
Berean Independent Baptist Church began about 1926 when J. D. Rockwell of Green Spring and a railroad worker, held Sunday services in the one-room Dennison School (blt. 1876), located on Keller Run Road. In 1934 the Board of Education sold the property to Dennison Community Church and Rockwell continued to preach there until his death in May 1945. The original membership consisted of such families as Wagoner, Hinkle, Kimble, Twigg, Beam, Garland, Bennett, Seeders, Barnes, Alkire, Pyles, Dennison, Rexrode and Robinson.
In early summer 1945, Earl B. Wolford, of Fort Ashby, began pastoring the Church. By 1968 a larger meeting place was needed and a 40 x 60 concrete block structure with full basement was constructed and became known as Berean Independent Baptist Church. Upon the resignation of Mr. Wolford in 1973, after serving faithfully for approximately 28 years, the congregation called Andrew L. Gathany as full-time pastor. In 1978, the property was sold to Mr. and Mrs. James L. Kimble, of the membership, and the church relocated in a new 50 x 80 yellow brick structure on the former Lee Blamble property at the junction of Dan's Run and Keller Run roads.
In July 1989 Pastor Gathany accepted the call to a church in Indiana and subsequently Ron McLucas, of Iowa became the full-time pastor and served until 1991. Dana Umbel was the next pastor to shepherd Berean Independent Baptist Church and he was there for a 15 year period from 1992 until 2007. After him, Rick Riley was called as pastor in June 2008 and has served the Lord in the church until the present. Several of the original membership still attend services here as well as a number of descendants of that membership.
In March of 2016, an arsonist burned down the church building. Services continued on the property in the Fellowship Building. In October 2016, Continental Baptist Missions arrived and began to help with construction of a new building. People ask if Berean is a conservative church or a progressive church? As our pastor says, "we are a biblical church". Berean Independent Baptist Church is a fundamental, Bible-believing church, "holding forth the Word of God."
​
our Leadership:



Rick Riley
Pastor
Larry Deitz
Deacon Chairman
Steve Daley
Choir Director






About us
