About Us

ZION BETHEL CHURCH

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to bring glory to God, to gather to worship and pray, to further the believer's growth in grace, to promote Christian fellowship, and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ both at home and abroad for the salvation of lost men, women, and children.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to build a family of devoted followers of Christ who worship God, share Christ's hope and love, and minister to each other's needs.

OUR VALUES

We value the Word of God as the ultimate authority for our lives. We care for people, are concerned for families, and are centered on Christ.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

ZION BETHEL CHURCH

OUR MINISTRY TEAM

PASTOR JEFF MESSER

Pastor Jeff has served as the pastor of Zion Bethel Church for 36 years! He loves the Lord and is a wonderful Bible teacher. His commitment to the church is unquestioned and he's dedicated to helping people come to know Jesus and grow in their faith. He attended Grand Rapids Baptist College and graduated from Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music (now Cornerstone University). He continues to be an avid learner, reader and student of God's Word. Jeff's been married to Donna since 1974, they have two children and four grandchildren.

ASSISTANT PASTOR AARON SMITH

Aaron has been with us for about 2 years..He's dedicated to serving others and helping them to grow closer to God. He has been in full time ministry since 2011 and has a bachelors in theology and apologetics from The Master's University. and will complete his Master of Divinity in 2020. He loves to read theology books, so ask him what his latest study has been about. When Aaron's not at the church working with our kids and young adults or reading he can be found spending time with his four children and wife Heather. He's been married since 2006.

OUR STAFF

EDITH HUNT- SECRETARY

Edith does a wonderful job keeping so many of the "behind the scenes" things done at our church. She has a heart for serving and has been a faithful part of the church for more than 40 years. She also leads one of our women's Bible studies. She's been married to Larry for 47 years and they have 2 children and 6 grand children.

OUR ELDERS

RICK FORSTER

Rick has been at Zion Bethel Church since 1985. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the church and has been an elder since 2000. He also heads up our Biblical Counseling program. Rick is retired, has been married since 1973 to Lois, and has 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren.

DON BAHLER

Don has been a member of Zion Bethel Church since 2002. He has served as an elder in the past and rejoined the Elder board in 2019, He has worked with our youth program for many years. .Don is a farmer, he and his wife Jill have been married since 2001 and they have 5 children.

GREG WESTFALL

Greg has been a member of Zion Bethel Church since 1985 and has served as an elder since 2007. He teaches adult Sunday School classes and has led one of the small groups. He is also a member of the Worship Team Music Ministry, helping to lead it since 2008. Greg and his wife Julie have been married for over forty years and have four children and ten grandchildren.

RICK ROACH

Rick has been attending Zion Bethel Church since 1990 and has been an elder at Zion Bethel Church since 2004. He's taught adult Sunday School classes for many years and also co-leads a men's Bible study. Rick is a farmer. His wife Sharon is involved with our after school program for kids. They've been married since 1983, have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

LARY YERK

Larry became an elder at Zion Bethel Church in 2019 and has been a member since 1988. He's involved with our jail ministry and has been a long time Sunday School teacher to both youth and adults. Larry is a farmer and his wife Jan is a veterinarian. They've been married since 1980, have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

RANDY MOORE

Randy has been an elder at Zion Bethel Church since 2017 and a member since 2011. He's retired from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and has been married to Jane since 1970.. They have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.

CRAIG CLEAVER

Craig has been a member at Zion Bethel Church since December 2004 and an elder since September 2021. He's on the Missionary Committee and has served as a deacon for many years. He's a local business owner and is on the board of Trinity Ministries in Lafayette as well, IN. He's married and has 3 grown children.

WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE.

COME VISIT, OR GIVE US A CALL! WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW YOU.

TO CONTACT US CLICK BELOW.

ZION BETHEL CHURCH

CORE VALUES

WE STAND ON THE WORD OF GOD

We value GOD'S WORD. The Bible is the most important authority in all areas of faith and practice in our ministry. Through our understanding and application of the scriptures, we can know God and His truth, experience changed lives, and grow in spiritual maturity. (2 Timothy 3:16)

WE ARE COMMITTED TO CHRIST

We believe that Jesus is central to everything. We believe that we are to live lives fully devoted to following Him and teaching others to do the same.

. (Luke 9:23)

WE ARE GROUNDED IN GRACE

We acknowledge our complete dependence on the goodness and grace of God. We have benefited from the kind intention of His will; therefore, we eagerly extend it to others. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

WE WORSHIP AND WE PRAY

We want worship to be the way we live our life and not just something we do on Sunday morning. (Romans 12:1) And we are passionate about prayer. We believe the attitude and action of prayer is essential to everything we do. (Colossians 4:2)

ZION BETHEL CHURCH

OUR HISTORY

Zion Bethel Church is rich with history of people who have loved and served the Lord. From the little country church "on the corner by Lake Shafer to the current growing congregation located "across from the high school", we are a congregation determined to carry out the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ to take the Gospel to those who are lost and to disciple those who come to know the Savior.

Zion Bethel Church History

The early history of Zion Bethel dates back to the latter part of the 1860's, when Pastor Uriah Patton began preaching at the Warfel school and the Sitka school. Around 1900, the church members decided to establish their own church at what is now known as the corner of East Shafer Drive and 400 North. In the years that followed many changes took place.

In 1983 our current pastor, Jeff Messer, was called to serve as the shepherd of our congregation. At the time we were still meeting in the country and our worship services averaged 50 to 60 people. In 1988, as a result of God's faithfulness and blessing, there was a need for additional space. A two story addition was built. Soon after the completion of this addition, it was apparent to all that more space was still needed. As we began to pray and plan concerning expansion, God provided us with a wondeful facility across from the high school in Monticello. And so, a new chapter for Zion Bethel began Easter Sunday, 1990, as our present building was dedicated to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.

Since that time God's hand of blessing has continued to rest on our congregation. On Easter Sunday 2000, our Family Center was dedicated to God. It provides us with much needed space to minister to our growing church family.

We are as committed today as our predecessors were to making an impact in the world and this community for the glory of God. Zion Bethel Church will continue to care for people, be concerned for families, and be centered on Christ.

The congregation began in the late 1860's by Pastor Uriah Patton who preached at the Warfel & Sitka schools.
A church house was erected around 1900 at the corner of East Shafer Dr. and 400 North. The building was later moved across the road.
1988- A second story was added to accommodate the growing church.
1990- The growing church moved to an existing building located in town at 415 S. Third St. and dedicated to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.
2000- Our multipurpose Family Center opened.
2017- Our Constitution was updated.

ZION BETHEL CHURCH

MISSIONS & OUTREACH

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For more than 100 years Zion Bethel Church has had a strong commitment to carrying out the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20). We see missions as both local and global, with the central focus on people.

We support individuals and ministries around the world who are being faithful to the call of missions by helping to equip, train, mobilize, and support them financially and prayerfully.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20