We warmly welcome you to the church in Bern. We are believers in Jesus Christ from all backgrounds who gather locally to be the Lord’s testimony in Bern. Our emphasis is to have a church life where each member is built into a vital, spiritual community characterised by love for Christ and for one another (John 15:9). We primarily meet in small gatherings throughout the week for prayer, fellowship and to study the Bible (Acts 2:46-47).

We have listed some frequently asked questions below. Read through some of our responses or ask us a question of your own at the Contact page.

I’m looking for fellowship, but I’m not ready to attend a Sunday meeting yet. Can someone visit me or call me?
Absolutely. Attending a Sunday meeting is not the only way to have fellowship with us.

What should I expect when I come to a meeting?
You should expect a warm welcome and to meet some joyful Christians. We love to sing with our heart to the Lord and to speak to one another in psalms and hymns (Eph. 5:19). Our gatherings are characterised by mutuality: we encourage praise, prayer, and speaking from anyone (1 Cor. 14:26). Our meetings are frequently punctuated by “Hallelujah!”, “Amen!”, “Oh Lord Jesus!” and other joyful noises to the Lord (Psa. 100:1; 1 Thes. 5:16; Phil. 2:11).

If your worship style is more meditative, you will also feel comfortable meeting with us. We are not for any particular outward form, practice, or liturgy. Our only goal is to worship the Lord in spirit and truthfulness (John 4:24).

Who is your pastor?
God’s intention is that all of His believers would serve Him as priests (1 Pet. 2:5). All Christians have the innate capacity to contact God, worship God, be filled with God, pray to God, speak for God, and represent God (Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 14:31; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rom. 1:9).

Of course, the ascended Christ has given gifts to the Body which we treasure, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers (Eph. 4:11). There are some who serve as shepherds and teachers among us, along with others who have the spiritual gift of shepherding and teaching (1 Pet. 5:1-3; Acts 20:28).

What denomination are you?
We are not part of any denomination. We follow the New Testament pattern, which shows Christ’s believers who congregate only on the basis of the locality in which they live (Acts 8:1; 13:1; Rom. 16:1; 1 Cor. 1:2). Because we live in Bern, we meet simply as the church in Bern. As the church in Bern, we receive all of the believers in Bern, as Christ has also received us (Rom. 15:7).

What kind of Bible do you use?
Probably the personal Bible collections of our church members are as diverse and expansive as any other congregation. But when we gather together for larger meetings, we frequently find it useful to use the same text: the Recovery Version. The Recovery Version of The New Testament is based on the Nestle-Aland Greek text as found in Novum Testamentum Graece (26th edition) and is part of the great heritage of Bible translations through church history (including but not limited to KJV, ASV, NASB, and many other translations). To receive a free copy of the Recovery Version of The New Testament, or to learn more about it, please visit Bibles for Europe.

What is your relationship with other local churches?
We have a rich fellowship with thousands of other local churches throughout the world to express the one Body of Christ. Members in the church frequently travel to visit other churches internationally. There are frequent regional and international conferences and trainings throughout the year where we see more of the “breadth, length, height, and depth” of the Body of Christ (Eph. 3:18).

Is there a dress code?
We have no dress code, and we simply encourage you to be led by the Spirit in all things (Rom. 8:14).