About

On behalf of our Pastor, Terrence D. Sims & the Members:

• We extend a welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, confused, filthy rich, comfortable, or dirt poor. We extend a special welcome to whiny babies and overactive toddlers.
• We welcome you whether you can sing like Beyonce, think you can sing Beyonce, or groan quietly on the inside to yourself. You’re welcome here if you’re just browsing, just woken up, or just got out of prison. We don’t care if you’re more Christian than most or haven’t been to church since Christmas 20 years ago.
• We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast.
• We welcome “always working it out moms,” football dads, latte-sippers, vegetarians, and junk-food eaters.
• We welcome those in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems, are down in the dumps, or don’t like “organized religion.” We are not too big on that either!
• We welcome those who have tattoos, piercings, both or neither.
• We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down their throats as kids or got lost this morning and wound up here by mistake.
• We welcome citizens, immigrants, seekers, doubters…and ALL of YOU!
• Welcome to Bethel AME Church of Fontana!!!

Whether we are serving in the local congregation, performing leadership duties in the connectional church, or representing the church in a non-congregational setting, we are committed to representing God’s love to all believers (the true Church).

• We will strive to be transparent and authentic in representing God and caring for the Word. This includes saying, “I don’t know,” “I’m not sure,” and/or “this is just my opinion, not a statement of truth.”
• We will make every attempt to give far more than we ever receive from the church as financial support. In as much as God has given unto every man the means of producing wealth (the means of creating things of value because of how we are created), we will strive to empower financial liberation and economic empowerment of all believers.
• We will seek God for discernment in establishing and maintaining boundaries (physical, emotional, sexual, etc.) to ensure the sacred trust entrusted to us is not compromised.

We will strive to value every human being, with special sensitivity to academic, ministerial, and professional colleagues.

• We will be a reliable, dependable, trustworthy confidant.
• We will be a friend that is present in meaningful ways as the Holy Spirit leads us.
• We will encourage their growth, development, maturity, and commitment, even when it requires tough love that feels like chastening.

We recognize that spiritual gifts are imparted for the work of ministry and that ministry is to humanity.

• We will love all people, wherever they may be, without regard for religious tradition, congregational affiliation, ethnicity, race, political affiliation, gender, sexual identification, sexual orientation, geography, etc.
• We will personify humanness above academic achievement, accomplishments, and other things people regard as prestigious. Humility is an essential trait that God forms within the heart of the surrendered servant.

We will care for and take responsibility for modeling divine stewardship of all that God has created, including nature.

• We commit to conserving resources, promoting natural sources of energy production, and practicing recycling/composting in our daily lives.
• We commit to modeling to our family and friends the role we have as God’s stewards over his creation in caring for the environment.

We will publicly and privately promote our relationship with God as the single most important and valued relationship of our life.

• We will seek the will of God as we surrender to be led by the Spirit of God (Obedience).
• We will encourage everyone, through how we live our lives, to obey the leading of God’s spirit as evidence that we trust in God (Faith).
• We will seek to demystify God as complex while preserving the distinct and divine nature of God’s character (LOVE).
• We will seek to advocate for righteousness and justice at all times while acknowledging and respecting that God will draw all people unto himself (Service).
• We are committed to dying so that God’s love may become the embodiment of our existence in hopes that God will be pleased and that souls may be saved (Salvation).

We will minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people. We will seek out and save the lost. We will serve the needy. We will encourage all members to become involved in all aspects of Christian living within the Body of Christ.

How will we do this?

• Teach biblical principles predicated upon a love of all humans,
• Spreading Christ’s liberating gospel, and
• Provide continuing programs which will enhance the entire social development of all people.

In order to meet the needs, implement strategies to train all members in: (1) Christian discipleship, (2) Christian leadership, (3) current teaching methods and materials, (4) the history and significance of the Church, (5) God’s biblical principles, and (6) social development to which all should be applied to daily living.