About

Get to Know Us

Our Story

Bethel Reformed Church was established in 1936 when families from nearby Morrison moved to the Sterling area to find work in the thriving steel industry.  They came from Reformed churches in the Morrison area and felt a need to have a local congregation in Sterling.  The members of the church built their first building themselves and is still used as a residence on 2nd Ave.  The present building was built in 1978 and a Community Room and kitchen were added in 2005.  We love to host community events and also host the local precinct for elections.

Staff

Pastor Grant Mulder

Pastor Grant grew up in Waupun, WI. He received his degree in Church Ministry Leadership and Theology from Trinity Christian College and his M-DIV from Northern Seminary. Before coming to Bethel; Grant served as the Pastor at Silver Creek, as the Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry at Gibbsville Reformed Church, and as the Youth Director at First Presbyterian Church of DuPage in Bolingbrook, IL. Pastor Grant is married to Leah and they have two children, Addison and Michaela. Grant enjoys meeting new people, watching the Green Bay Packers, and a good cup of coffee. He is passionate about discipleship, worship, and the mission of the Church.

Rana Smith - Youth Director

Wendy Dugger - Secretary
Wendy Phone

Matthew Geerts - Custodian

Lori Nicklaus - Treasurer

What We Believe

  • We believe in a Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is distinct from the other yet there is only 1 God.  

  • God has revealed Himself to us through the pages of Scripture, both Old and New Testament, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This inspired Word of God is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteous (2 Timothy 3:16). It is our only rule for faith and life.

  • This world was created by God and created good. God made man and woman in His image to live in the world and care for it.

  • We believe in the doctrine of original sin. The first man and woman sinned and now we are born with a sin nature. While we are still created in God’s image, this image is distorted by sin. We desire to go our own way rather than follow God. 

  • God sent His own Son Jesus who is fully God and fully human into this world. Through His life, death, and resurrection He has begun the work of a new creation. He also demonstrated for us the Kingdom of God; what it looks like for us to live under God’s reign.

  • We affirm the traditional view of marriage being between one man and one woman.

  • We believe that Jesus died for sins in accordance with the scriptures and was raised on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-5). Through His death and resurrection, He offers us the gift of eternal life in Him.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

  • Jesus, after His resurrection ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father, yet He did not leave us alone but sent us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our guide. The Spirit helps us know God’s Word and works within us to make us more like Jesus.

  • The Church is the People of God. The Church gathers to worship and encourage one another in the faith. Also, the Church is called to be a part of God reconciling all things to Himself.  This world was created by God and created good. God made man and woman in His image to live in the world and care for it.

  • We celebrate two sacraments: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The sacraments are a visible sign and seal of God’s grace.

  • While Christ began the work of the new creation in His death and resurrection, this work is fully accomplished in His return. When all things will be made new and there will be no more mourning, pain or death for all those things will pass away (Revelation 21:4). We do not believe that we can know the hour or timing of His return, but while we wait we seek to live for Jesus.

Bethel is a part of the Reformed Church in America (RCA). We affirm the creeds and confessions of the RCA; Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, Athanasian Creed, Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, and the Belhar Confession. We believe that these creeds and confessions are faithful and historic witnesses to the Word of God.