The name "Berean" comes from the New Testament book of Acts, chapter seventeen, verse eleven.  There we read that the Bereans (residents of the city of Berea) "received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."  It was with this same intense desire to study God's Word and to know the truth that Berean Church was formed.

The church actually began as the result of reactions to a controversial book.  In 1917 the church's founding pastor, Pastor Harry Bultema, published a book on the subject of prophecy.  Written in the Dutch language, the book was titled "Maranatha" (an Aramaic expression meaning "Come Lord Jesus" and transliterated into the Greek text of I Corinthians 16:22.).  As its main thesis the book presented Pastor Bultema's conviction that Jesus Christ would return to earth before the establishment of His kingdom here (a doctrine called Pre-millennialism).  The book also made a distinction between God's future plans for the nation of Israel and His plans for the Church of today, which in Scripture is called "the Body of Christ".  At first the book was received with great enthusiasm, over 2000 copies being sold in the first month alone.  However, because Pastor Bultema's theology of future events was now in conflict with that of his denomination (the Christian Reformed Church), he could no longer serve as one of its pastors.

On April 4, 1921 the First Berean Reformed Church of Muskegon was organized, later simply to be called Berean Church.  The congregation's first meeting place was a large warehouse type building with a sawdust floor.  It was, and still is, located on Iona Avenue in Muskegon, near the train tracks.  It was built by the men of the church in just four days and had seating for 1,000 worshippers.  The congregation fondly called this place "The Tabernacle".  It was their temporary "tent in the wilderness" from April through October of 1921.

On November 13, 1921 the congregation and pastor moved into their new church and parsonage on Terrace Street in downtown Muskegon.  And on the last day of the year 1942 the mortgage was burned.  In 1967 the facility on Terrace Street was enlarged by the addition of the Bultema Memorial Educational Building.

In 1985 the congregation relocated from downtown to Norton Shores and to a beautiful new facility on Seminole Road.  At the present time, in response to a growing ministry to families, the building has been expanded by the addition of four new children's classrooms and by a Family Life Center.

After faithfully caring for his flock for 32 years, Pastor Bultema went to be with the Lord on September 9, 1952.  He was a passionate student, preacher, and teacher of God's Word, who loved to proclaim "the unsearchable riches of Christ".  He was also a prolific writer of books, pamphlets, and magazine articles.  Several of his books, including "Maranatha," have been republished in recent years.  And so, through the words of truth that came from  his pen, "by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead" 
(Hebrews 11:4).

Pastor Bultema was followed at Berean by Pastor William Burcaw from 1954-1955; Pastor William B. Hallman from 1955-1963; Pastor Paul Hume from 1965-1973; Dr. James Carlson from 1974-1986; Dr. Jack Dean from 1987-1991; and Pastor Wayne Bickel from 1992-1998.  Our present pastor, Craig Apel, began his ministry here in 1999.

To be continued...until Jesus comes again!