I like Bereans - and actually like to think that I am a Berean. In Acts 17, Paul visits a backwater town called Berea to preach the gospel. The people of this region stuck out (and were actually called "more noble" than their neighbors) because they were a questioning bunch. They listened to Paul teach and instead of just accepting or rejecting his message, they would only trust his teaching after they studied the scriptures for themselves to see if what he was saying jived with God's Word. These guys challenged authority. They were godly nonconformists. They asked tough questions and had a healthy skeptical trust that led them to continually center themselves on God's word instead of man's traditions. These are the people in our churches who say, "Hey Steve. I enjoyed that sermon. I am going to have to do some digging to see if I agree with it." I love Bereans. May their tribe increase. There is another tribe in our churches, though,
A man made of mud learning to live as an image bearer of God