Why We Exist

Our mission statement gives us purpose, guides our decisions and explains why we exist.

Berean Baptist Church exists to: Proclaim Christ in the 21st Century, in Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and the world; to make fully-functioning followers of Jesus Christ, to the Glory of God the Father.

Who We Are

Berea was a city in southern Macedonia (Greece) located at the foot of Mount Bermius. The apostle Paul visited the city during his second missionary journey where he found a substantial number of people ready to receive the Gospel. Paul preached to them that the God of the Universe now requires all people everywhere to repent and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ—and many citizens of Berea did exactly that. In Acts 17, Luke describes the Berean converts as people more noble than others. They received the Word of God with readiness of mind and great eagerness, and they examined the scriptures daily to determine the truth. We at Berean (Burr ree un) Baptist find the only way to truly be a Christ-centered community is to follow the Bible.

We believe that those who love Jesus keep His commandments, obey His commission to make followers of Christ, and love the church that Jesus died for. The One True God has appointed and anointed Jesus His Son as the King, and we are committed to proclaiming this truth in the 21st Century in order to do our part in building His Kingdom.

Today we are a multifaceted ministry a community of faith, hope and love. We strive to teach and provide people of all ages with the knowledge and passion needed to share the good news of Jesus Christ, build strong families and lasting relationships, and bring honor and glory to God by His Grace.

For over 40 years, Berean has remained faithful to God's Word and our Baptist heritage. If you spend any time at Berean, you will see our focus on "Proclaiming Christ in the 21st Century!"

What we Believe

We Believe:

• The One True living God eternally exists as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit who is Sovereign in all things
• The Bible is verbally inspired by God and inerrant in the original writings and is our supreme authority (Bible Position Paper)
• Man was created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, and his conduct should be blameless before the world
• Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and is God and the Son of God and the Head of the Church
• In Jesus' virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, and teachings; His atoning death on a cross, bodily resurrection and perpetual intercession for those whom He has redeemed
• In our Lord's personal, visible and pre-millennial return to the earth to establish His Kingdom
• Every human is totally depraved and has no ability apart from God to save himself; therefore, salvation is by the grace of God
• All who repent and receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior are instantaneously born again of the Holy Spirit
• The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, regenerates, baptizes, seals, and sets believers apart to a holy life
• The signs of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, were temporary
• Those who are born-again cannot lose their salvation and will persevere in their love for Christ by God's grace
• Christ instituted only two ordinances: Baptism and the Lord's Supper
• The church of Jesus of Christ is comprised solely of those who are born-again without regard to denomination
• In a literal hell of eternal punishment for those who reject Christ
• That Heaven will be a glorious place in the New Jerusalem and on the New Earth
• The Genesis account of creation
• Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water and is required for membership
• God intends marriage to last until one spouse dies
• Human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being
• The Gospel must be proclaimed in Fayetteville and by our missionary partners to all nations
• Christians are prohibited from bringing civil lawsuits against other Christians
• Every Christian should be a member of a local church and support it as God provides
• Local churches can best promote the cause of Jesus Christ by cooperating with one another
• Every Christian has a direct relationship with God and is responsible to God in matters of faith
• People of all races are made in the image of God and must be respected as individuals

Contemporary Issues

For more information about what we believe check out our contemporary issues webpage at http://www.bbcfnc.org/contemporary-issues.php. This page contains an alphabetized listing of numerous topics of concern to the body of Christ and is updated frequently.

Who is the Pastor Accountable to?

1. A pastor must fear God and be accountable to Him. When a congregation feels a pastor no longer fears God, he should be voted out of his office.
2. A pastor must be accountable to his wife if he is married. If a pastor is keeping secrets (other than a surprise birthday party) from his wife, that should be a serious warning sign to the church. No one knows a pastor better than his wife, and she has a responsibility before God and the church to aid her husband in becoming more like Christ day by day in love and respect for him.
3. The pastor willingly places himself in a position of accountability to the other pastors in the church. This is seen in Acts at the plurality of leadership. Paul told Titus to ordain elders in every city. The pastors of Berean Baptist have demonstrated that they are willing to risk their jobs and do the right thing. They believe that you as a congregation will support them as long as they are following the Bible. A pastor who would knowingly let another pastor remain in the ministry when he is biblically disqualified should lose his ordination as well as the pastor in sin.
4. The pastor is answerable to every member of Berean. Every member of this church has a responsibility to approach me individually when they have a concern, issue, or a belief that I am not in compliance with the Word of God or the Church Constitution. Matthew 18.15, could be written, "Moreover if your pastor sins against you, go and tell him his fault." Read the rest of the chapter for more guidance from King Jesus.
5. That pastor is accountable to the annual budget. The budget is approved by the congregation and provides the parameters within to operate. A need to adjust the budget must be approved by the congregation.
6. The pastor is responsible to follow the Articles of Faith, the Covenant and Church Constitution.