Contemporary Issues

Catholicism: We believe it is possible for a “catholic” to be born-again if their faith for their righteousness is exclusively upon the Person and atoning work of Jesus Christ (Rom 3:24-28) to the exclusion of everything else including the sacraments and Catholic dogma (Gal 2:21). A “saved catholic” cannot be dependent upon their infant baptism, Holy Communion, confirmation, reconciliation, marriage in the church, last rites or any other human effort for their salvation and must testify of repentance toward God and faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21). A “saved catholic” rejects any suggestion that efficacious or meritorious grace is obtained through any sacrament and does not pray to Mary, a priest or any saint for the forgiveness of their sins (Mark 2:7). Finally, while we recognize that there are “saved Catholics” who have greatly contributed to the cause of Christ, we reject the official Catholic Church as unbiblical for its mixture of truth and error.

Cohabitation: We believe that in all cases it is a sin before God for a man and woman to live together (cohabitate) or to engage in sexual relations outside of wedlock (Heb 13:4). Men and women cohabitating cannot be members of the church until they live apart and vow to abstain from sexual relations until they are married (1 Thess 4:3, 5:22). We believe Christians are not to associate with sexually immoral people; including those cohabitating (1 Cor 5:9, 6:9-10).

Effeminacy: We believe males dressing and/or behaving in an effeminate manner is an act of rebellion against the God who created the gender distinctions of male and female. We believe men should dress and act like men, and Christian parents should raise boys to become godly men and girls to become godly women. We believe the gospel is powerful enough to deliver a man from effeminacy and that those whose lives are characterized by effeminate dress and behavior shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Deuteronomy 22:5, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). (We believe a woman dressing and/or behaving like a man is also a sin before God).

Evolution: We accept the Genesis account of creation that God created the earth in six literal days, (Gen. 1:1; Ex. 20:2-3) and we believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution (Genesis 1:26; Col. 1:16, 17; John 1:3; Rev. 4:11). We believe the genealogies of Genesis 5, Genesis 11, and Matthew 1 offer sufficient proof that the earth is thousands--not tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions or billions--of years old. Furthermore, we believe as Adam and Eve fell, all creation fell into corruption (Rom 5:12; 8:20-22). There was, of necessity, no death or corruption on earth before mankind's existence. This makes good sense in light of their being only six days of history prior to mankind's special creation (Gen 1:26, 31).

Freemasonry: We believe that true followers of Jesus Christ should not be members of the Masonic Lodge because freemasonry does not insist upon a belief in the one true Trinitarian Creator God of the Bible to the exclusion of all “supreme beings” (Gen 1:1; 1 John 5:7). We reject any Masonic teaching that suggests the existence of a celestial lodge and the possibility of entrance into eternal life outside of repentance toward the one true Trinitarian God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:30). We believe Christians should not relate to those outside of the body of Christ as eternal “brothers” when those who are not born-again will not inherit the Kingdom of God (John 1:12-13; 3:3-7). We believe that participation in masonry is a pseudo religion which detracts from one’s full allegiance to Jesus Christ and the gospel of His Kingdom (Mark 1:15). We believe it is wrong for believers to make oaths or swear by anything especially to gain entrance into a secret organization (Jam 5:12). We do not permit those who are part of freemasonry to be members of the church because of these conflicts to essential orthodox Christian doctrines.

Freewill:  For the sake of succinctness, addressing man as a person and creature is both biblical and helpful in this discussion. We believe the personal freedom that God gives mankind is perhaps the most difficult concept for humans to understand when one attempts to reconcile man’s freedom with God’s sovereignty. The complexity of man, as the only being on the planet made in God’s image, is conceivably most seen in the fact that man is both a person and a created being. As a person, he is capable of making choices (Josh 24:15), setting goals, accomplishing objectives, searching the Scriptures (John 5.39), choosing God (with God’s grace), hardening his heart, rebelling against or worshipping God (or idols) and coming to Jesus (Matt 11:28). As a creature, man is clay completely dependent on God, the potter, for the air he breathes and the life he has (Job 12:10; Romans 9; Col 1:15, James 4:15); and when he is converted he becomes a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). We believe that the Bible addresses man, the person, with a duty and capacity to respond to compelling invitations (Luke 14:23; Matt 11:28-30; 22:8; Rev 22:17); preaching and persuasion (Mark 16:15-16; 2 Cor 5:14); commandments to love, serve and repent (Matt 4:10; Mark 12:30; Acts 17:30); and conviction from the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37). We also believe the Bible addresses man, the created being, with a complete inability to seek God (John 6:44; Rom 3:11), repent unless God grants it (Acts 11:18), confess that Jesus is the Christ unless the Father reveals it (Matt 16:16-17), nor come to Jesus but for the Father’s drawing him (John 6:44). Moreover, we believe this total inability will not remove man’s responsibility and accountability for his failure to obey the Gospel at the final judgment (2 Thess 1:8).

Freewill Baptists: There are many Freewill Baptist Churches in this part of the country and they generally subscribe to a particular doctrine perspective articulated in the Treatise of Faith and Practice of Freewill Baptists (1935). They have many Christian distinctives in common with Berean; however there are several marked contrasts between many Freewill Baptists and Berean. Freewill Baptists generally believe that each person has a natural ability to choose Jesus Christ and His salvation. They also believe that, in addition to baptism and the Lord’s Supper, “foot washing” is an ordinance of the local church. Two other noticeable contrasts are their beliefs that one can lose their salvation if they lose their saving faith, and that a person becomes one of the “elect” upon choosing Christ and His salvation. We do not believe that someone who is born again can lose their salvation; or, that election is based on anything other than the grace of God; or, that there are additional ordinances other than baptism and the Lord’s Supper; or, that a person has a natural ability to choose salvation apart from being called by God. These differences, however, do not interfere with our ability to fellowship with them or call them brethren.

Homosexuality: We believe homosexuality is a rejection of God and the natural order He established for procreation and the multiplication of families throughout the earth (Gen 1:26-27, 2:18-24, Eph 5:31). We reject any teaching that males or females are born with a natural homosexual orientation from God (Rom 1:26-27). We strongly reject as heretical any teaching or church that suggests one can be a Christian and an active or passive homosexual. We believe that the gospel is powerful enough to deliver a homosexual from this destructive lifestyle and that a person cannot remain an unrepentant homosexual and inherit eternal life (1 Cor 6:9, Gal 5:19-21). We strongly reject any suggestion that two homosexuals living together constitute a family. We believe homosexuality is the kind of sin that could result in divine judgment on those involved with or sympathetic to this behavior while on earth (Gen 19:24, Jude 7).

Lawsuits:  We believe Christians are biblically prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other believers or the Church to resolve personal disputes (1 Cor 6:1-8). The Church possesses all the resources necessary to resolve personal disputes between its members (Matt 18:15-18; Eph. 4:31-32). If there are disputes between opposing insurance companies, this seems acceptable to the body of Christ so long as there remains a "Spirit of unity in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3).

Lottery: We believe Christians should not purchase lottery tickets. Buying lottery tickets is a form of gambling in which a person spends money based on an extremely remote chance that they will win. Christians are commanded to glorify God in whatever they do and it is difficult to imagine how recklessly spending money on lottery tickets could be God-glorifying (1 Cor 10:31). The Bible is very clear that Christians are to be wise in the way they manage their resources. Buying lottery tickets is a very foolish expenditure of money (Prov 15:27); the Bible admonishes Christians not to make foolish decisions (Eph 5:15). Moreover buying lottery tickets encourages Christians to trust in riches instead of God and tempts them to worship the god of materialism (Prov 30:9, 1 Tim 6:10).

Islam: We believe the "One True Creator God" of the Bible and Universe is not Allah as revealed in the Quran--Mohammad is a false prophet. The God of the Bible has revealed Himself through the person and work of Jesus Christ as God the Son (Heb 1:2; John 1:14, 18). All true prophets ministered before the close of the writing of Revelation (1 Cor 13:8-12; Rev 22:18), and they accentuated the truth that Jesus is the Christ (Rev 10:11) rather than revealing more truth about God (1 Pet 4:11). Furthermore, the "One True God" is the God Who promised to bless the seed of Abraham through Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16) who is His natural-born Son (Luke 1:34-35; Acts 20:28; Gal 4:4). Those who claim to worship the "One True God" without addressing the Lordship of Jesus Christ are worshiping a false god (John 8:42; John 14:6; 1 John 4:1-3), are the children of the devil (John 8:44), and are condemned before God (John 3:18; 3:36; 5:40; 8:24) to an eternity in "everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt 25:41) unless they "repent and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).

   
Mormons: We reject any suggestion that The Church of Latter-day Saints is the restored true church of Jesus Christ based on its heretical view of the Trinity, the person and work of Christ, the restored gospel, the Book of Mormon (and other scripture), eternal marriage, baptism for the dead, and salvation by faith and works. We believe LDS modern-day prophets are actually some of the false prophets predicted by Jesus Christ (Matt 7:15).

 
Music: We believe that everything we enjoy should glorify God—including our music (1 Cor 10:31). We believe that God created human beings to create and enjoy music, and we believe God enjoys worship in a variety of forms. We reject the idea that music is amoral because we are aware of the power it has in Christians' lives. While respecting the freedom Christians have to enjoy different kinds of music, we believe followers of Christ should not listen to music which does not glorify God or which does promote ungodly behavior. Godly music is refreshing and can create joy, peace, and promote a passion for God. It can place a person in a mindset to think clearly on things that are godly (1 Sam16:23, Psalm 100, Phil 4:8).

 
Polity: We believe the essential element to glorifying God in the way we govern ourselves in the church is an active, participating, regenerate church membership all under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5, Col. 1:18). While we recognize the value in a plurality of pastors (and/or elders) in counsel and the God-ordained authority of spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:17), we believe the collective congregation must remain the final earthly authority to govern with each member having an equal vote (Titus 1:5, Matt 18:17). Moreover, we believe in the autonomy of individual churches and the voluntary cooperation among churches to accomplish specific tasks and objectives. We reject as unbiblical any suggestion that one man/woman should be appointed over multiple churches as a bishop/overseer in a hierarchical structure or the practice of admitting people into the membership without evidence of a commitment to Christ. 

Proselytizing: We believe it is the responsibility and privilege of all who are saved to seek to win others to Christ (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48; John 20:21; Rev 22:17): even those of other nationalities (Acts 1:8) and those of other religions (2 Cor 10:3-5). Moreover, we believe all believers must be prepared to defend the Christ faith (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3). If those around us die without a Gospel witness, it is a shame to the believer (1 Cor 15:34).

Popery: We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, arose bodily from the dead (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20; Acts 2:32), and that He ascended to heaven (Heb 1:3), is seated at His Father’s right hand (Heb. 1:13), and that He is now the Head over all things to the Church (Eph 1:22-23). He leads His flock (Acts 20:28) from His throne (Rom 8:34; Hebrews 8:1) through His messengers, local church pastors (Hebrews 13:7; Rev 1:20), in the person of His Spirit (Matt 28:20; John 16:7; Rom 8:9), and that He does not need any man to speak in His place as His "vicar." We reject any authority an earthly apostle, bishop, cardinal, prophet or pope may claim over the church.

Prosperity Gospel: We reject the prosperity gospel as another gospel contrary to the true gospel of the Lord Jesus which does not promise riches to every believer in Christ (Gal 1:8-9; 1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Reformed Baptists: Reformed Baptists normally adhere to a particular confession of faith, and these churches are often part of an association. Much of what these Baptists believe to be true would be very similar to Berean’s Articles of Faith. In fact, the framers of Berean’s original Articles of Faith probably drew from the Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) and the New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1833). Berean is an independent Baptist church and has chosen not to affirm any particular confession of faith or unite with any association; nevertheless, we find the scripture to be silent on prohibitions to do so. Instead, we have chosen to communicate what we believe to be the essential doctrine of the church in our own covenant and articles of faith. As our members move away, we would encourage them to evaluate reformed Baptist churches in the same way they would evaluate any other Baptist church—is Christ being exalted, is the Word of God being preached, is the church Gospel-centered and evangelistic, and are the members being challenged to become more like Christ? We do not believe there is any need to attach the word “reformed” to our name. We believe that the word “Berean” says all that needs to be said (Acts 17:11).

Repentance: We believe that repentance toward God is still required for salvation in the New Covenant or dispensation of grace and is not an efficasious work of man (Luke 13:3; Acts 11:8; 17:30, 20:21; 2 Peter 3:9).

Sovereignty: The word sovereignty can be used to describe God’s absolute, supreme authority and control over every realm, world, universe and all events, at all times, whether good or evil (Job 9:12; Daniel 4:32-35), leaving nothing to chance, in a most amazing, mysterious, and comforting way to the believer (Deut 29:29; Prov 16:33; Rom 8:28; 1 Tim 6:15; James 4.15). We believe that whatever authority and power Satan, demons, antichrists, angels, rulers, governing authorities and all humans possess is exactly what God permits them to possess (Job 1:12; 2:6; Prov 21:1; Dan 5:21; Rev 6:10; 12:9-10), and at no time is God struggling to accomplish His eternal decrees from the beginning to the end according to His good counsel, pleasure and purpose (Isaiah 46:9-10; Eph 1:11). We reject any suggestion as unbiblical that God’s sovereignty leads to a fatalistic worldview or that His sovereignty is subordinate to His foreknowledge or that there is anything God does not know. Neither is God ever directly responsible for evil or man’s sinful actions (Psalm 76:10); His sovereignty over evil and sin is demonstrated in His ability to use it to accomplish His will, especially in the death of Christ, as He chose before the beginning (Gen 45:5; 50:20; Isaiah 46:10; Luke 22:22; Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:20). We believe there is an amazing mystery between God's sovereignty and human responsibility (free agency) that no man can fully comprehend (Deut 29:29).

Suicide: We believe there is enough confusion concerning when a Christian takes their life that it warrants a brief word on this webpage. First, it must be emphasized that it is never God’s will for a person to kill themselves. Second, this does not mean that one looses their salvation when they commit suicide. The willful killing of one’s own life is not an unpardonable sin. Those who are born again before suicide remain born again after their physical death (John 3)—nothing shall be able to separate them from the love of God including suicide; either God has given them eternal life before their death or God has not and suicide does not change that (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:33-39).

Tongues: We believe a Christian does not have to speak in tongues to intercede in prayer, experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit or be secure in their salvation. In fact, the Bible does not teach that speaking in tongues gives evidence of salvation. Moreover, we believe there are many spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit to the believer in this age (Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11, 28; Eph 4:7-12), but the signs gifts of speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were given to validate those writing Scripture and/or proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ (1 Cor 1:22; 13:8; 14:21-22). This authentication became unnecessary when the New Testament and the apostles' ministry were complete (Mark 16:16-18; 2 Cor 12:12; Hebrews 2:4). Furthermore, true love is far more desirable than tongues (1 Cor 13:1, 13).

War: We believe service in the military is a legitimate profession and there may be times when it is God’s will for a nation to wage war. Christ did not condemn soldiers for their service in the military or advise them to discontinue their service (Matt 8:5-13); instead, He indicated there could be a need for His disciples to own a sword (Luke 22:35-38). However, it is never right to compel people to follow Christ against their will (Matt 26:52-55, 1 Peter 2:14). Only when our Lord returns will it be permissible to participate in a religious crusade (Rev 19:11-21). Additionally, throughout the NT Paul uses positive soldier metaphors which would seem inappropriate if service in the military was unbiblical (Eph 6.11, 2 Tim 2.3). We do not believe that loving one’s enemies prevents the willful taking of life or defending one’s self or property against those who seek to do us harm. Paul taught that God uses nations to accomplish His sovereign will which may include the lawful taking of life. Both unbelievers and believers may be acting as servants of God when they kill on behalf of a governing authority (Rom 13:1-6). We believe Christian warriors should not violate their conscience when they judge that the taking of a life is not the will of God and acting on behalf of the state does not remove individual responsibility for Christ-like behavior (Acts 4:19-20; Rom 14:10-12, 19-23).

Women in the Pastorate: We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God (Galatians 3:28) but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home (Colossians 3:18; 1 Timothy 3:4-5, 12) and church (I Timothy 2:8-15). The husband is to be the leader of the home, and men are to lead the church as pastors/elders (Titus 1:5, James 5:14). Accordingly, only men are eligible for licensure and ordination by the church. We believe there are many ways women can serve the church in positions of influence.