What if my religious background is Catholic?
According to the 2020 census, approximately 45% of DuPage County’s residents self-describe as Roman Catholic, which means that many of our congregants have some connection with Catholicism. In fact, it is not uncommon for worshippers at the church to have attended Catholic schools at some point in their education.
Although Glen Ellyn Bible Church (GEBC) and Bartlett Bible Church (BBC) are Protestant in heritage, we agree with the well-known words of the church father Augustine (354-430 A.D.) who said: “In essentials unity. In non-essentials liberty. In all things charity.” This means that when we disagree on a particular doctrine (i.e., belief), we want to maintain kindness toward one another, and where we agree we want to celebrate the unity we share.
While there are certainly differences in what we believe, differences which both Catholics and Protestants feel are important, there are also many points of agreement. For example, both Catholics and Protestants believe that God is Triune (i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and that Jesus is the Son of God, who died a sacrificial death on the cross, and was raised from the dead three days later. We also both believe the Bible is inspired by God, that man is created in God’s image, is born mired in sin and in need of salvation.
It's been our experience that many with Catholic background feel at home in worship at GEBC and BBC, while at the same time having some questions. Below are some FAQ’s that might help make the transition smoother.
FAQ’s
I'm Catholic. Can I come to GEBC/BBC?
Absolutely! Everyone is welcome, regardless of faith background. We not only welcome people of Catholic background, but we also welcome people with not faith background, and Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist background. Everyone is welcome! Everyone!
How are GEBC and BBC connected? Are they in a denomination?
GEBC/BBC are one church meeting in two locations. We are the same church, meaning we share the same budget, staff, theology, aim and style of ministry, but one campus is in Glen Ellyn and the other in Bartlett. We are a non-denominational church, which means we are not affiliated with any particular denomination (e.g., Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist). We are also Evangelical, which means we place a lot of emphasis on the authority of Scripture in our lives, and the importance of inviting people to trust in Jesus for salvation and follow after Jesus’ teachings in life.
Do you guys take Communion?
We do! We celebrate Communion weekly and anyone who is trusting in Jesus as Savior is welcomed to participate, even children. We leave it up to parents to decide when their children are ready to participate in Communion and offer a class for elementary age kids to help them understand the symbolism of the Communion bread and juice.
What do you have for my kids?
We love kids and families. Check out all that we offer here.
What about baptism?
The Bible communicates that the purpose of baptism is to publicly identify as a Christian - a follower of Jesus. We also believe that following Jesus is a very personal decision. That is why we do not baptize infants, but wait to baptize someone until they are able to verbalize their trust in Jesus. You can find out more about baptism here.
What is child dedication?
While we do not baptize infants, we do invite parents to “dedicate” their children to the Lord. This is different that infant baptism but is still a celebration of the life of the child and a recognition of God’s gift of children to the family. If you would like to explore child dedication, contact the Children’s Ministry department here.
What about the other sacraments?
The Catholic church recognizes seven sacraments, and while we certainly offer marriage and funeral services at the church, unlike the Catholic church we identify only Communion and Baptism as symbols given by Jesus for the Church to observe regularly.
I still have a bunch more questions. What should I do?
You can always get together with a pastor to discuss.