Mission

Bethlehem Baptist Church exists to glorify God by making disciples through loving Christ, connecting with the church, serving the community, and going to the nations.

Leadership

David Hardy

Senior Pastor

Bro. David was born in Memphis, TN and grew up in Ripley, TN.  He graduated from Halls High School and attended the University of Memphis before transferring and earning his Bachelor's Degree at Crichton College.  It was at Crichton that David met his wife Carol and they were married in 1989.  He attended Southern Seminary where he has 93 hours toward his Master's degree.  He was called to Ministry during his 10th grade year in high school and has served as pastor at one other church in West Kentucky and as minister to students in Arkansas, South Carolina and Tennessee.  David and Carol have two children, Caleb and Skye.  His hobbies are bike riding and golf. 

Tim Harvey

Associate Pastor of Music & Education

Tim Harvey grew up in Clay, KY and went to college at Campbellsville University where he received his degree in educational ministries. After college he went to seminary at Southern where he received his Master of Divinity. He served at Clay First Baptist Church before coming to Bethlehem. His passion is for the gospel and for leading people in worship.

Brian Jennings

Associate Pastor of Students & Children

Brian grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and went to college at Virginia Tech where he received his degree in business finance. It was there he felt the call to full-time ministry while serving with the Baptist Student Union on campus. He went to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity degree while serving on staff at a church in Raleigh, NC and as a pastor for FUGE camps. He and his wife Emily have been married since 2006.

Beliefs

The Scriptures - We believe the Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It has God as its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, Who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.

God - We believe God is the good Creator who sovereignly reigns over, sustains, and provides for His creation. He is all knowing, all powerful, all loving, and all wise. He is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. His knowledge extends to all things past, present, and future. The triune God has revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with distinct attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.

Jesus Christ - We believe Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and lived a perfect, sinless life. He died a substitutionary death upon the cross to redeem humanity from sin. He was buried, rose bodily from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven, and now is exalted to the right hand of God. Being fully God and fully man, He is the one mediator Who can reconcile God and man. One day He will return in power and glory.

Holy Spirit - We believe the Holy Spirit is fully divine and that He inspired the writing of the Bible. He enables us to understand the truth,  exalts Christ, convicts of sin, calls people to the Savior, and effects regeneration. He grows, comforts, seals, and gifts believers so they may serve the church and persevere to the end.

Man - We believe man is the special creation of God, made in His own image as male and female. In the beginning, man was innocent of sin but by free choice sinned against God and brought sin and death into the world. Man inherits a nature and environment bent toward sin and, when capable of moral action, becomes a transgressor under condemnation. Only the grace of God in Jesus Christ can restore man's relationship with God. Since humanity is made in the image of and loved by God, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.

Salvation - We believe salvation involves the redemption of the whole man and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Regeneration is the new birth work of God's grace that makes believers new creations in Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit resulting in repentance and faith. Justification is God's full acquittal of sinners based on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is the setting apart of the believer for God's purposes to progress in moral and spiritual maturity through the work of the Holy Spirit. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and the final, blessed state of the redeemed. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church - We believe a church is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and extending the gospel to the nations. Each church operates under the headship of Jesus Christ through democratic processes. Its officers are pastors and deacons.

For a full summary of our beliefs, click on this link to read the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.