Bethel Temple Christian Center

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We are glad you stopped by our Church web site and encourage you to check back often as we are continually updating our information and events. We welcome you to visit with us should you be in the area or if you are from our area and need a church home. If we can be of assistance to you, please feel free to contact us. God is doing incredible things!

As a dynamic church proclaiming the Work of God, to make disciples of Christ, our purpose is to:

COMMUNICATE - Christ to the world. This is attracting and leading the unsaved to Jesus.

CELEBRATE - God's life in Christ. This is encouraging Christians to consecrate themselves to God's purpose in their lives.

CULTIVATE - personal growth in Christ. This is providing a climate in which personal and spiritual growth and worship occur.

CARE - about one another in Christ. This is equipping believers for effective ministry to reach the Abilene area and beyond.

Bethel Temple Christian Center had it's beginning in June of 1959, when the founding pastor Wilson G. Estes felt the call of God to pioneer a new church in the north-west part of Abilene. Pastor Estes and about thirty people met on the first Sunday in the garage and den of his home. The bedrooms and kitchen were used for Sunday School rooms and the garage/den was the "auditorium". Mrs. Estes played the organ and helped to lead the worship service while Pastor Estes took care of the rest of service. The two young sons, Larry and Frank would get up early each Sunday morning and move chairs around the house in order for the growing church to meet the needs of the people.
Bethel Temple Christian Center has always had a strong heart for world missions. Through the years they have faithfully supported missions programs from the home land of Abilene to the far reaches of the Orient. The faithful congregation has purchased a car for a missionary in Austria who had to ride the bus or train in order to minister in his own city. They raised the money to buy the materials and then took a group of men and women to Spain to build a Teen Challenge dormitory for way-ward youth in that country. Through our efforts we have helped move a retiring missionary from Nicaragua back to the United States. We are continually looking at ways to improve our Missions Outreach for the glory of God.
In 1981, Pastor Wilson Estes became "Pastor Emeritus" and was free to travel around the world teaching and preaching the loving Gospel of Jesus Christ. He and his lovely wife Virginia continued their world outreach until his death in 1994. Rev. G. Frank Estes,Wilson's son, has been faithful to the call of God to minister to the people of Bethel Temple for over twenty-seven years.Bethel Temple Christian Center has had only two pastors since it was founded in 1959.
Bethel Temple Christian Center has maintained a heart for the world by making sure that the "world of Abilene" is reached as well as the "world outside of Abilene". We believe that when Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that we should start our ministry at home but not stop, He meant that we as believers must always be ready to give a testimony of His love wherever we are.
What We Believe:

WE BELIEVE the Bible is the inspired and only infallible and authoritative written word of God.
II Tim 3:15-17 I Thess 2:13 II Peter 1:21

WE BELIEVE There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

WE BELIEVE in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His personal future return to this earth in power and glory to rule a thousand years.
Heb 1:1-13 Matt 1:23 Acts 1:9, 11

WE BELIEVE in the blessed hope - the rapture of the church at Christ's coming.
I Thess 4:16-17 Romans 8:23 Titus 2:13 I Cor 15:51-52

WE BELIEVE the only means of being cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Christ.
Luke 24:47 John 3:3 Romans 10:13-15 Eph 2:8-9 Titus 2:11 Titus 3:5-7

WE BELIEVE regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
Romans 8:16 Eph 4:24 Titus 2:12

WE BELIEVE the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing of the human body in answer to believing prayer.
Isaiah 53:4-5 Matt 8:16-17 James 5:14-16

WE BELIEVE the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 2:4, is given to believers who ask for it.
Acts 2:4 Luke 11:13 Acts 19:2-6 Eph 5:18

WE BELIEVE in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a holy life.
Heb 12:14 Romans 12:1-2, 21 I Thess 5:23 I Peter 1:15-16

WE BELIEVE in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, the one to everlasting life and the other to everlasting damnation.
Matt 25:46 John 3:16-17 Rev 19:20 Rev 20:11-15 Rev 21:7-8

G. Frank Estes was born in Abilene, Texas in June of 1949. He graduated from High School in 1967, and moved to Dallas, Texas to attend college. He attended Southern Methodist University, Southwestern Assembly of God College, and then moved back to Abilene in 1969 to finish his education and received his bachelor’s degree from Hardin Simmons University in 1972.
Pastor Estes was Born Again at a very early age, and felt the call of God to become a minister of the Gospel at the age of 18, while living in Dallas, Texas. Ivalene was Born Again also at an early age and served God with a great zeal through out her childhood and youth.
Frank and Ivalene were married in May of 1972. They have one married daughter Allison Lee, two married sons Aric and Austin Estes, one grand daughter Ashton Lee, and one grand son Garrett Lee. All of the family attends church together at Bethel Temple Christian Center.
After their marriage in 1972, they spent time traveling from city to city as evangelists and also traveling to foreign countries to bring the Good News of the love of God. Pastor Estes has traveled in thirty-one different countries and ministered in thirteen different countries.
Frank and Ivalene moved back to Abilene in 1976 and began to work with his father Wilson G. Estes, in the full time ministry of Bethel Temple Christian Center. He has remained faithful to the call of God to pastor the congregation at Bethel Temple for over twenty-seven years.
Barry Glover - Minister of Pastoral Care

Barry was born in Abilene, Texas on March 29, 1965, and has lived here most of his life. He left Abilene to attend Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in 1990. He received his diploma upon graduation in 1992. Barry then returned to Abilene to take a full time staff position at Bethel Temple Christian Center and has faithfully served this church ever since.
Barry was twenty-three years old when he sensed God’s call upon his life to preach the Gospel. He has been faithful to that call ever since. Barry has filled any and all areas of need within the ministry of Bethel Temple.
Barry married Kimberly Ruffin in 1996 and have become the proud parents of a daughter whom they named Taylor. She is a special joy to both their home and the church family as well.
Henry Smith - Minister of Music

Henry Smith was born in Ft-Worth Texas into a minister’s home. He grew up knowing and loving God. In April of 1998, God opened the door for him to begin his service to the Bethel Temple family in Abilene. Not only is Henry an accomplished musician and song writer, but he is also a talented preacher. The Music Ministry Team of Bethel Temple Christian Center has been able to reach outside the walls of their local church and minister throughout Taylor County and North Texas. It is Henry's desire to see God's people move into a closer walk with Him through worship and the ministry of music and fine arts. Henry and Michelle have three grown daughters and eight grandchildren.