Bethlehem believes that God has a very simple plan for any person that desires to have eternal life and live in heaven with Him.   We are unable to earn eternal life by following a lot of rules and regulations.   Instead, God desires to have a relationship with each and every person.   He loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for your sins in order to provide a way to live with Him forever.   Here is all it takes…

Admit that you are a sinner
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  This means that every person (except for Jesus) was born with a sin nature and therefore is separated from God.

Believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven
John 14:6 in the Bible states Jesus' words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.  A Christian believes that there is no other way to heaven except by believing that Jesus is the only perfect person and that He died on the cross as a substitute for the sin of each human being.  Eternity in heaven cannot be gained through good works or any effort on a person’s part.  Eternal life is a gift that Jesus offers and that you can accept for yourself.

Choose to accept God’s free gift through Jesus…and choose to live for Him the rest of your life
Just like a present that someone may give you on your birthday, you have a choice to accept or reject God’s free gift of forgiveness of sins through Jesus.   The Bible says in Romans 10:9 that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”.   In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”.  This means that we give up our rights and submit to the leadership of Jesus.  It is a daily process of becoming more Christ-like and desiring to live for His interests, not your own gain.

If you are interested in becoming a Christian:

1. You can pray a prayer like this right now.  “Jesus, I admit to You that I am a sinner.  I know that You are the only perfect person that has walked on this earth and I believe that You are the only way to heaven.  I choose today to accept You as my leader and as my savior.  I want to become a follower of Jesus and start learning more about You so I can truly have a relationship with You.  Amen."
2. You can contact our staff through email, phone (704-823-1600) or stop by the office in person (office hours are Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM).  We will respond to your contact quickly and make ourselves available to answer any questions you may have and/or give you more details about what it means to be a Christian.
3. You can visit Bethlehem during one of our worship service times (8:30 AM Classic Service at the Family Life Center or 9:15 & 11:00 AM at the Worship Center on Sundays).   During the invitation or after the service, you can meet with one of our staff or Care Team members who will be happy to assist you.

We are eager to help you as you begin a relationship with Jesus. Please contact us if we can serve you in any way.