Sensing a burden from God for the lost people of Pendleton, Pastor Clifton Cooley founded Berean Baptist Temple in the building storefront at 1610 SW Emigrant Avenue in June of 1980. Pastor Cooley graduated to Heaven in 2018.

 

In 1985, Pastor James Jobe took over as pastor, moving the ministry to an old church building at 624 SW 2nd Street, pastoring until 1992. Charles Bray then became the church’s pastor, changing the name of this ministry to Berean Baptist Church. Under Pastor Bray’s ministry, the church entered a period of sustained growth which included outreach, prison and radio ministry. Having filled the small church building to capacity, Berean Baptist Church purchased the current church building at 8 NW 9th Street in 2004, a building rich in history. The sanctuary portion of this building is the original military chapel attended by a regiment that would be later known as Doolittle’s Raiders that bombed Tokyo, Japan in World War II. The chapel originally resided at the Pendleton Army air base near the present Pendleton Airport before being moved to this present location in 1948.

 

In 2006, Pastor Carl LoTurco took over, presiding over the mortgage debt retirement and the construction of a beautiful ramp in front of the building. His wife Beverly graduated to Heaven in 2018.

 

Pastor Mark Watkins, with his wife Debby, came in the summer of 2014. On February 1st of 2015, Pastor Watkins and Pastor Emeritus Carl LoTurco had the privilege of burning the mortgage upon full payment of the building. The building still holds regular church services and houses a thriving ministry committed to preaching the Word and reaching Pendleton with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to God be the glory! The church supports 50+ missionaries and organizations, 2 retirement and elder care ministries, a transportation ministry, a youth detention ministry, livestream ministry and a college level Bible Institute. Come visit and see where you fit in!