Ever wonder how a small church can impact the world? Berean Baptist Church began in 1966. It started in the downtown YMCA.
The Berean Baptist Church was officially organized two months later. Pastor Bill McTeer from Southside Baptist Church assisted. The church purchased an old Methodist church building. It was at 1700 North Benton. The Stained Glass Theater later used it.
The early days of Berean Baptist were challenging. The offering was often insufficient to pay the pastor. Three pastors came and left during the first year.
In 1967, Brother Leon Gray became the pastor of Berean Baptist Church. Under his leadership, the church started to grow. It began to flourish. The church bought property at 507 E. Norton Road. In December 1972, they moved into the present auditorium. Fred Reamsnider became the music director in May of the next year. Membership steadily increased. A second building was added in 1975. The nurseries and offices were added in 1981. The bus barn was built in 1984.
Under Leon Gray’s leadership, nearly one hundred churches were started. These churches spanned the United States. They reached El Salvador, Mexico, Germany and Australia. By the time Pastor Gray retired in June 2000, the property was debt-free. This included all buildings and updates.
In October 2000, Berean Baptist Church called Jeffrey Ables to be the next pastor. Pastor Ables has faithfully led the church for over fifteen years. The church has continued to serve the Lord. New people have been saved and baptized. More preachers have been trained and sent out from Berean Baptist Church. Brother Ables has led the church to start new church plants. These plants are both in the U.S. and around the world. Berean currently supports nearly one hundred missionaries worldwide.
May the Lord continue to bless and work through Berean Baptist Church. The Berean Bible Society was founded to help believers understand God’s Word. The Berean Bible Society emphasizes Paul’s revelation. They believe his epistles provide doctrine and destiny for the Church.
Interestingly, the Berean Bible Society began in a two-room schoolhouse in Preakness, New Jersey. Pastor C. R. Stam saw the importance of proclaiming God’s grace. In this church, the Berean Searchlight was first published.
In 1953, the Berean Bible Society moved to Chicago. A building on Belmont Avenue was purchased. By 1958, the building was too small. It was enlarged. As ministries grew, the building was enlarged again in 1967.
In the fall of 1993, the Berean Bible Society relocated to Germantown, Wisconsin. The reason for this move was manifold. They needed to expand the book storage area. There was a problem encouraging grace believers to join the staff in Chicago. The Chicago facility was aging.
The Berean Searchlight is the official organ of the Berean Bible Society. It is sent free of charge to anyone who requests it. It is published monthly except in July. The Berean Searchlight is sent to every state of the Union. It is sent to more than 40 foreign countries.