Bethel Christian Life Center, West Lafayette, IN

Twenty years ago Bethel Christian Life Center became a reality! A pioneer pastor and his family moved to West Lafayette and planted a new church. Pastor Bill and Sharon McKee and their family along with a small core of called believers began holding services in a meeting room at what is now called University Inn. After meeting in rented facilities for approximately one year the young church purchased five acres of land at the corner of US 52 West and McCormick Road. (The Indiana District Council along with First Assembly of God (Lafayette) provided funds to help in the purchase of the property.)

In 1985, phase one of our present facility was completed. The small congregation met in what is now our kitchen, for their worship services. The sanctuary was not completed for a number of months. God’s anointing and blessing was upon the new congregation. A wonderful unity and deep commitment blossomed among the members. Their exciting adventure along with the powerful presence of God moved the church much like a current moves a floating vessel. They moved deeper and deeper into the waters of God’s rich and marvelous blessings. They enjoyed God’s awesome presence in new and fresh ways as they continued numeric and spiritual growth. What a time of great faith and reliance upon God’s supernatural interventions as they trusted Him for all things!

The church continued to grow during those early years. After five years, Pastor Bill McKee followed the Lord’s direction to a new place of ministry. The Lord brought Pastor Don Osten and his family to West Lafayette to help lead them onto the next phase of growth. Pastor Don led this congregation for nine years and the congregation continued growing and flourishing.

In 1992 a large new foyer and educational wing was added to the building complex. What a wonderful step of faith the young congregation took as they built additional classrooms and began the Bethel Child Care ministry. Once again God poured out his blessings as new and exciting ministries were added. Additional staff members were added at this time as well. In the spring of 1998, Pastor Don resigned and soon relocated to Monticello. He will always be remembered and appreciated for his uplifting preaching, administrative abilities and his stable, consistent leadership. Bethel had grown considerably under his oversight and became a solid, mature congregation.

In the summer of 1998, Sue and I accepted the call to come as your pastors. The direction of the Lord was powerful in our lives as we made plans to relocate from Nebraska to Indiana. We are the third pastors to lead this wonderful congregation. We are thrilled to be a part of this tremendous family of God.

We are so thankful for the staff the Lord has allowed us to build in the past six years. One year after we arrived, Pastor Greg and Darla Farmer and boys accepted my invitation to join me as our associate minister. And more recently, Zach and Liz Rainey and family, and Jim and Robin Walsh and family have joined us. I couldn’t ask for a more dedicated, gifted and anointed staff as this one. God is still blessing Bethel, and doing great and mighty things in our midst.

Now, we have the opportunity to celebrate Bethel’s 20 th anniversary with all of you! The deacons and I have set aside July 18 th as the day to commemorate this milestone. We have invited Pastor Bill and Sharon McKee and Pastor Don Osten to return for a day of worship, rejoicing and celebration! The McKee’s will minister in song and preaching in the morning worship service. Pastor Don Osten will bring the message to us in the evening service. We will have a reception immediately following the evening service, so you will have the opportunity to visit with your former pastors.

Since both previous pastors are returning to help us celebrate our 20 th anniversary, I am asking you to set aside this day, and make plans now to be a part of this “once-in-a-lifetime memory. This is a special invitation to all who may have been a part of Bethel Christian Life Center in the past. Whether you are a regular attendee, former attendee, present or past member, please come out and join us for this time of fellowship. I know it would mean a great deal to both previous pastors to see all of you. Do make plans to come and make July 18 th a memorable day for all! All of us look forward to greeting you and worshiping with you here at Bethel.

A missions letter from John Bueno, Executive Director of the Assemblies of God World Missions:

I am writing you as pastor of one of our generous supporting churches, as Bethel Christian Life Center was number 384 in the top 500 in increased per capita giving to Assemblies of God World Missions for 2003.

Although there are 12,000 churches in our Fellowship, over half of World Missions giving is from less than 10 percent of our churches. You are among those who enable us to not only maintain our missionary enterprise abroad, but to keep advancing as the Lord continues to open opportunities.

This year we passed a significant milestone in that we have passed having 50 million members in 250,000 churches in 211 countries. As wonderful as this milestone is, what is more overwhelming by far is the unreached multitude still waiting to hear.

The heart of our mission is not projects. It is people. We continue to rejoice at the increasing numbers of new candidate missionaries coming to us with a divine call upon their lives to serve the Lord in the harvest field, which has increased just since I came to serve as Executive Director less than seven years ago from 148 countries to 198. We have entered more than 50 new countries just in the last seven years. That’s a new country every seven weeks.

Thank you for being a faithful missions supporter. We are living in the monumental days in the mission of this church, and nothing is more critical than rushing these divinely called missionaries to reach the lost.

Bethel’s 20th Anniversary

Sunday, July 18th

10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Pastor Bill and Sharon McKee

ministering in the 10:30 a.m. service

Pastor Don Osten

ministering in the 6:30 p.m. service

Reception immediately following evening service

Please join us for these special services on

July 18, 2004