Isaiah 12:3, With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Who We Are
Cheyenne Berean Church is a non-denominational Bible church
that is intentionally seeking to use faith, grace, and mutual submission to
bring maximum glory to God and impact the world. We are purposely seeking to
create a safe church family where we affirm each other's unique gifts, strengths
and God given assignments.
We are affiliated with the
Berean Church Fellowship. The name "Berean" comes from a passage in the Bible (Acts
17:11) and has come to stand for those who place a high value on the Word of
God and its use as the standard for all beliefs and behavior.
Interdependence
The Bible uses such word pictures as body, flock, and family
to describe a Christian’s relationship to other Christians. These words leave the
impression that God is more interested in our interdependence with each other
than our independent and individualistic preferences. We join together as a team
for at least three important Biblical reasons: mutual partnership, mutual
worship and mutual submission. We can do more together. We can worship better
together. We can be more accountable together.
We strongly believe that interdependence with other churches
rather than independence from other churches is the Biblical model.
Cheyenne Berean Church is part of the Berean Fellowship which is a family of
churches committed to the authority of the Bible and to the proclamation of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Churches in the Fellowship enjoy flexibility in
methodology while agreeing on a clearly defined doctrinal statement, a common
constitution, and a shared vision for worldwide impact. Currently we are
significantly involved in India and in church planting along the Front Range.
The Berean Church Fellowship
We are members of the Berean Church fellowship. Dr. Ivan E. Olsen is
recognized as the founder and after he graduated from Denver Bible Institute in
1936 accept the call to be the first pastor of a small , independent work in
North Platte, Nebraska. This church became the first church of the Berean
Fellowship. This fellowship consists of some 60 churches in the United States
and a sister organization in India that we helped to found that has nearly a
thousand churches.
Presidents of our fellowship have included Carl Goltz, Curt Lehman and our
current president, Doug Shada. The following verses where shared by Pastor Shada
during the 2003 Pastors Retreat as anchors for our Berean Fellowship of
Churches:
Psalm 67:1;
Matthew 21:22;
Mark 9:23;
Romans 15:5-6; and
1 Chronicles 28:20.
Our History
Since our founding organization in the fall of 1964 Cheyenne Berean has had
three lead pastors: Adrian House (1964-1968), Ron Smithgall (1969-1989)
and Richard Crocker (1990-present). We have met in three locations: the former I.O.O.F
Hall located near the present day
YMCA (1964-1966) and two new building one at
5307 Hynds Boulevard (1966-1976) and the other at
5716 Powderhouse Road (1976-present)
From our founding we have believed our responsibility includes the people of
Cheyenne, the surrounding cities and towns, and every corner of the world. Jesus
said, “The world is the field.” It was on this foundation that CBC was organized on
October 19, 1964. Present at the organizational meeting were Pastor and Mrs.
Adrian House, Pastor Carl Goltz, Pastor Glenn Adams, Pastor Everett Lisle, and
the Gydesens.
40th Anniversary Script, 2004
“The God who made the world and everything in
it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands .
. . from one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole
earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they
should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for
Him and find Him . . . “
Acts 17:24-27.
The Psalmist proclaims to God in Psalm 119:90, “Your faithfulness continues
through all generations!” Indeed, our God has been faithful to all generations!
Today, we are celebrating God’s faithfulness in and through the 40 years of
Cheyenne Berean’s ministry; His faithfulness to our church family; His
faithfulness to His eternal purposes in Cheyenne and to every part of the world.
So let’s rejoice together in thanksgiving to God as we glimpse at the past,
celebrate the present, and eagerly look to the future.
Rev. Adrian House had been the pastor of the Berean Fundamental Church of
Mitchell, Nebraska. When Adrian told his wife, Juanita, that they had been asked
to go pastor a new church in Cheyenne, she said, “No way, Jose. I’m not going to
that windy city!” Although Mrs. House had said she would never live in Cheyenne,
Wyoming, later she wrote, “Isn’t it fascinating how the Lord turns our dislikes
into a growing loving submission and gives us grace to make us yield to His
will?!”
On October 11, 1964, he resigned his pastorate in Mitchell, and accepted the
call to start a Berean Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Berean Fundamental
Church of Cheyenne was organized on October 19, 1964, in the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Gydesen, and those present for this organizational meeting
included, in addition to Rev. and Mrs. Adrian House, Rev. Carl Goltz, Rev. Glenn
Adams and Rev. Everett Lisle, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Gydesen and Willadeen
Arnold (Chamberlain).
Great faith was manifested in starting a church in a city the size of Cheyenne.
It was faith which revealed the enormous need of a large city. A need that could
not be met by the churches in the city, and it was felt that a Berean Church
could help.
Almost simultaneously to the starting of the church was the opening of a
bookstore on 17th Street in Cheyenne. Mr. and Mrs. Gydesen made themselves to
run the bookstore. The store had been previously owned and Dr. Olsen was
approached for the purchase of the bookstore. The Scottsbluff District took over
the store, and carried on a most successful bookstore ministry.
The first services in Cheyenne were held on November 1, 1964 in the I.O.O.F.
Hall, at 1521 Dun Avenue with ten people in attendance in the morning service
and five in the evening service. The hall was rented for $70.00 per month. One
long-time member laughed, “We were the only church with a Coke machine in the
sanctuary!”
Sunday School, and morning and evening services were held at the hall; and
mid-week services were held in the pastor’s home at 4120 East 6th Street and
later at 1010 East 5th Avenue. God’s blessings were evident from the very
beginning of the work. The attendance under the ministry of Adrian House was
most encouraging.
In his Pastor’s Report for 1964, Pastor House wrote, “God has been so very
gracious to us these past two months in Cheyenne. There is no doubt that His
hand is upon the work. ‘For a great and effectual door is opened to us, and
there are many adversaries’ (I Cor. 16:9). We feel there is much ‘ground yet to
be possessed.’”
Pastor House’s personal purpose for the church was threefold:
First, it is our purpose to so teach and preach the Word of God that people will
receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior.
Second, it is our purpose to build Christians into effective “soul-winners”.
And third, it is our purpose to help and instruct Christians to discover and
live the “Spirit-filled” life.
Established on these purposes, Cheyenne Berean believed that in carrying the
“Good-News of Salvation”, it’s responsibility includes the people of Cheyenne,
the surrounding cities and towns, and every “corner” of the world. Jesus said,
“The world is the field.”
It was discovered that there were many who had similar burdens for the need of a
Berean Church in Cheyenne, and who identified themselves with those who
spearheaded the work. Nearly 100 people came to know Christ the second year of
ministry.
By 1966, plans were made for a church building. In the same year, a building was
erected at 5307 Hynds Blvd. God’s blessing increased, and the work grew. Within
two years, land had been purchase, a new building constructed, and about 200
people were in attendance. Late in 1968 Pastor House accepted a ministry with
Biola College in California, and resigned from the pastorate in Cheyenne.
Very shortly after Pastor House left, the Scottsbluff District helped the
Cheyenne Church locate Rev. Ron Smithgall, who was serving a church in northern
Indiana. He accepted the call to the Cheyenne Church in December of 1968. Pastor
and Mrs. Smithgall and their two sons, Randy and Rex, moved to Cheyenne and took
up the work on January 5, 1969. God’s presence became immediately marked, and
the work that had begun continued to spread and to increase.
In 1972 a radio ministry with KVWO was begun that continued for eight years, a
half hour broadcast on Sunday mornings at 8:30.
In 1973 the AWANA ministry was started at Cheyenne Berean. It was one of the
first chartered in the Rocky Mountain area.
It was early in 1974 that it became obvious that the need of a larger church was
necessary. An architect was obtained for the expansion plans. A thorough study
was made of what could be done on the old site; if it were possible to enlarge
the existing facilities. But because there was not enough land, and because the
property surrounding the land was of such exorbitant cost, it was agreed that it
was necessary to re-locate.
In the fall of 1975, the present property site was purchased, and the
ground-breaking service was held on July 25, 1976. Construction began in
September of 1976. The building was actually built in very good time, and the
National Convention of 1978 was held at the newly completed Berean Church in
Cheyenne. On September 11, 1977 at the dedication of the church, the founding
Pastor, Rev. Adrian House, was brought for the ministry, and Pastors from the
Berean Fellowship assembled there; many participated in the lovely dedication
service. It was the opinion of Dr. Ivan Olsen that the Cheyenne Church facility
was one of the best and most adaptable church buildings in the entire
Fellowship.
As the ministry grew, Eldon and Marian Sandin joined the staff on New Year’s Day
of 1983. Pastor Sandin served as associate pastor until the fall of 1987.
Our present pastor, Richard Crocker, conducted his first service on Feburary 3,
1990. He and his wife, Toni, continue to serve the flock tirelessly. Ministry
has expanded through ministries such as the Focus Groups and MOPS (Mothers of
Preschoolers), which has been initiated by their efforts to reach out into the
community of Cheyenne. In faith, additional staff have been added to carry out
God’s assignment for Cheyenne Berean.
Pastor Crocker has been used by God in instrumental ways not only at Cheyenne
Berean, but also through his service as Vice President of the Berean Fellowship,
Chairman of the Board of Maranatha Ministries, and his involvement on the
International Church Planting Team of the Berean Fellowship. Pastor Crocker has
made multiple missions trips to India and has contributed to the training of
native Indian pastors and the establishment of the Berean Fellowship of Churches
in India.
We are thankful for their diligent and faithful service for these nearly 15
years! Pastor Crocker has been at the helm and courageously guided Cheyenne
Berean through peaceful and stormy seas. We look forward to his continued
leadership as we seek to carry out God’s assignment for Cheyenne Berean now and
into the future.
Through 40 years of ministry, God has raised up His servants from the family of
Cheyenne Berean who have touched all the continents of the world except
Antarctica.
We praise God that Cheyenne Berean remains faithful and committed to the three
purposes on which it was founded of winning the lost, building up Christ’s
Church, and equipping believer for effective ministry.
Today, we celebrate God’s faithfulness to all generations. Today, we celebrate
God’s faithfulness to His purposes in Cheyenne, the surrounding area, and to
every corner of the world. Today, we celebrate God’s faithfulness as we look to
a future where the people and ministries of Cheyenne Berean continue to be used
by God to impact our neighborhoods, communities, and world in such a way that
people can only explain it as the work of God.
Acts 17:11,
Now the Bereans ... received the message with great eagerness and examined
the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Worshiping - Seek God’s Glory
Evangelizing- Declare God’s Name
Loving- Show God’s Compassion
Learning- Coach God’s Truth
Serving-
Support God’s Family
