When the daughter of an atheist and an ex-evangelical attended Bethlehem Buddies, a special needs ministry at Bethlehem Church in Winder, Georgia, the staff knew she would be supported and welcomed in Jesus’ name. What they couldn’t have predicted, however, was how her parents’ lives would be changed through the simple act of reading a children’s Bible with their daughter.
Slowly but surely, the mom and dad softened toward the gospel and became believers. Now, the father works on staff at Bethlehem Church and represents one type of life transformation that is celebrated week after week at the church.
Lead Pastor Jason Britt says testimonies like theirs are essential to the culture and atmosphere at Bethlehem. “For us, it’s the stories of people finding Jesus, families being reconciled, finding redemption—we celebrate and tell the stories of life change. The more we celebrate it, the more it becomes a part of our culture.”
Jim Litchford started attending Bethlehem in 2001 and has been an elder at the church for more than a decade. He says it’s the church’s mission to lead people to new life in Christ, and whenever that occurs, it’s important to make a big deal out of it.
“We invite everyone to be a part of what we’re doing here—anybody who is involved in the church. We play their testimonies on the big screen. It’s high energy, it’s impactful, and people get excited about it,” Litchford shares.
The power of storytelling is used throughout the year to proclaim God’s goodness to the congregation, and it seems to be affecting church growth positively.
Winder, a bedroom community about an hour from Atlanta, is a rapidly developing area. The church recently moved to a new building, which added 900 seats, and nearly 250 to 300 people meet weekly in small groups on and off campus. But along with the church’s growth in numbers came a calling to make an even bigger impact in the community.
“We are very integrated into our community,” Britt emphasizes. “The church unleashes the power of generosity, and the reputation of the church serving the community is something we work really hard on.”
With that in mind, the team at Bethlehem sought out ways to become an integral part of the community through partnerships with local schools, nonprofits and other organizations.
“That gives us a lot of gospel invitations, a lot of witness opportunities, a lot of credibility that what we believe and teach is what we practice,” Britt adds.
Trust from others in the community became more important than ever in 2024 when a mass shooting took place at nearby Apalachee High School. Many families inside and outside the church felt the impact of the incident, and finding a sense of community was their lifeline. It was an occasion for Bethlehem to serve in a way no one ever hopes to serve.
“It was the hardest thing we’ve ever done in ministry,” Britt explains. “You’re building credibility by serving the community for such a time as this. We have been able to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the middle of really difficult times.”
And God continues to bring good out of a tragic situation with many families turning to Christ and youth being baptized since that fateful day. Britt says the church endeavors to win the hearts of the next generation because of spiritual and cultural attacks on kids and families.
“Whoever wants to reach the next generation the most is going to get them. If you want to reach moms and dads, you better reach their kids,” Britt urges. “We want to create a church for the whole family.”
In order to achieve that goal, each of the church’s campuses has dedicated spaces for youth ministry. Additionally, he believes that kids and parents alike often find belonging in serving with others, so they make a point of recognizing volunteers and making it easy for people to get connected whether it’s through serving, small groups or discipleship.
“Every Sunday there’s a clear next step for people to get engaged,” Britt says. “We make it super simple to get them in, and there’s a high value in serving. Kids that begin serving in the church will stay in the church.”
So far this year, 300 people have been baptized at Bethlehem, and the church remains committed to walking alongside new believers to make sure their faith continues to deepen in the early stages. That means pairing them with a mature believer who can encourage them and help bolster their convictions.
“Every person that goes public with their faith has a one-on-one coach who is walking with them for the next four to six weeks. We give them a devotional guide and a weekly call for intentional discipleship from their first step of obedience,” Britt explains.
As God continues to bless the ministry at Bethlehem and add to their numbers, they don’t plan to go idle anytime soon. Litchford says they just need to keep going and remain faithful to the community that God has called them to serve.
“We can’t stop. We need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, because if we ever sit back and think it’s about us, we’ll be in trouble,” Litchford insists. “We stay focused on Jesus, and it’s working.”
BETHLEHEM CHURCH
Winder, Georgia
Pastor: Jason Britt
Website: BethlehemChurch.us
Denomination: Southern Baptist
Founded: 1904
Fastest-Growing: 24
Largest: 36
