But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
CHURCH.
The Father's plan for your
health and growth
as a believer in Jesus Christ.
We welcome you!
Come grow with us,
Why We Gather
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 The New Testament assumes that God's people will gather as lights that are illuminating the goodness and greatness of God to the world, and this is why we go to church. Obedience to Christ and glory to our Father in Heaven.
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
How do we glorify God with our church life?
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Our Obedience in gathering.
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Giving Corporate Worship of the Father that is in Spirit and in Truth.
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Adding your part to the whole body, “joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies…”
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Consoling each other – "share with one another the comfort that we ourselves have experienced."
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Exhorting each other -" …And let us not grow weary while doing good."
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Serving one another - "Whenever you come together, … Let all things be done for edification."
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
What to Expect
WORSHIP
We Gather — The obedience of gathering is in itself an act of worship. We demonstrate devotion to Christ and His Body by showing up for worship. Consider that sports fans endure all kinds of weather, spend lots of money, and tolerate all kinds of behavior from coaches, players, and other fans just to be present at sporting events. How much more does Christ deserves our presence! Congregational Singing—Our singing in public worship is essential and multifaceted. We own in our hearts what is true as we sing it to God. We affirm truth to others who hear our voices. Music can bring down the walls of our resistance to His will, comfort us in our sorrow, assure us of His love, renew our joy, and fill us with hope. Singing is an essential part of how we obey God when we gather. Public Reading of Scripture— We value what God has said to us by taking time to read it aloud, corporately. Public reading emphasizes the authority of God’s Word. Giving —We place offerings in a basket as we enter or leave. Our giving to the work of the ministry is a means of showing our devotion to God.
PRAYER
Quiet Preparation and Confession— In a few moments of quiet meditation we confess our sin and acknowledge our need for cleansing. Petitions—We have a time of asking for God to work in the needs of our church family, our community, our nation, and around the world. Pastoral Prayer — Our pastor leads the congregation in a time of prayer where we corporately align our hearts with what God has already shown us to be true. Other Prayers —Opening and closing prayers ask for God’s blessing in the service or in our response to what we have just heard.
PREACHING
Our pastor preaches exegetically on a text taken sequentially through a book of the Bible. Occasionally he preaches a brief series of topical messages that would address a subject needful for the time. Our congregation participates in the preaching through prayer, attentiveness, and a heart response to the Word. This is as essential to the whole process as the preparation and delivery of the sermon given.
FELLOWSHIP
Greeting — We encourage our people to arrive early, attend the Bible Study before the worship service, visit as long as they are able after a service, and stay for any fellowship meals which are weekly in the winter, and monthly in the summer. Our leaders take time before the service to highlight ways to be involved in serving and in discipleship.
What We Believe
This is a summary of the teachings and beliefs of Blessed Hope Bible Church. A detailed Statement of Faith can be provided upon request when you visit.
The Bible
We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and without error only in the original manuscripts.
Trinity
There is one God, existing eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Creation
We believe the Genesis account of creation.
Deity of Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, that He died on the cross, and was physically resurrected from the dead.
Atonement for Sins
We believe Jesus’ death and shed blood is the only atonement for the sins of all humanity.
Sinfulness of Man
We believe all men are sinners by nature and practice and are condemned but there is salvation for sin for those who accept God gift of forgiveness through faith in His Son. This salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit has been sent by Christ to convince men they are lost. He regenerates, seals, indwells, guides, instructs, and empowers those who trust in Jesus for salvation. We believe that some gifts of the Spirit ceased with the completion of the Bible.
We believe those who trust in Christ alone for salvation are place into the universal church by the Holy Spirit and that believers are called to identify themselves with a local church by what means that church has adopted. Religious rites or activities (such as baptism or membership) do not provide entrance into Christ universal church.
The Church
Two Ordinances
We believe Christ has given two ordinances to His church, baptism by immersion after salvation and the Lord’s Table (communion). We receive no grace or merit from these ordinances.
Future Things
We believe in the pre-tribulational, pre-millennial rapture of the church followed by Christ’s second coming in judgement.
Resurrection
We believe in the eventual bodily resurrection of the dead; the believer is everlasting blessedness and joy and the unbeliever to judgment and everlasting punishment.
Marriage and Human Sexuality
We believe that God intends marriage as only between one man and one woman and that sexual activity is to be limited to that relationship alone. We believe that God created only two genders and reject any teaching or belief that is affirming of same sex attraction, gender dysphoria, or the idea of additional genders.
Leadership at BHBC
Gary Kramer, Pastor
Pastor Gary grew up in the Washington D.C area and trusted Christ as Savior at age 20. Gary's wife, Brenda grew up in a Christian home in Northeast Pennsylvania and trusted Christ as a young child. Gary has an undergraduate degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, attended Alliance Theological Seminary (Nyack, NY) and Baptist Bible Seminary (Clark Summit, PA). Brenda is a graduate of Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. They have been in full-time pastoral ministry for nearly 30 years. Gary has pastored local churches, planted a church in Arizona, and has served as an interim or as short-term help to pastors in local churches throughout the western US. The Kramers came to Blessed Hope Bible Church in December 2023 with a 3-fold focus of intentional discipleship, the person of Christ as enough for us, and to lead our congregation to make Christ the sole object of our worship. Gary and Brenda believe their task is to help every believer become “word-saturated.” Gary acts on that belief both through expository preaching and by initiating Bible studies that focus on strengthening each members skill in studying the Bible for themselves to the end that they respond in faith and obedience to what they discover. They have 5 adult children with three being married. At present they have one grandchild who lives in Perth, Australia. Pastor Gary and Brenda welcome you to visit Blessed Hope Bible Church soon!
Come Visit!
Contact
Worship Service
Prayer Meeting
717-444-7430
Sunday
10:30 am
Wednesday
7:00 pm
Address
9 Witmer Road
Liverpool, PA 17045
Adult Bible Study
Sunday
9:30 am
Sunday evening service times vary with seasons and holidays. Currently they follow a noon fellowship lunch.