Instagram story viewer> @bereanholiness> Posts

Berean Holiness

@bereanholiness

23.5K

followers

36

following

Guiding Believers Out of Fear and Shame and Into the Gospel of Grace (Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:6–10)

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“The revelation that the work at the Cross was enough, Jesus’ sacrifice was enough, His grace is truly enough had me in tears during one Bible study. This was a completely different narrative than I had heard all my life. I am truly thankful for their ministry…”

—Berean Holiness Community Group Member

Coming to understand the biblical gospel is life-changing for those who are leaving cultish groups. And incredibly, 498 people have said that God used Berean Holiness to help them understand the gospel! (And that’s only counting answers from our 2023–2025 surveys.)

The vision of Berean Holiness is to support thousands more people leaving hyper fundamentalism, but the only way to do so is to grow this ministry—starting by sustainably increasing our part-time team’s hours. Creating new free, faith-based resources requires huge time investments; hosting just one community group can require over 100 hours of work!

Because all Berean Holiness’ support and resources are provided for free to those in need, new resources are only possible when we’re joined by believers covering the costs.

If you share our vision to reach people in and leaving cultish groups with the biblical gospel, will you consider becoming a monthly supporter?

Right now, your first gift of monthly support—whether it’s $15 or $150—will be TRIPLED.

Join at: BereanHoliness.com/give (Link in bio)

Thank you so much for becoming a bridge builder!

“And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.” (Philippians 4:15–17)

#DisentangingFaith #RebuildingFaith #GospelofGrace by @bereanholiness

87

10

4 months ago

Hello! I’m Ethan Greer, the Advancement Director at Berean Holiness.

I joined Berean Holiness in March 2025 after my family returned to the U.S. following 10 years of church planting in Japan. Japan is a deeply religious country with many cults and high-control groups. By God’s grace, we saw many people leave those groups, join biblical churches, and experience the freedom of the gospel and the love of God’s family. In particular, the last four years gave me firsthand experience helping people leave a highly abusive and controlling religious movement.

For those familiar with missions, you may know that Japan is one of the largest unreached people groups in the world, with less than 1% identifying as Christian. So why focus on hyper-fundamentalist groups in the English-speaking world?

That question gets to the heart of why I am passionate about Berean Holiness. Millions of people have been harmed by false gospels, abusive leadership, and unbiblical burdens within high-control religious movements. Berean Holiness seeks to bring the gospel to those trapped in these systems and help connect them with healthy, biblical churches. We want to work alongside the church to bring people to the church. I love serving with Berean Holiness because it is Great Commission work.

My ministry includes developing Community Group curriculum, facilitating groups, participating in support calls, coordinating events, and contributing to content development and teaching.

As Advancement Director, my primary role is sharing the mission of Berean Holiness with churches and Christians and building relationships with the generous supporters who make this ministry possible.

I am happily married to my wife, Audrey, and we have five sweet and energetic kiddos. I hold a BA in Christian Ministry, have over 12 years of local church ministry experience, and currently serve as a bi-vocational pastor in Joplin, Missouri.

If you are interested in supporting Berean Holiness, have questions about the ministry, or would like to connect, I would love to hear from you! You can reach me at advancement@bereanholiness.com by @bereanholiness

34

0

4 months ago

When trying to “make it to heaven” feels like walking on thin ice, no rule is too strict, no leader is too controlling—we’ll do anything to have a better chance of making it.

But this whole mentality flies in the face of the biblical gospel (1 Cor 15:1–8, Rom 10:8–13). If we are relying on anything apart from Christ to secure our salvation, from our holy living to acceptance by an “elite” church group, we’re in danger (Gal 3).

Whether we are a believer full of doubt or not a believer at all, the answer is the same—look to Christ. Place full faith in Him to save and to keep.

Christ won’t leave us wandering thin ice, hoping we’ll be holy enough to make it, anxious that at any moment we’ll slip and be lost forever.

Christ brings into Himself and we are safe. We can rest knowing we have peace with God; nothing shall separate us from His love (Rom 5:1–2, Rom 8).

Yes, we could still rebel against Him (1 Tim 1:19–20). But that’s no reason to seek assurance of salvation in a pastor’s approval or stricter dress code, it’s a sobering reminder to keep our eyes on Christ and keep full faith in Him alone.

•••

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us.” (John 4:15–19)

Are you disentangling from hyper fundamentalism? More resources can be found at BereanHoliness.com

As always, you’re welcome to reach out to us at info@bereanholiness.com

•••

#disentanglingfaith #disentangling #rebuildingfaith #fundamentalism #exfundamentalist #salvationbyfaith #cultish #highdemandreligion #highcontrolreligion #apostolicpentecostal #branhamism #homesteadheritage #independentfundamentalbaptist #apostolicgirl #conservativemennonite #apostolicwomen #twobytwos #thechurchwithnoname #holinessmovement by @bereanholiness

820

17

8 months ago

Although the specific inconsistencies will vary from group to group, any church or movement that creates extra-biblical rules for its members will inevitably end up with confusing contradictions. Why? Because they strayed from God’s consistent Word.

Romans 14 is clear that, practical applications in areas where Scripture gives liberty should be made at the individual level, “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)

Instead of “protecting” members, lists of extra-biblical rules shortcut discipleship, create unhealthy dependency, and ultimately result in confusion.

If you’re told that your group’s rules ARE biblical, and yet, they contradict, we hope you’ll take a step back and cross-examine them for yourself with Scripture.

…

If reading other believers’ studies could be helpful, check out BereanHoliness.com/articles where you’ll find dozens of in-depth articles regarding Holiness standards, biblical holiness, and the better way of discipleship. For even more content, see our videos on the Berean Holiness YT channel. As always, you’re invited to reach out to info@bereanholiness.com if there’s any way our team may be able to help.

“These [the Bereans] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.“ (Acts 17:11)

Did you find this post thought-provoking? Thank you for sharing it with others!

#disentanglingfaith #hyperfundamentalism #fundamentalism #exfundamentalist #holinessstandard #apostolicpentecostal #apostolicgirl #apostolicwomen #apostolicfashion #holinessstandards #holinesspentecostal #holinessmovement #disentangling by @bereanholiness

3k

103

9 months ago

We’re excited to invite you to the first Called to Freedom Luncheon!

Saturday, September 27, 2025
11 AM to 2 PM
Joplin, Missouri (Metro Area)

If you:

• Are considering leaving a hyper-fundamentalist or cultish church group
• Left such a group and are rebuilding faith (whether days or years later)
• Already rebuilt faith and want to encourage and support others

Then this event is designed for you!

Losing nearly all your friends and faith community is one of the greatest challenges of leaving hyper fundamentalism. At the Called to Freedom Luncheon, we pray you will make many new connections, be encouraged by the gospel-centered content and discussions, and discover that you have many brothers and sisters in Christ who are rooting for you!

The luncheon is FREE thanks to our generous supporters!

We only ask that you RSVP in advance via our website (our RSVP form will close once we’ve reached capacity).

Find all the details at:
BereanHoliness.com/luncheon

Our team can’t wait to meet you! taken in Joplin, Missouri by @bereanholiness

92

6

a year ago

Dear Son,

There’s so much you have to learn. And, by the grace of God, there are many things you’ll never know.

You’ll never know…

• The anxiety of wondering if you’re following enough strict standards to “make heaven by an inch”
• The confusion of realizing there are spiritually mature, Christlike believers who aren’t part of your church group
• The shame of being labeled “rebellious” because you asked a question
• The fear of anticipating what will happen if your loved ones discover that you believe differently about beards and women’s pants
• The pain of finding out what will happen—of losing your friends, mentors, support system, ministry, reputation, identity–because you dared to say something’s not biblical

You’ll never know these things, because I did.

And I chose better for you.

I walked out so you won’t have to. Instead,

May you know…

• The peace of trusting that Christ’s imputed righteousness is sufficient for salvation (Rom 4:22–25)
• The joy of connecting with believers across denominational lines around the globe (Mat 16:18)
• The grace of God that is greater than all our doubts and fears and questions (2 Cor 12:9–10)
• The hope that comes from the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ being the gospel we unite around (1 Cor 15:1–8)
• The strength that comes from a healthy, supportive faith community (1 Thess 5:8–15)

3 generations of harmful theology stopped with me, and now you get to be the 1st generation raised with the biblical gospel of grace.

When old grief rises and I miss what I had to leave, I’ll look at you—thriving in a healthy church and loving faith community, being genuine and real, flourishing under doctrinally sound, exegetical teaching, cross-examining what you’re taught with Scripture, not an ounce of grief for a world you never knew—and I’ll remember it was worth it. It was worth it all for you to grow up knowing the grace of God I struggled so long to find.

This is your heritage, my child. Treasure it, but don’t keep it to yourself. Spread the good news far and wide, and every step of the way, may you feel our Resurrected Savior near—holding you securely in the palm of His hand.

With all my love,
Your Mother by @bereanholiness

1k

37

2 years ago

5 years have flown by since the founding of Berean Holiness—Reformation Day, October 31, 2019!

From its origin, Berean Holiness was so much more than writers and content. It became a connecting point and a community—one that wouldn’t be possible without all of you.

Many of us come from hyper-fundamentalist backgrounds where, while we were proud of being bold and brash on some issues, we were taught to tiptoe, whisper, and dance around others.

“I follow that standard, but don’t believe it’s biblically required” could result in sudden ousting from the group. “I’m not sure that sermon was biblically correct” would be labeled slandering the man of God and touching God’s anointed. Pointing out inconsistencies in dress code was sewing discord. Asking challenging questions was clearly just rebellion.

We were silenced. We felt alone. We wondered if we were crazy.

Then Berean Holiness became a connecting point. Whether it was at a meetup, community group, conference, discussion forum, DMs/email, or public comments, we crossed paths and a community was formed.

We spoke up. We came together. We discovered that the biblical gospel makes a lot more sense.

We say the quiet part aloud here. We don’t talk in hushed voices anymore. The high-control groups have lost their grip. The most they can do is stand on the sidelines and question our motives, hoping our desire for their approval will be greater than our passion to disentangle harmful theology.

But we don’t stop.
5 years later and we’re going strong.

Many of you who are farther along in the journey of rebuilding faith still come back to encourage those who are just beginning. Others have joined as monthly financial supporters.

And, honestly? This is just the beginning.

The community facilitated and resources developed so far have been created by volunteers, and only since 2023, a couple of part-time staff. As we reach funding goals for hiring full-time staff, the quality and quantity of resources, support, and community are going to increase exponentially!

Thank you for being here.
Thank you for speaking up with us.
Thank you for testifying to the gospel of grace.

Here’s to the next 5 years and 5 decades! by @bereanholiness

102

7

2 years ago

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that wearing skirts and dresses is cultish.

It’s not.

My day job is dedicated to helping believers leave cultish environments and join healthy churches. Yet, I have many skirts/dresses in my wardrobe, and I enjoy wearing them. If it was the clothing in and of itself that was cultish, mine would’ve been burned long ago.

But do you know what is cultish?

Believing that…

• Because women in your small sect of churches wear skirts/dresses—and never pants—that means you’re spiritually superior to the rest of the Body of Christ.

• Every woman who truly seeks God will be led into your exclusive group and never wear pants again.

• Higher ups in your church fellowship have the authority to dictate that all women must always wear skirts/dresses to be accepted as equals in Christ.

• Women who once wore exclusively skirts/dresses, but now wear women’s pants, ought to be viewed as backslidden and cut off from fellowship.

Friends, your lifestyle preferences are not cultish.

What’s cultish is the elitism, tribalism, and authoritarianism that hyper fundamentalism has tangled up with them.

What’s cultish is how certain types of dress have been made a requirement of spiritual maturity.

What’s cultish is how many believers feel coerced into choices made for them and silenced by fear tactics.

Cultish behavior impedes biblical discipleship, critical thinking, personal discernment, respect for differences, biblical unity, learning to apply Scripture for oneself, personal relationship with Christ, and following the leading of the Spirit.

If you prefer to wear skirts and dresses exclusively, by all means do so! And if someone calls you “cultish” because you prefer a particular style of dress, you can tell them that’s silly.

Skirts and dresses don’t make anyone cultish.

Cult-like behavior makes them cultish.

No matter your preference, I hope you’ll stand with us in calling out the harm of hyper fundamentalism. May we work side by side building healthy faith community where Bible study, discipleship, unity, and biblical holiness are prioritized, and the gospel of grace is proclaimed without distortion.

(See comments) by @bereanholiness

935

42

2 years ago

Pianist. Youth choir director. Bible School Valedictorian. Sunday School teacher. Missionary-in-training. Community outreach leader. Holiness girl. That was me.

We had a lot of rules, but I didn’t mind. I’m a rule keeper, and the rules felt safe. I loved my uncut hair and long, jean skirts. Who needs makeup and jewelry?

But the more I studied Scripture, the more I questioned. The more believers I met, the more I doubted everyone who “really gets saved” is led by God into our teachings.

I stayed quiet to be accepted, but instead felt fake.

Until 5 years ago today, when I shared publicly that “I am not Holiness… I am a Christian.”

It all started when I privately told leaders I was happy to keep our rules, but couldn’t say they’re biblically required.

“Then you’re not Holiness in your heart.”
“We’re removing you from your positions.”
“You’re backsliding.”
“You have a week and a half to move out.”

My heart sank to realize my phone number and social media were blocked. I poured out my heart in an email to mentors—that was the 1st time they never responded. Those who called me their adopted daughter told me it would be better if I never visited again. When I stopped by churches that felt like home, I was singled out and preached against. Multiple ministers told my friends to distance themselves from me.

I was labeled a “backslidden reprobate.”

My sin was far worse than wearing women’s pants—it was daring to say Scripture doesn’t teach against them.

And I’d do it all over again.
And again and again and again.

Because bad theology hurts people.

Innocuous rules aren’t so harmless when they’re treated as essential doctrines. When we’re constantly wondering, “Am I strict enough to make heaven?” the true gospel disappears into a fog of fear and shame. When our identity is wrapped up in an exclusive church group, we drift from leaning on Jesus. When we feel our relationship with God depends on approval from “the man of God,” we lose sight of the sufficiency of Christ.

A better understanding of the gospel—the beautiful, biblical, gospel of grace—was worth losing the world as I knew it. Getting to share the gospel, unashamedly, is an incredible joy.

—Natalie by @bereanholiness

944

44

2 years ago

561

19

3 years ago

I’ll never forget “witnessing” as young person without a single mention of Christ’s crucifixion or Resurrection. Instead, I talked about jewelry being idolatry and makeup being seductive. My understanding, as a young hyper-fundamentalist, was that the most important message of the Bible was about dress codes.

As I got older, my eyes opened to the actual gospel message, but even then, it was muddled by my theological lens.

Does one sin cost us our salvation?
Is grace just an excuse not to live holy?
Are we supposed to earn our own holiness?

Faith, works, holiness, sin, grace… These were all concepts I struggled to understand. And the struggle doesn’t stop when you leave hyper fundamentalism. Without a firm foundation, many people fall from one gospel misunderstanding into another.

If this is a challenge you’ve faced too, I hope Nathan’s new article, “Identifying Gospel Distortions” will be helpful to you! In it, he addresses this struggle head on. He begins by defining the biblical gospel and then outlines common gospel misconceptions in both mainstream Christianity and hyper-fundamentalism. You can read it on BereanHoliness.com, the link is in our bio.

https://bereanholiness.com/identifying-gospel-distortions/

What misunderstandings have you had to work through regarding the gospel? Please share in the comments!

#gospeltruth #disentangling #disentanglingfaith #cults #culty #cultish #disentanglingfundamentalism #fundamentalism #fundamentalist #exfundamentalist #faithandworks #christianblog #christianblogs #legalism #leavinglegalism #graceawakening #gospeldistortions by @bereanholiness

215

4

3 years ago

Does Deuteronomy 22:5 forbid Christian women from wearing women’s pants?

Considering how much NT authors referred to the law as a whole (e.g. Matt. 5:17, Gal. 2:15–4:7, Eph. 2:15, Jas. 2:10), cherry-picking it isn’t recommended. But even if Deut. 22:5 is applicable, it doesn’t forbid women’s pants.

No, Deut. 22:5 forbids the act of a woman purposely trying to appear as a man and vice versa, which has been historically associated with sexual sin and, in the OT context, was associated with idol worship. This is different from a woman putting on her husband’s coat when she’s cold or wearing a unisex T-shirt. In these scenarios, no one is trying to appear as the opposite sex.

But even Christians who apply Deut. 22:5 so strictly that they won’t wear unisex clothing can’t use this verse to forbid women’s pants. Men’s and women’s pants may be categorically similar, but they are distinctly designed for each sex, just like shirts, coats, shoes, robes, and a plethora of other clothing items.

To claim that Deut. 22:5 forbids men and women from wearing categorically similar clothing is to disregard how the original audience understood the passage, as well as other examples in Scripture (such as Gen. 3:21).

To claim that pants can only be men’s clothing is to arbitrarily assert that there’s no such thing as feminine pants. By this logic, men who wear women’s pants—no matter how clearly they are designed and styled for women—aren’t cross-dressing. This is an unavoidable implication that not even hyper-fundamentalists want to defend.

SWIPE LEFT for more!

See also, “Can Godly Women Wear Pants?” and “The Problem with ‘The Problem with Pants’” on BereanHoliness.com.

Resources:

1. Edward D. Andrews, The Old Testament Commentary, Background, & Bible Difficulties (Cambridge, OH: Christian Publishing House, 2023), 604.

2. Harold Torger Vedeler, "Reconstructing Meaning in Deuteronomy 22:5: Gender, Society, and Transvestism in Israel and the Ancient near East," Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 127, No. 3 (Fall, 2008): 474.

3. David Noel Freedman, Allen C. Myers, and Astrid B. Beck, Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000), 265. by @bereanholiness

2k

205

3 years ago