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Organisation

The Bethel Community Center (GZB) is a non-denominational church (= Freikirche). Many here in Switzerland don't know, what this means and think of these churches as cults or sects. However, this is not correct. Apart from our national churches (=Landeskirchen) there is a broad spectrum of many more churches and Christian communities. The media, however, takes hardly notice of them.

GZB is part of the Swiss Pentecostal Mission (SPM), which is part of the Network of Evangelical Non-Denominational Churches of Switzerland (VFG). We as the Bethel Community Center desire that men and women from our community get to know Jesus Christ. Whether they live their faith in our church or someplace else, is secondary.
What is a non-denominational church?
A non-denominational church (Freikirche) is a Christian community which is, contrary to the Roman-Catholic, Christ-Catholic and Reformed Church, independend from the Swiss government. The difference between these national churches and the non-denominational churches is therefore solely within their legal status with the government.

Every country determines for itself whether a Christian community has the legal status of a national church. For instance, the USA do not have any national churches. Therefore, there the Protestant and Catholic Church have the same status as the Pentecostal, Babtist or Methodist Church or the Salvation Army. In England, only the Anglican Curch is a national church.

What is a sect?
The Bethel Community Center is not a sect nor a cult. Sects claim that they alone are salutary and that they alone own the way to God and salvation. Their teaching deviates from the Biblical truth and they have other, addintional sources for their faith. Jesus Christ, the unique redeemer, is usually reduced regarding his central role or powerful minstry. Sects refuse to believe that Jesus is co-equally God and they do not see him as the central figure of Biblical prophecies.