to the world so all will be saved.

In the fall of 2024, Bethany Christian Church launched the ALL IN initiative, and we have already seen God working in incredible ways through it.

ALL IN is a bold and ambitious vision that calls for the generosity of everyone—through time, talent, and treasure. This journey is more than an initiative; it’s an invitation to embrace a renewed lifestyle of faith and generosity that will continue to make an impact long after ALL IN is complete.

Bethany has always been a church defined by its generosity. Together, we can bring this vision to life and see God

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Beliefs

A church is defined by its beliefs — its doctrine matters. These are the beliefs we will not compromise. They are the foundation of our faith, who we are, and what we do. Our core beliefs aren’t just words on a page; they’re the heart of who we are and what we do. These guiding principles are unchanging, serving as the foundation that keeps us grounded and connected, no matter where life leads us.

Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God, who died for our sins and rose from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8, John 3:16)

Jesus is the unique Son of God, and one of three essential parts of the Trinity. As God, Jesus is perfect and without sin. (John 1, John 9:38, Colossians 1:15, John 14:26, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Peter 1:19, Hebrews 4:15)

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Jesus Christ will one day return to earth and reign forever as King of kings and Lord of lords. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Every person has worth as a creation of God, but all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are available to those who trust Christ as Savior and Lord. (John 3:16)

All should repent of sin, confess their faith, and be baptized into Him. (Romans 10:9, Acts 2:38).

We believe God inspired the original writings of the Scripture and those original writings were consequently without error.

We believe that the Bible is the final authority for all matters of faith, truth, morality, and Christian living.

We believe the Bible teaches that God is the Creator and Sustainer of human life; that God creates each person in His image; and that life is therefore sacred, from conception to natural death.

The church is the body of Christ on Earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit and exists to evangelize the lost and edify the saved. (Ephesians 4:1-16)

We believe that God creates each person as male or female; that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the “image of God” in humankind; and that each person’s biological gender is an intrinsic, immutable aspect of his or her nature and identity.

We believe the Bible teaches that God established marriage in the beginning as a lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman; that He has reserved sexual intimacy as an expression of love and commitment between married couples; and that any intimate expression of sexuality outside of Biblical marriage is sin.

Rich in History

1801

In 1801, during the “Second Great Awakening,”
Bethany Christian Church was founded out of this movement.

1830

Bethany Christian Church was officially founded on January 3, 1830.

1842

On May 19, 1842, the first church building, a small wood-framed
structure, was built to accommodate the growing congregation of 124 people.

1864

Between 1864 and 1897, Bethany helped establish two new churches:
First Christian Church and Antioch Christian Church, both located in
Washington, Indiana.

1955

From 1955 to 1999, Bethany Christian Church experienced steady
growth and a strong, people-focused ministry under the leadership of
Ben Ray Bean.

2000

In 2000, Matt Merold became the Lead Pastor of Bethany Christian
Church. Under his leadership, Matt and the elders set a bold vision for
the church to become a “spiritual hospital” in Daviess County.

2007

Between 2007 and 2010, the church made bold decisions to relocate
to Washington, Indiana. This move united the congregation around
a shared vision of becoming a regional influence.

2014

From 2014 to 2017, Bethany Christian Church experienced continued
growth and thriving ministry. During this time, the church completed
the second phase of its facility expansion.

2018

In September 2018, Bethany Christian Church purchased a building
on Willow Street in Vincennes, Indiana, to establish a new campus. The Vincennes Campus opened it’s doors on Easter Sunday, 2019.

2021

In 2021, Bethany Christian Church launched the Princeton Campus in October at the Showplace Cinema and later established a permanent
worship space on the Princeton Square.

2024

In the fall of 2024, Bethany Christian Church launched the ALL IN initiative. ALL IN is a bold and ambitious vision that calls for the generosity of everyone—through time, talent, and treasure.