Berea Baptist finds good fit in Evans

Pastor Bert Daniel knew the timing was right for his church to relocate when the opportunity presented itself.

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"We had considered the possibility of moving in the past but really had not pursued it," Daniel said of Berea Baptist Church's move to Evans.

Earlier this year, Daniel was approached by Evans Christian Academy about selling the church's facility on South Old Belair Road.

"We started to pray about it and looked at the opportunities that were before us and just thought it would be a really good move for us," Daniel said.

In August, the church's congregation of 55 members started meeting at its new location at 4408 Evans to Locks Road, next to Omni Fitness Center in Evans. The space had been occupied by Redeemer Presbyterian Church, which has since moved to a location on William Few Parkway.

Berea Baptist will welcome members of the community to the church on Sunday for a free light breakfast at 9:45 a.m., followed by a worship service at 10:30 a.m.

"We really hope that this (location) is going to be a launching pad for us," Daniel said.

Berea Baptist was established in 1991, when members began meeting at a home. Daniel became pastor in 2002 and said the church aims to offer a "vibrant community of faith."

The church's mission is to spread a "God-glorifying gospel" to the community, Daniel said.

Its new facility is 7,500 square feet and includes classrooms for Sunday school, a fellowship hall and space for home groups to meet within the building. A separate, 1,000-square-foot storefront is designated as a nursery.

"That's been really good for us," Daniel said. "We are a pretty young church."

The rooms were also redecorated with fresh paint and new flooring and lighting.

The main meeting area can seat 175 people during a Sunday service, Daniel said. If needed, there is additional space that can be used for the sanctuary area.

Though the new facility is about 2,000 square feet smaller than the previous building, Daniel said the space works better for the church's needs.

"In the other facility we had a lot of adult education space that we really didn't use too much, and here we have a lot more nursery space that we do use," he said. "The space, as we look at it, just fits us a lot better as a church."

For more information about Berea Baptist, visit www.bbcaugusta.org.