Bethel Evangelical Congregational Church

Size:  With about 200 in weekly attendance, this church is large enough to accommodate most age groups.  It has an active youth group (with Awana), a vibrant Sunday School, and several small groups. 

Music:  The church is not quite large enough to have a regular/weekly group of semi-pro musicians to create one of today's popular "worship bands."  Music tends to be a blended approach, utilizing a projection screen.  Guitar and piano are the most commonly used instruments.  The regular song leader (Tom Saunders) has decades of experience and creates a friendly and harmonious atmosphere.

Pastor:  Bob Mavis (mid-50s) arrived in Sept. 2007.  With a Ph.D. in Old Testament, he is a bonafide biblical scholar, yet he demonstrates zero arrogance or elitism and welcomes others' perspectives.  His sermons are typically 25 minutes and presented in a teaching style.  He would not be described as a dynamic or charismatic speaker, but his sermons offer reliable, helpful, and interesting biblical content.

Doctrine:  The church is affiliated with the Evangelical Congregational Church, a small evangelical denomination with most churches spreading from northern Illinois to eastern Pennsylvania.  The Dixon church (Bethel) is devoted to the Bible, Bible teaching, missions, and adheres to typical evangelical beliefs.  The church is officially Arminian, but has some Calvinist-leaning influences.  It's non-charismatic, but doesn't demonstrate an anti-charismatic attitude.  Currently, those who would be members must commit to abstain from alcohol.  But this requirement is close to being dropped by the denomination.

History:  The church has been in Dixon 75+ years.  It reached peak attendance of 300+ in the late 1970s, but has hovered around 200 for the last 20 years.

Demographics:  The church has an above-average number of strong male leaders.  This generates some stability, but it can tend to create a dogmatic and less-compassionate atmosphere.  Like its surrounding community, the church is mostly a small-town, white, middle-class church.  The church is very family friendly, yet many of its families are relatives.  Thus, each Sunday is a family reunion for many, but visitors can get overlooked and/or ignored.  It can take a long time for newcomers to be assimilated into church life.

Other:  Being in Ronald Reagan's hometown and in a Republican-dominated county, the church can demonstrate a preference for conservative Republican politics.  

Reviewer Info:  I am a former minister who has been attending Bethel since 1996.