Two Sunday Services on Bethel Road
Bethel Presbyterian Church sits at 1735 Bethel Road on the northwest side of Columbus, a two-service congregation where members from across the city gather to worship, study Scripture, and serve together. Services are held every Sunday at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM, both in person and via livestream, and each service has its own character.
The early service is shaped by historic Christian practices. Worshipers move through hymns, prayer, Scripture, and shared expressions of faith, supported by musical offerings from the church choir and bell choir. The later service takes on a fuller band-driven feel, weaving modern worship songs with time-honored hymns in fresh arrangements while still making room for a full choir and bell choir. Both services last about an hour and include a message rooted in Scripture. Visitors are invited to come as they are; a mix of jeans and business casual is the norm.
What Visitors Find on Their First Sunday
Visitors can park anywhere in the lot and enter through the main doors; the sanctuary sits just off the entry to the right. First-time guests are encouraged to stop by the Information Center for a welcome gift and a quick overview of ministries. Adult classes meet in Room 5/6 in the Education Wing during both services, and children's check-in happens at the Kids Check-in Table in the lobby. A connect card is offered to share their input and welcome them further.
Rooted, Formed, Flourishing
Bethel Presbyterian's mission is to grow followers of Jesus Christ who are Rooted, Formed, and Flourishing. Rooted means knowing the gospel beyond words on a page. Formed means continually growing and becoming more like Christ through the truth of the gospel. Flourishing means bearing fruit - sharing and serving others as the gospel calls. The vision pairs with this mission: to make disciples of all generations through forming intentional relationships, and to be a church that is mission-minded and present beyond its own walls.
Six core values guide daily life together: Christ-Centered, Biblical Authority, Spirit-Empowered, Covenant Community, Maturing Faith, and Generous Living. The values emphasize that every member of the body - across age, ethnicity, politics, gender, or socio-economic status - bears the image of God.
Becoming the 100th ECO Church
In 2014, Bethel Presbyterian became the 100th church to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a denomination made up of like-minded churches that hold one another accountable to God's Word and calling. ECO describes itself as a Biblical community that extends beyond the walls of any one church or city, and Bethel identifies its connection with ECO as a key part of its identity and outward-facing mission.
Beliefs from the Reformed Tradition
Bethel's beliefs are drawn from the Essential Tenets of ECO and the broader reformed tradition. The church affirms the sovereignty of God over all creation, providence, redemption, and judgment; the authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures as the written Word of God; and the Trinity - one God in three coequal, coeternal persons.
Bethel teaches that Jesus Christ is both truly God and truly human, born of the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit, and that salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone, by grace. The church holds to the doctrines of election, the covenant life of the church expressed through the Word, the Sacraments, and mutual accountability, and the faithful stewardship of all of life through the ministries of teaching elders, deacons, and ruling elders - offices open to both men and women. Living in obedience, the church teaches, is the Spirit-empowered response of gratitude to grace, growing in holiness throughout life.
Kids at Bethel Pres
Bethel Kids Ministry serves children from birth through fifth grade. During the 9:00 AM service, nursery care is provided for ages 0-3, and activity bags are available for older children who stay in the sanctuary. During the 10:30 AM service, full programming is offered for ages 0-5th grade. Sunday programming uses the HyFi curriculum from Lifeway, a media-rich program built on 12 simple truths about identity in Christ.
Families can choose what fits best each week. Children can stay with parents for the entire service, be dismissed partway through, or be checked into KidSpace for the full hour. KidSpace is organized by room: Room 1 for Elementary (1st-5th), Room 2 for Preschool (PreK-Kindergarten), and Room 4 for Nursery and Toddlers (Infant-2 yrs). Every volunteer is background-checked, and families are given matching tags for child pickup. The Family & Children's Ministry can be reached at kids@bethelpres.org.
Students, Young Adults, and the Next Generation
The Student Ministry walks with sixth through twelfth graders. Students are encouraged to worship with their parents on Sunday mornings, then gather twice a month on Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 PM for dinner, games, and Bible study. The Young Adults ministry serves 18-35 year olds, building community through social activities, small groups, and Bible study. Both are led by Jordan Risola, the Director of Youth and Young Adults, who can be reached at jrisola@bethelpres.org.
Adults, MAXI's, and Life Groups
Adult ministry at Bethel is built around Sunday morning classes, small groups, and a thriving 55+ community. The 9:00 AM class in Room 5/6 has a small-group feel with Bible study and discussion, led by Kevin Coughlin. The 10:30 AM class uses a more classic Sunday School model with rotating teachers covering both topical studies and books of the Bible.
The MAXI's Ministry - Maximum Living - is for adults 55 and older. On the third Thursday of each month, participants gather for a meal, a short program, and fellowship. Past programs have featured the OSU Don Scott Airport, Donate Life, the Franklin Heights High School Choir, the Bethel Folk Ensemble, stories from the flights diverted to Gander, Newfoundland on 9/11/2001, and Habitat for Humanity.
Life Groups are the small-group core of the church. Bethel places members in multi-generational groups based on preferred meeting day and time, and the groups are designed for fellowship, accountability, and using spiritual gifts together. A life-group interest form is available for those wanting to join or start a group.
Cover to Cover: 100 Days Through the Bible
Cover to Cover is Bethel's signature Bible-reading experience: a 100-day journey through the whole Bible, about 12 pages a day, with one day each week set aside as a catch-up day. The program is open to anyone, even those who have never opened one or walked through the doors of Bethel. Each Thursday, participants gather at 10:00 AM or 6:00 PM in life groups, ask questions at a "Stump the Chump" session with the church's Bible experts, and hear highlights of the next week's reading. A children's program for ages 0-5th grade is offered during the 6:00 PM gathering. Each registered participant receives a free kit with a large-print Bible, a participant booklet, and other resources. Sunday sermons during the program complement the weekly reading plan.
Salt and Light Locally and Globally
Bethel's Missions and Outreach Ministry is rooted in the Great Commission of Matthew 28. The church supports ministry financially through a dedicated Missions Budget, separate from its general operating budget, and takes two special offerings each year during Lent and November for additional local, national, or international needs.
Locally, Bethel partners with a Columbus neighborhood ministry, supports community sports and children's programs hosted at the church, assists outreach to nearby schools and families, and joins Habitat Mid Ohio's Northside Partnership - a coalition of 14 Columbus, Clintonville, Dublin, Powell, and Worthington churches that builds a house together each year. Internationally, members have served with Total Health in Honduras and El Salvador, supporting health clinics in underserved communities. Mission support also extends to areas such as affordable housing, church renewal, faculty ministry, evangelism, Bible translation, agricultural missions, and literacy.
Staying Connected Through Church Center
Bethel uses the Church Center app for events, registrations, directory access, and online giving. The app is available for iOS and Android, and can also be accessed through a web browser. Taylor Bane, the Church Life Engagement Coordinator, helps members get set up and can be reached at tbane@bethelpres.org or by calling the church office. Online giving is available through Church Center as well.
A Church for Every Generation
From nursery care on Sunday morning to monthly MAXI's gatherings on the third Thursday, from twice-monthly youth dinners to weekly life groups and the 100-day Cover to Cover journey, Bethel Presbyterian organizes its life around the long walk of following him. Two Sunday services, rooted in historic practice and refreshed with contemporary worship, give the congregation a rhythm for gathering. A clear mission - Rooted, Formed, Flourishing - and a clear philosophy of serving - rooted, accountable, and sent out - shape everything else.