What We Believe
Churches often fall into one of two extremes. Some are stuck on deciphering a seemingly perfect set of doctrines with little effort giving toward living out those doctrines or sharing the truth. Other churches push the idea of doctrine to the side and focus exclusively on particular social ministry issues.
At Berean, we hold fast to the doctrines of the church while seeking a lifestyle that flows out of strong doctrinal foundations. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:14, "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." The good thing is the gospel of Christ, and Paul admonished Timothy to guard the integrity of the gospel message.
We recognize that everyone is in a different place on their spiritual journey and may not agree with us on everything stated below. Consequently, we embrace this idea: “in the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, diversity; in all things, charity.”
The following is a summary of our beliefs:
Bible
We believe the Bible to be the revealed Word of God, fully and verbally inspired of God. We believe the Scriptures to be the inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God and that God gave the words of Scripture by inspiration without error in the original autographs. We believe God not only inspired every word but has preserved them through the ages. We believe that God has kept that promise by preserving His infallible Word. (Psalm 12:6-7; Matthew 24:35; II Timothy 3:15-17; I Peter 1:23-25; II Peter 1:19-21).
God
We believe in one God, who is eternal, self-existent, infinite, and immutable. We believe He has one nature, one essence, and one substance, yet manifests Himself to man in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These are one in essence, but distinct in person and function. (Deuteronomy 6:4; I Timothy 1:17; James 1:17; I John 4:4).
Jesus
We believe Jesus Christ to be the one and only Saviour of mankind. We believe Jesus Christ to be eternally God and to possess all the attributes of Deity. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was virgin born, that He was God incarnate, and that the purposes of the incarnation were to reveal God, to redeem men, and to rule over God’s kingdom. We believe Jesus Christ never relinquished any attributes of His Deity, but merely veiled them. We believe He lived a perfect, sinless life, at the end of which He was offered for all mankind as a substitutionary sacrifice for man’s sin. This sacrifice was a just payment to God for the forgiveness of sin. It was activated by His death through the shedding of His blood on the Cross and was accepted by God upon His resurrection. We believe He ascended into Heaven after His resurrection to be seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the time of receiving His church at the Rapture, and returning seven years later to earth to rule and reign as King for 1,000 years. (Psalm 2:7-9; Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 43:11; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:25; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1, 1:3, 14, 18, 29; Romans 3:19-25; Romans 5:6-15; Philippians 2:5-11; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Timothy 2:5; I Timothy 3:16; Titus 2:10-15; Hebrews 7:26, 9:24-28; I Peter 1:19, 2:2; I John 1:3; Revelation 20:1-6).
Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit of God is a person who has personality and all the attributes of Deity. We believe the Holy Spirit has always been involved in the affairs of mankind. However, we believe He has a special ministry which began at Pentecost and will continue until the Rapture. This ministry includes convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit was also sent to regenerate, sanctify, seal, and fill all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. We are opposed to the charismatic movement and its tongues and other sign manifestations. (John 3:5-6; John 14:16; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:15; I Corinthians 3:16; I Corinthians 6:19-20; I Corinthians 12:13).
Sin and Salvation
We believe all men were born with an inherited sin nature received from our common ancestor, Adam. We believe that because of his nature, man is a sinner by choice, and he is totally incapable of reforming himself or ceasing from his sin by his own power. We believe the only hope of deliverance for man is a total change of mind concerning his sinful condition and inability to change it, and a turning to Jesus Christ as the only Saviour. We believe that only through the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the Cross can a man be delivered from his sin. We believe that salvation is a free gift of God for “whosoever will;” it is by grace, through faith, plus nothing, and believers are eternally secure. We believe that all those who reject Jesus Christ as their Saviour are already condemned to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost: those that are saved to eternal life in heaven and those that are lost to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire. (Genesis 5:1-5; Acts 4:19; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:6-12; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-6; Revelation 20:11-14).
The New Testament Church
We believe the church began with the calling out of the twelve apostles by Jesus Christ and was empowered on the day of Pentecost. We believe the local church is God’s only institution to carry out His work today. We believe the local church is composed of members who have been saved and baptized according to the command of Christ, and have voluntarily united together for the purposes of worship, fellowship, service, and the Lord’s Table. We believe all true believers will be taken up at the Rapture, just prior to the Tribulation. We believe the two ordinances of the local church are baptism by immersion and a regular observance of the Lord’s Supper by believers. (Matthew 16:16-18; Acts 1:15; Acts 2:41-43; Acts 11:15; Acts 20:28; I Corinthians 15: 51-58; Ephesians 1:12-14; Ephesians 5:25-30; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Timothy 3:4-15).
The Last Days
We believe in the literal interpretation of the Scriptures in their grammatical and historical context. We believe in the pre-tribulational Rapture of the church saints, followed by the seven-year Tribulation. We believe in the pre-millennial return of Christ to the earth and His literal rule of one thousand years. Following this one thousand years is the Great White Throne judgment and then the new Heaven and new earth (I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Thessalonians 5:1-9; Revelation 19:1-22:21).
Separation
We believe that a Christian should grow in grace, learning a lifestyle that is becoming of the gospel and honoring to Jesus Christ—properly reflecting His love and holiness. We believe in separating from biblical heresy and from sinful, self-destructive, and immoral behavior. (Romans 12:1–2, 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; 2 Timothy 3:1–5; 1 John 2:15–17; 2 John 9–11; Leviticus 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
Creation
We believe that God supernaturally created the universe in six literal days, and therefore we reject any theories of evolution, theistic evolution, creation gaps, or intelligent design not attributed to the narrative of scripture and the power of God. (Genesis 1–2; Exodus 20:11)
Civil Government
We believe that God has created structures of authority for the blessing of mankind, existing in three basic institutions: (1) the home, (2) the church, and (3) the state. God has given each institution specific biblical responsibilities and balanced these responsibilities with the understanding that no institution has the right to infringe upon the other, but that all should work in harmony under God’s word and His authority. (Romans 13:1–7; Ephesians 5:22–24; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13–14)
Human Sexuality
We believe that God, for humanity’s flourishing, has designed the sexual relationship to exist exclusively within the bounds of lifetime marriage between a man and a woman. Therefore, any deviation from the biblical pattern of sexuality (homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography) are harmful perversions of God’s gift of sex. We respect gender distinction as created by God, we and do not endorse the altering of one’s gender by surgery or appearance. (Genesis 2:24, 19:5, 13, 26:8–9; Leviticus 18:1–30; Romans 1: 26–29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8; Hebrews 13:4)
Biblical Marriage
We believe that the only God-recognized marriage is the joining of one man and one woman. (Genesis 2:24; Romans 7:2; 1 Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 5:22–23)
In keeping with these beliefs as expressed in our bylaws:
All people are welcome to attend our regular worship services. Those who attend may not display behavior that is indicative of the unbiblical sexual behaviors listed above in church services, at church functions, or on the church grounds.
Church representatives are not to display disrespect for those who are involved in sexual sin, though our teaching ministry will be consistent with our beliefs and the biblical patterns.
Family Relationships
We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God, but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and in the church. We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society, and that husbands and wives should grow in the biblical pattern of marriage and parenting. (Genesis 1:26–28; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Psalm 127:3–5; Proverbs 19:18, 22:15, 23:13–14; Mark 10:6–12; 1 Corinthians 7:1–16; Ephesians 5:21–33, 6:1–4; Colossians 3:18–21; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1–7)
Abortion
We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being, and therefore the life of the unborn should be valued as the life of any other human being. (Job 3:16; Psalm 51:5, 139:14–16; Isaiah 44:24, 49:1, 5; Jeremiah 1:5, 20:15–18; Luke 1:44)
Love
We believe that we should demonstrate love for others—believers and unbelievers alike. We respond graciously, gently, patiently, and humbly to those who oppose the gospel. The church should be an environment where unconditional love flows from God’s grace at work in every heart. (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 5:44–48; Luke 6:31; John 13:34–35; Romans 12:9–10, 17–21, 13:8–10; Philippians 2:2–4; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; Titus 3:2; 1 John 3:17–18)
Missions
We believe that God has given the church a great commission to proclaim the gospel to all nations, and that salvation is made available to anyone who will believe on Jesus, regardless of nation, tribe, ethnic group, language, or culture. As co-laborers together with God, we desire to actively, generously, and faithfully engage in worldwide missions and church planting until Jesus returns. (Matthew 28:19–20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46–48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)
Giving
We believe that every Christian is a steward of the material gifts of God entrusted to him. Every Christian should grow in grace—understanding the generous heart of God and learning to reflect that heart with generosity toward God’s church and toward those in need. This generosity should be driven by grace (not obligation), empowered by gratitude, and should flow from a willing and cheerful heart for the development of the church and the advancement of the gospel. (Genesis 14:20; Proverbs 3:9–10; Acts 4:34–37; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17–18; 1 John 3:17)