Historically, Baptists have distanced themselves from many liturgical forms, such as following the Christian year, normally associated with mainline denominations. However, in the last decade, Bethlehem Baptist Church has begun to devote attention to certain seasons of the Christian year—Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Eastertide, and Pentecost. The development was largely prompted by the congregation’s (and pastor’s) belief in the importance of preparation for the high days of Christmas and Easter and that a direct correlation exists between the time one invests in preparation and the intensity one experiences in celebration.
