Meet Bethel Temple Assembly

Bethel Temple Assembly is a small church located just north of downtown Canton, Ohio. This congregation of about 80 or so people dedicated five babies (ranging in age from two months to five years) to the Lord. For those who may not know what this phrase 'dedicated to the Lord' implies, it's simply a phrase churches and Christians use to refer to surrendering whatever the subject of the dedication is to the will of an Almighty God. Most baby dedications result in a covenant agreement between the parents and God, that in accordance with God's grace and mercy, the parents commit to raising their child under biblical, godly standards and training him/her up, as much as they can, to know and love the Creator, Savior God of the universe.

It was a beautiful thing to watch the two sets of parents stand before the congregation and God and commit to raising their children well. The church, in return, committed to supporting and encouraging these parents on their journey to raise godly children.

After a quick Google search I confirmed that it was, in fact, Sanctity of Human Life Sunday—apparently I missed this memo; It's the third Sunday in January annually—I stumbled upon Care.net, where they opened with this question:

How can your community get more involved in defending the sanctity of human life?

While there exists a wide spectrum of positions and stances on the issue of human life and abortion, I'm going to do my best to stay out of the political arena. What I will say is that as a congregation of believers who without a doubt lean close to the 'anti-abortion' end of said spectrum, one of the most beautiful ways a church can be involved in Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is a baby dedication.

 I caught myself oddly introspective during this part of the service. I can't exactly say I remember my own dedication, but I'm sure I was dedicated, and I'm sure the church I grew up in committed to helping raise and encourage me throughout my life. I grew immensely grateful for the wonderful, godly parents I have and for the supportive and encouraging church family I know and love in Osceola, Indiana, and for how they have seen me through all of my own hardships to the place of maturity and faith where I find myself presently. They never gave up, as I'm sure Bethel Temple will never give up on their young ones as they might grow and need to journey down dark paths for a moment in order to understand God's grace in their lives. The subsequent sermon reinforced this commitment to not give up. 

Every person matters to God. Those five words were the refrain of the sermon preached by Pastor John. John and his wife Debbie are filling in the pastorate at BTA currently, as recent transitions have left it searching for an interim to get them between pastors. Yesterday was actually John and Debbie's final Sunday at BTA. His sermon interlaced quite delicately with the theme of SOHL Sunday, as he effectively integrated biblical examples with inspiring present models and personal testimonies demonstrating how every person matters to God. Regardless of who you are, where you were born, what language you speak, the color of skin, the size (or, existence) of your paycheck, your past, your present, you matter to God, and He is never going to give up on you.

It was clear to both Hannah and me that God's Spirit was present at BTA. The joy that lit the faces of several in the congregation who approached Hannah and I personally upon arrival to welcome and greet us was a joy that couldn't be hidden nor faked. This journey is going to be intriguing, to say the least. We felt warm and welcome sitting in the pews of Bethel Temple, and we left feeling refreshed, encouraged, and renewed having worshiped and experienced God through His body of believers at Bethel.

For more information, see their website here, or read more later this week as I write about the some other aspects of BTA.