Community Groups
Welcome! If you’re leaving a hyper-fundamentalist church group and are unsure where to turn, you’re not alone. Our online community groups are a safe, supportive place to heal, ask honest questions, and get clarity on the truth of Christ and His Church.
When you begin to think about finding a new church, it can be a lonely experience. Community groups remind us we’re not alone in this struggle. As we look at what Scripture says together, we seek to understand what a healthy, biblical church looks like and take next steps toward finding one. Wherever you are in your journey—you’re welcome here.
About the Group: This group aims to clarify characteristics of a biblical church in order to help us as we seek to belong to a new community of believers. We will take time to hear each other’s stories as well as see what Scripture says about doctrine, preaching, church leadership, and church discipline.
- Time: 12:00pm–1:30pm (Central Time)
- Start Date: August 13th (Wednesdays)
- End Date: September 17th (6 meetings)
- Where: Zoom (link will be provided to participants)
Leaders
Teaching Leader: Ethan Greer is the Advancement Director for Berean Holiness. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry from Ozark Christian College (2013). For over ten years, he was involved in church planting in urban Japan. Ethan is passionate about seeing people behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
“Searching for a healthy church is no small task when you’ve only known extremes and dysfunction. I am so grateful for resources like Berean Holiness and the community group for providing biblical support and encouragement during such a vulnerable time in my faith journey. This ministry is so unique in its mission to walk alongside the weary and point the way back towards Christ. As someone that once embraced the emptiness of deconstruction, it’s more common to find voices in support of leaving the faith altogether than those that champion rebuilding from a healthier understanding of the gospel. Thank you for modeling integrity and the love of Jesus.”
– Amanda
“It was a great class because it solidified a few lingering topics that I still struggled with during my transition away from the UPCI. If someone has questions or has/is considering leaving the UPC, this would be an excellent start. The leaders of the group were willing to help and answer all questions even going so far as answering in a private message as to not hinder anyone else in the on their journey. They are very knowledgeable and have a lot of resources. Highly recommended.”
– Jason
“I left ’my’ local [church] a little over a year ago and still sorting out emotions and changes surrounding that. Something I really appreciated during all the sessions I was able to attend was how we all got a chance to share thoughts and stories. On the last session some emotions came up for me and I was given not one, but 2 resources that could benefit me. Through my whole experience of church going, this was literally the 1st practical help I’ve been given. Usually it would have just been, ‘I’ll pray for you.’ In this session I got prayed for and given practical resources!”
– Jessica
“I recently took part in a 6 week small group sponsored by Berean Holiness and led by Natalie Edmonson. It was so refreshing to meet other people with backgrounds similar to mine who haven’t ‘thrown the baby out with the bath water’ while disassociating from hyper-fundamentalist religious groups, and who so clearly are searching for truth. We laughed together, we lifted each other up, we built new friendships based upon shared experiences, and I learned so much from Natalie’s teaching. The small group was a safe place, and our meetings quickly became one of the highlights of my week! If Berean Holiness’s content resonates with you, I highly recommend participating in a small group!”
– Patrick