10/31/25
Bethel Community Church is a Protestant church. Some may ask, âArenât we simply a Christian church?â Of course we are. But Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and even Mormons call themselves Christians. To say we are Protestant distinguishes us from these other groups. Historically, it especially means we are distinct from the Roman Catholic Church.
Why not just say weâre Christians who believe the Bible? To answer it, we need to understand the Protestant Reformation.
Every October, Christians around the world remember this pivotal event. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. His document challenged certain teachings and practices of Roman Catholicism and sparked what became known as the Protestant Reformation.
The movement can be summarized in five key truths known as the Five Solas: Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory of God Alone). Together they proclaim that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.
The heart of the divide between Protestants and Catholics is the question of authority. Who has the final say in what Christians believe and how they liveâthe Churchâs official teaching alongside the Bible, or Scripture alone? The Reformers, like Martin Luther, argued that Godâs Word alone is the ultimate authority. They insisted that every believer should have access to the Bible and be able to hear preaching in their own language.
At the time, Roman Catholic Mass was conducted only in Latin, a language most people couldnât understand. But wherever the Reformation spread, so did translations of the Bible into common tongues, personal Bible reading, and preaching in the language of the people. The Reformers trusted that if ordinary men and women could read and hear Godâs Word, the Spirit would bring transformation. And He did. Many were martyred for this conviction, yet God used their witness to bring Scripture to countless people across Europe.
The Reformation was, at its core, a Bible movement. Churches were planted, and countless lives were changed as ordinary believers began reading and obeying Scripture. Even where it was outlawed, once people had tasted Godâs Word, they could not be silenced. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:9, âThe word of God is not bound.â
Bethel Community Church stands directly downstream from this movement. The Reformation gave us the instinct to ask, âBut what does the Bible say?â So when someone asks, âWhy not just identify as Christians who believe the Bible?â the answer is simple: thatâs exactly what it means to be Protestant.
We are Protestant, not because of tradition or the word of men, but because we are Christians who long to hear, read, and live by the Word of God.
If youâre interested in learning more, Pastor Saolomon just did a sermon series on the Five Solas in Bethel Youth. You can watch/listen here: https://www.bethelcommunity.org/category/bethelyouth/
Why not just say weâre Christians who believe the Bible? To answer it, we need to understand the Protestant Reformation.
Every October, Christians around the world remember this pivotal event. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. His document challenged certain teachings and practices of Roman Catholicism and sparked what became known as the Protestant Reformation.
The movement can be summarized in five key truths known as the Five Solas: Sola Gratia (Grace Alone), Sola Fide (Faith Alone), Solus Christus (Christ Alone), Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (Glory of God Alone). Together they proclaim that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.
The heart of the divide between Protestants and Catholics is the question of authority. Who has the final say in what Christians believe and how they liveâthe Churchâs official teaching alongside the Bible, or Scripture alone? The Reformers, like Martin Luther, argued that Godâs Word alone is the ultimate authority. They insisted that every believer should have access to the Bible and be able to hear preaching in their own language.
At the time, Roman Catholic Mass was conducted only in Latin, a language most people couldnât understand. But wherever the Reformation spread, so did translations of the Bible into common tongues, personal Bible reading, and preaching in the language of the people. The Reformers trusted that if ordinary men and women could read and hear Godâs Word, the Spirit would bring transformation. And He did. Many were martyred for this conviction, yet God used their witness to bring Scripture to countless people across Europe.
The Reformation was, at its core, a Bible movement. Churches were planted, and countless lives were changed as ordinary believers began reading and obeying Scripture. Even where it was outlawed, once people had tasted Godâs Word, they could not be silenced. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:9, âThe word of God is not bound.â
Bethel Community Church stands directly downstream from this movement. The Reformation gave us the instinct to ask, âBut what does the Bible say?â So when someone asks, âWhy not just identify as Christians who believe the Bible?â the answer is simple: thatâs exactly what it means to be Protestant.
We are Protestant, not because of tradition or the word of men, but because we are Christians who long to hear, read, and live by the Word of God.
If youâre interested in learning more, Pastor Saolomon just did a sermon series on the Five Solas in Bethel Youth. You can watch/listen here: https://www.bethelcommunity.org/category/bethelyouth/
