─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The Beginning Years
(1973–1978)
─────────────────────
Berean Baptist Church began on a Sunday night on March 4, 1973, meeting for the first time at The Wigwam in Pickerington, Ohio. Just three days later, Pastor Gerald Fields, along with his wife Virginia, was called to serve as the first pastor of the 65 strong church body. Over the next years, Berean worshipped at the Pickerington school, and on March 16, they first looked at the Tollgate Road property, wondering if it would be where God would have them build their church.
The Tollgate property, although full of junk and discarded railroad cars, would become Berean's new home for the next 50+ years. During the summer of 1973, members began tearing down two buildings at Lockbourne (Rickenbacker) AFB for lumber to build both the church and parsonage with. Then, in 1974, they started cleaning up the property, and by March 14, 1975, the deed to the property was officially signed.
The parsonage, constructed first and rebuilt after an unexpected fire, reached completion that summer, and Pastor Fields broke ground for the church building on April 4, 1976 with the church finishing soon after. Unfortunately, just two years after the church's completion, Pastor Fields was tragically murdered by the notorious .22 caliber killers in 1978, marking the end of his 5 year service, and beginning a new chapter for Berean.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Transition and Trusting God
(1979–1996)
─────────────────────
Following the death of Pastor Fields, the church understandably struggled to find a new pastor. Not only because of the godly reputation and servant leadership that Pastor Fields so excellently portrayed, but also because of the desire to find the right pastor for the church. During these years, several pastors and interim preachers served, including Pastor Hostetler from 1979–1983 (bottom), Pastor Keith starting in 1983 (top right), and Pastor Blackmore (top left) who served up until 1996. These years were transitory, but not fruitless. God continued to grow the church, children's ministries and body life thrived, and God ultimately taught His sheep that they need to look to Christ as the ultimate Shepherd and Head of the church, and not simply a man.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Faithfulness and Flourishing
(1997–present)
─────────────────────
After the transition years, Berean called Pastor Cuenin (top) to serve as the next undershepherd in the spring of 1997 where he faithfully served for 25 years. Berean experienced growth, brought on several new missionaries, and reached out to the community in fresh ways. God's blessing continued as Berean saw the need for an additional church building, which began being constructed in 2008. Despite unforeseen setbacks, the building was completed nearly 2 years later, and dedicated to the Lord on May 22, 2010 (Neh. 2:20); merely 35 years after Pastor Fields broke ground on the original building in 1976!
In 2021, Pastor Cuenin announced his upcoming retirement, and Berean began the search for their new pastor. The pulpit committee laboriously worked to find a pastor reaching out to the OARBC, seminaries, colleges, likeminded churches, etc., but to no avail. Nonetheless, a year after the search began, God miraculously brought Pastor Joseph Divelbiss (left) to Berean, along with his wife, Deborah, and four children, where he has faithfully served ever since.
Berean continued to grow and realized the need for a pastoral intern to help shoulder the efforts of Pastor Divelbiss. Nearly 6 months after the initial job posting, God brought Pastor Yowell and his wife Rachel to serve at Berean in spring 2024. Soon after, Pastor Yowell became a full-time associate pastor (right) in January 2025, with a celebratory service and luncheon following on March 23, 2025.
Looking back on our history is not only taking a "walk down memory lane," but it is also a remembrance and cherishing of the goodness and faithfulness of God working through the people He has chosen to build His church. Through various pastors, growth and stagnation, prospering and trials, God has been and continues to be faithful. We continually look forward to Him as He is “doing far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or understand, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)