Berean Baptist Church
Jason Harvell, Pastor
24070 US HWY 98 
PO Box 237
Elberta, AL 36530
251-986-5162

History of 
Berean Baptist Church

      A group of believers met on Sunday afternoon, March 30, 1958, in the house of Robert Bruhn in Elberta, Alabama with the purpose of forming a new church. The unanimous choice for a name was the Berean Baptist Church. Bill Oden was elected to serve as temporary pastor.   
     For approximately two years, services were held each Sunday and Wednesday evening in the home of Albert Bruhn. In 1959, four lots located on Highway 98, one mile West of Elberta, were purchased. A block building was erected on the site and the first service was held in March, 1960. George Nelson came on as pastor in April 1960, and continued as pastor until July 1969. During Pastor Nelson’s tenure, the church moved into a new auditorium and began sponsoring a weekly radio broadcast on WHEP called Gospel Dynamite. Pastor Nelson also began a vigorous missions program that has continued to the present day.  
     In November of 1969, Havard Frost  answered the Lord’s call to pastor Berean and under his leadership the church began a bus ministry. Terry L. Pergl began his ministry in August of 1973.  He pastored for eleven years and oversaw the construction of a larger auditorium, a new office wing as well as a nursery and multiple Sunday School rooms.  
     James B. Robinson  accepted the call to be the interim pastor in September, 1984 and came on as full time pastor two months later. The church enjoyed steady growth under his leadership. He led the church in purchasing new buses, erecting a new sign and pioneered several new ministries.  
     In March of 1994, Dr. Paul Marsh  was called to be the pastor. Under Pastor Marsh’s direction, the church’s vision expanded to include a school minister for members who want to take an active role in their children’s education. The missions outreach was expanded to support 42 missionaries and multiple missions projects under his leadership. 
     On Father’s Day, 2002, God led Dr. Robert Evans  to be our pastor. Under his direction, the church has seen steady growth. The church received three acres of land in 2008. In 2010 Robert Evans initiated a construction project to remodel the auditorium and the building was dedicated on February 7, 2010. The church acquired an additional adjoining 4 acres in 2013. Under Pastor Evans’ leadership, Berean has seen a revival of the bus program and with it growing vibrant children’s and youth program. 
     In 2020, we welcomed Pastor Jason Harvell.  We are so thankful for God’s faithfulness thus far and we look forward to seeing where He will lead us in the years to come.

What We Believe...

The Holy Scriptures

We believe that God has revealed Himself to man by His Holy Scriptures. These Holy Scriptures have been miraculously compiled...

Read More 

God, the Godhead

We believe in the existence of one God. Furthermore, all of nature testifies of God, and identify Him as the Creator. The conscience of Man...

Read More 

The Lord Jesus Christ

The Scriptures teach, and we believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and the Saviour for all mankind...

Read More 

Meet our Pastor

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” I am eternally grateful that the “whosoever” in Romans 10:13 included me. The good news does not stop there though because if you are reading this note, that “whosoever” includes you too! August 7, 1991 was the greatest day of my life! On that day as a young teenager I was born into the family of God! From that day on, I knew that God had saved me, God had forgiven me, and that God was going to lead me. And lead me He has done. God led me to my wife, and we were married on August 19, 2000. God led me around the world with a career in racing, ending up in North Carolina. God led my wife and I to surrender our lives to serve the Lord Jesus Christ while at Faith Baptist Church in Kannapolis, North Carolina. While living in North Carolina, God also blessed us with two wonderful children William and Benjamin.

God then led our family overseas to minister to the U.S. Military service members and their families in Germany and in Spain. And God has now led us to Berean Baptist Church here in Elberta, Alabama. And we could not be more excited about all that God is doing! So, since you 
have read this much about me, allow me the opportunity 
to invite you to join us for one of our weekly services here at Berean Baptist Church. I would love to meet you and 
give the opportunity to share how God is leading in your life. I look forward to meeting you! 
                                     Pastor Jason Harvell 

The holy scriptures

  • We believe that God has revealed Himself to man by His Holy Scriptures. These Holy Scriptures have been miraculously compiled and preserved in the Bible - 66 canonical books, 39 books of the Old Testament, and 27 books of the New Testament - and represent the eternal, entire Word of God divinely given to man kind. (Psalm 12:6-7, Psalm 119:89, 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:15-16, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 2:3-4)
  • We believe the Bible is perfect and infallible. (Psalm 19:7)
  • We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
  • We believe the Scriptures have been preserved from the original manuscripts - Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek Textus Receptus. (Psalm 12:6-7, Psalm 119:89, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 2:3-4)
  • We interpret and understand the Bible according to a normal, literal, and grammatical-historical context meaning of the words. Moreover, given the internal and external evidences, including the methods of translation and the source text, we affirm with all conviction that the King James Version of the Bible is the preserved Word of God for English speakers, and is the only English-language translation we authoritatively use for our faith and practice. We reject the Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphal books as non-canonical, and consider them not inspired by God.

The Holy Spirit 

The Scriptures teach, and we believe that the Holy Spirit is God. He is coexistent and coequal with God the Father and God the Son. He has been given to believers for instruction, comfort, guidance, illumination, and to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 16:7, 14, Acts 5:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21, 1 John 5:7) 

  • His Nature
  • The Holy Spirit is a person. (John 14:16-17)
  • The Holy Spirit possesses the Divine Attributes—eternality, holiness, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence. (Hebrews 9:4, Psalm 139:7-10, Luke 1:35, 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, Ephesians 4:30)
  • His Work and Ministry
  • The Holy Spirit is the author and giver of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16)
  • The Holy Spirit is involved in creation. (Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4)
  • The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:8)
  • The Holy Spirit regenerates and indwells the believer at the moment of salvation, seals the believer, and gives him assurance of salvation. (John 3:3-8, Titus 3:5, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30)
  • The Holy Spirit engages in a progressive working of sanctification in a believer’s life, conforming the believer to the image of Christ. (Romans 1:17, Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Corinthians 6:17-20, Philippians 1:6)
  • The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live the victorious Christian life. (John 14:26, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:16)
  • The Holy Spirit fills and guides believers who are fully submitted to the Lord in service for the Lord. (Acts 4:31, 13:2-4, Ephesians 5:18, James 4:8)
  • The Holy Spirit also manifests spiritual gifts to believers for service. (1 Corinthians 12)
  • The Holy Spirit illuminates the Scriptures to those who are saved. (John 14:17, 26, 1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
  • God not being the author of confusion, the Holy Spirit’s work will always be in accordance with the clear teaching of the Scriptures. For example, “tongues” mentioned in the New Testament are not incomprehensible sounds or a “heavenly language,” falsely so called. Bible “tongues” are simply the earthly languages of men. (Matthew 6:7, Acts 2:7-11, 1 Corinthians 14:17-28)

Angels

  • We affirm the existence of angels, on the authority of the Scriptures. They are mentioned in nearly every book of the Bible. Angels are created by God to serve and glorify Him and aid mankind. We soundly reject any conceptualization of angels that would ascribe them qualities not specifically taught in the Scriptures, whether in usurping or perverting the Godhead, rendering cunningly devised fables (angel worship, extra-biblical naming, superhero narratives, etc.) or perverting the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 18:10, Mark 13:32, Galatians 1:8, 2 Peter 1:16, Hebrews 1:13-14)
  • Their Nature
  • Angels are created separate and different from men.
  • They are created sinless spirits, though they may appear in a visible form. (Judges 6:11, 12, 14, Psalm 104:4, Mark 12:25, Hebrews 12:22-23)
  • They are powerful, innumerable, and are organized by rank. (1 Peter 3:22, 2 Peter 2:11, Hebrews 12:22)
  • The Work and Ministry of True Angels
  • Angels bring glory to God. (Isaiah 6, Revelation 4:11)
  • Angels aid in soul winning (Acts 8:26)
  • Angels cheer and strengthen God’s people, as well as defend, protect, and deliver God’s people. (Matthew 4:11, Acts 5)
  • Angels oversee the church and the saints, and oversee the death of the saints (1 Timothy 5:21, Luke 16:22)
  • Angels will accompany Christ as a conquering army (Matthew 25:31)
  • The Work of Fallen Angels
  • Angels that deliberately rebelled with Satan against God were cast from Heaven. They now serve Satan in his purposes of deception and affliction. They are referred to in Scripture as “devils” and “unclean spirits”. (Matthew 8:28-33, Matthew 10:1, I Timothy 4:1, Revelation 12:3-4)
  • They oppose, afflict, possess unbelievers and animals, and seek to hinder the Lord’s work. (Daniel 10:10-14, Matthew 8:32, Acts 16:16-18, Ephesians 6:12)
  • Their destiny is judgment and eternal doom. (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:7-10)

The God, the Godhead

His Existence and Activity   
We believe in the existence of one God, and we state on the authority of Scripture that there is only one true God who is active, and personally interested in the life of every human, as well as all of His creation. (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 14:1-2, Psalm 103, Isaiah 46:9, Matthew 10:29-31, John 3:16, John 17:3, Acts 17:27, Hebrews 1:1-3.)  

The Scriptures always assume the existence of God. Furthermore, all of nature testifies of God, and identify Him as the Creator. The conscience of Man testifies of God, and also identifies Him as our Creator.  Moreover, there are a number of formal philosophical, logical, and polemical  arguments for the existence of God, which include but are not limited to the cosmological, anthropological, teleological, and ontological argument classes. (Job 12:7-10, Psalm 19:1-4, Psalm 148, Acts 17:24-25, Romans 1:18-20)   

  • His Nature and Essence
  • Concerning God and His Nature , the Scriptures teach, and we believe:
  • God is eternal, uncaused. He has no beginning, and He will never cease to exist. (Genesis 1:1, Exodus 3:14, Isaiah 43:10-11, Psalm 90:1-2, Isaiah 57:15)
  • God is a Spirit, and incorporeal. (John 4:24, Colossians 1:15)
  • God is self-existing and self-sustaining (Acts 17:24-25)
  • God is immutable, unchangeable. His nature and attributes will never change. (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17)
  • God maintains His distinct personality, as evidenced by His supreme intelligence, majesty, will, self-consciousness, love, hate, grief, anger, and eternality. (Romans 11:33, John 1:13, James 1:18, Exodus 3:14, Deuteronomy 6:15, Isaiah 44:6, Revelation 3:19, John 3:16, Genesis 6:6, Proverbs 6:16-19)
  • God is triune, a Trinity. He is one Being, (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:10-11, Isaiah 44:6) manifest in three distinct, coequal Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
  • These three persons are equal in nature, distinct in person, and specific in their respective ministries. (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 11:7, Matthew 3:16-17, Matthew 28:19, John 1:1-3, John 14:8-11, Acts 5:3-4, Romans 1:7, Hebrews 1:5-8, 1 John 5:7, 1 John 5:20)
  • God is the giver of Life (Psalm 36:9, Matthew 22:32, Acts 17:25)
  • His Attributes and Qualities
  • Concerning God and His Attributes, the Scriptures teach, and we believe:
  • God is omniscient. He knows everything—past, present, and future. (Proverbs 15:3, Job 42:2, Isaiah 40:28, 1 John 3:20)
  • God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful.
  • (Genesis 18:14, Job 42:2, Jeremiah 32:27, Isaiah 44:24, Matthew 19:26)
  • God is omnipresent. He is always present, and cannot be limited by space, time, or matter. (Proverbs 15:3, Psalm 139:7-12, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17)
  • God is perfect in holiness and righteousness. He is utterly holy, thrice holy. His nature makes it impossible for Him to lie, sin, or have any moral imperfection or shortcoming. (Psalm 116:5, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 57:15, Hebrews 7:8)
  • God is perfect in love and mercy. His love has no limit, and His mercy endureth forever. (Psalm 103:8, Jonah 4:2, John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 John 4:8)
  • God is sovereign; yet He has given man a free will. (Psalm 115:3, Isaiah 46:9-10, John 3:15-16, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11)
  • God, the Creator, has created all things. (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:26-27, Colossians 1:16)

The Lord Jesus Christ

  • The Scriptures teach, and we believe that the Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, and the only Savior for all mankind.
  • He is our personal Savior and our God, our High Priest, our Brother, and our Friend. We trust in no other name and in no other thing. (1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Timothy 3:16)
  • His Divinity
  • Jesus Christ is God the Son, coexistent and coequal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. (John 1:1-2, John 5:23, John 8:58, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:8, 1 John 5:7)
  • Jesus Christ is the image of God, the express image of His person (Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3)
  • Jesus Christ is Creator and Sustainer of all things, as well as the Giver of Life. (John 1:1-3, John 5:26, Colossians 1:16-17, Hebrews 1:3)
  • Jesus Christ has power to judge men and forgive sins. (Mark 2:5-10, John 5:22, 2 Timothy 4:1)
  • Divine Titles and Divine Worship are ascribed to Jesus—“the Christ, Son of God, God, Lord, Alpha and Omega, I AM, Prince of Life, Prince of Peace, et al.” (John 1:1, John 8:58, Hebrews 1:8, Isaiah 9:6, Acts 4:33, Luke 2:11, Revelation 22:13, 16, et al.)
  • He possesses the Divine attributes—omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, et al. (Matthew 28:18, Revelation 1:8, John 17:2, Colossians 2:3, Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 4:13)
  • He performed innumerable miracles both publicly and privately in His time on earth. (Mark 6:55-56, John 21:25)
  • His Humanity
  • Jesus Christ came to earth and was born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:18, Matthew 1:23)
  • Jesus Christ is “The Son of Man.” (Psalm 8:4, 80:17, 144:3, Matthew 8:20, 16:27, 17:19)
  • Jesus Christ, at the time of His incarnation, was completely, truly God, and truly man. (Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:40,52; John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-11; I Timothy 3:16)
  • He was subject to ordinary laws of human development and had the appearance of man. (Luke 2:40, 52, 46; John 4:9, Hebrews 2:17)
  • Jesus Christ possessed the human physical nature and was subject to the sinless infirmities of human existence. He hungered, thirsted, wearied, slept, etc. He was “tempted in all points… yet without sin.” (II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 4:14-15)
  • His Work and Ministry
  • Jesus Christ voluntarily laid down His life.
  • He willingly submitted to death on the cross, according to the Scriptures, as the efficacious sacrifice for the sins of mankind. (Isaiah 53:6, John 10:17-18, Romans 4:25, Romans 5:8, Hebrews 9:28, I Peter 3:18, I John 1:7, I John 2:2)
  • Jesus Christ paid the sin debt for the whole world—every individual, the ungodly sinner and the unjust, and the church—past, present, and future, when He shed His blood and physically died on the cross, according to the Scriptures. (John 1:29; Romans 5:8-9; Ephesians 5:21-27, 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 9:12, 10:10-14; 1 John 2:2)
  • Jesus Christ, after His physical death on the cross, was buried. God raised Jesus Christ bodily from the dead on the third day after his burial, according to the Scriptures. (Matthew 28:6, Luke 24:39, John 20:27, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
  • Jesus Christ, after His bodily resurrection, performed the office of the High Priest, in Heaven. (Hebrews 9:23-28)
  • This same Jesus, after His resurrection and priestly work, was seen among men and his disciples (1 Corinthians 15:5-6)
  • Jesus Christ has ascended into Heaven and is currently seated at the right hand of the Father where He “ever liveth to make intercession for us” and is “henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.” (Mark 16:19, Acts 1:9-11, Romans 4:25, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 8:1, 10:12-13)

Satan

  • Satan was originally created as Lucifer, the anointed cherub. Satan fell from Heaven when he rebelled against God. He is a person, not a force or idea.  (Job 1:6, Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:13-17, Matthew 4:1-11)
  • Satan is an adversary to God and His people, and he works to deceive mankind.
  • (Genesis 3, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 1 Peter 5:8)
  • Satan is defeated through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. (Colossians 2:15, 1 John 3:8)
  • Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:10)

Mankind

The Scriptures teach, and we believe that man is created in the image and likeness of God, and every human is a descendant of that first man, Adam—who God made on the sixth day of His creation.  Man was created to bring glory to God. Man is body, soul, and spirit, and is eternal. (Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, 2:23-24, 9:6, Mark 10:6, 1 Corinthians 11:7, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10, Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 4:11) 

  • Adam sinned against God in the Garden of Eden. When Adam sinned, he died spiritually. He later died physically. This spiritual and physical death has passed onto all men, and men are born with a sin nature that separates him from God. Sin affects man’s entire nature—his understanding is darkened, his heart is deceitful and wicked, his mind, body, and spirit are defiled, and his will is enfeebled. (John 3:19-20, Romans 3:9-20, 5:12, 7:18, Ephesians 4:18, Galatians 5:19-21)
  • God, in His Sovereignty, has given every Man a free will to choose to receive Christ and be eternally saved, or to reject Christ and be eternally lost. God desires that every man, woman, boy, and girl be saved. (John 3:15-16, Romans 10:13, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Titus 2:11, Revelation 22:17)
  • The unsaved man is guilty before God and is destined for eternal damnation in the “lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” His only hope is to turn to Christ alone for salvation. Every man must be born again. (John 3:18, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 John 5:12, Revelation 21:8, John 3:3)
  • Scripture teaches that all human life begins at conception, and is sacred and valuable to God. Abortion for any reason is the murder of a human being. The Scriptures also imply that infants and those who do not have mental capacity to recognize their fallen state and willfully trust Christ for salvation will not be eternally lost. Upon their death, they are immediately in the presence of God. (Exodus 20:13, 2 Samuel 12:23, Psalm 139:13-17, Isaiah 44:24, Luke 18:15-16)
  • Human sexuality is clearly defined in Scripture, and God has commanded that no intimate physical activity be engaged in outside of a scriptural marriage between a man and a woman. Homosexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s original intent for the physical relationship between a husband and wife. (Genesis 2:24, Leviticus 18:1-30, Matthew 5:28, Matthew 19:4-6, Luke 17:2, Romans 1:20-32, Hebrews 13:4)

Salvation

Salvation is the act provided by God whereby Mankind may be brought back into a pure relationship with Him. Salvation is required because of man’s sin. The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth for the primary purpose of saving mankind from sin and its penalty. The Scriptures teach, and we believe, that Man cannot obtain salvation through any merit or work of his own.  Salvation is the gift of God by grace through faith alone. (John 3:3, Romans 3:23, Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Luke 19:10) 

  • Christ’s vicarious death and the shedding of His precious blood satisfied God’s perfect justice as the payment of man’s sin debt. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer.
  • (Romans 4:22, 5:8, Hebrews 9:28, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:2)
  • Jesus Christ was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
  • Conditions of salvation are repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ. We reject any rendering of repentance that would pervert the grace of God and His true gospel into a works salvation. (John 3:16, Acts 2:38, 16:31, 17:30, 20:21, Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16. Ephesians 2:8-9)
  • Eternal life is offered to every person. (John 3:15-16, Romans 10:13, 1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, Revelation 22:17)
  • A person is saved by grace alone through faith alone when a conscious decision is made to place complete trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work for salvation—His death, burial, and resurrection. (John 1:12; Romans 4:5; Romans 10:9-10,13; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
  • A person is born again (regenerated by the Holy Spirit) and becomes a child of God the moment he trusts Christ for salvation.  (John 1:12, Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4:1-6)
  • Once a person has been genuinely saved, he cannot lose his salvation and is eternally secure. (John 3:16, John 5:24, John 10:27-28, 1 John 5:10-13)
  • Every saved person is called to a life of holiness, godliness, and sobriety before the Lord through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 7:1, Ephesians 5:14-20, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 5:16, Titus 2:11-13)

The Church

The church (ecclesia) is a local, visible, independent, called-out assembly of believers with the Lord Jesus Christ as the head. The “invisible” church is comprised of all those whose names are written in the Book of Life. The church is the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and the dwelling place for the Spirit of God. We reject the various doctrines of universalism and such like that would render local assemblies globally unified. The church has not replaced Israel, nor nullified God’s covenant to His people. (Acts 2:46-47, Acts 8:3, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:19, Ephesians 5:25-27, Colossians 1:18)  

  • Organization of the Church
  • Salvation and baptism by emersion are required of all local church members, and the church meets on the first day of the week, per the Scriptural pattern. (Acts 2:38-41, 47, 20:7)
  • The offices the local church has are pastors (elders, deacons) and deacons. (1 Timothy 3:1-13, 1 Peter 5:1-4)
  • The local church is autonomous and is responsible for its conduct and that of its members. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 13, 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, Matthew 18:15-17, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, Acts 15)
  • Vocation of the Church
  • The purpose of the church is to worship God on earth and bring glory to Him. (Ephesians 1:4-6, John 15:8)
  • The church is to evangelize the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, faithfully teaching the whole counsel of God. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 20:20-21, 27; Colossians 1:23-28; Titus 2:1)
  • The church is to edify, spiritually develop each Christian spiritually. (Ephesians 4:11-15, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14.)
  • The church is to administer the ordinances of the local church—Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
  • Scriptural baptism is by immersion, in water, picturing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Commanded by Christ, it is for believers only, and it is a symbolic, public testimony.
  • We reject teachings of baptism regeneration.
  • Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, and its elements of the cup and unleavened bread are symbolic. We reject teachings of transubstantiation. (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 2:41, 8:36-39, Romans 6:3-4, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

The Future, Last Things

All men will live somewhere eternally.  Believers will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ, and unbelievers will spend eternity in Hell—a literal place of everlasting fire and torment.  (John 14:1-3, 1 Peter 1:4, Mark 9:43-48, Matthew 25:41, Luke 16:23, Revelation 20:14-15, 21:8)  Furthermore, we believe that the Scriptures clearly outline major “end time” or future events: 

  • The Rapture—Christ will come in the air for His saints—is imminent, and requires no sign. (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)
  • The Tribulation—a seven-year period of great trouble—will follow the Rapture. (Revelation 6-18, Daniel 9: 24-27)
  • The Judgment Seat of Christ— the event where the saints give an account before Christ for the things done in his body, good or bad—takes place in Heaven after the Rapture, during the Tribulation period, as does the Marriage of the Lamb. (Romans 14:10, 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, Revelation 19:7-8)
  • Christ will return to earth in glory and power with His saints at the end of the Tribulation, defeat the enemies at Armageddon, judge the Nations, and bind Satan for 1,000 years. (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Jude 14, Revelation 19:11-21, Revelation 20:2)
  • Christ will establish His Millennial kingdom on earth, ruling from Jerusalem. It will last for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:1-6)
  • At the end of the Christ’s Millennial Reign, Satan will be loosed for a season to gather an army against the Lord. Then, Satan and his angels will be cast in the Lake of Fire for eternity. (Revelation 20:7-10)
  • Every unsaved person will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment and cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. (Revelation 20:11-15)
  • After the Great White Throne Judgment, all the saved will enter into eternity with the Lord and enjoy a new heaven, a new earth, and New Jerusalem in an eternal state of righteousness. (Revelation 21:1-5, 10-25; 22:5)