Seven years after publication of the controversial ground-breaking bestseller The Seduction of Christianity in 1985, its authors, Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon, joined forces on another front. The Berean Call was formed under the direction of Dave Hunt for the purpose of encouraging spiritual discernment among those who regarded themselves not just as "evangelicals" but as biblical Christians. The primary vehicle for this endeavor was through the publication of the newsletter The Berean Call. Behind every article is the exhortation to believers to get back into the Word of God instead of being “carried about by every wind of doctrine,” and to equip them with materials to help them walk in the truth.
The ministry and newsletter name is taken from Acts:17:11These 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.
See All..., in which the writer of Acts commended those in the synagogue of the Greek city of Berea for being more fair minded than those in Thessalonica—because not only were they eager to receive the Word, but the Bereans also checked it against what the Apostle Paul taught them in order to see if his teaching was according to the Scriptures.
As the mailing list increased, so did the number of employees and volunteers. Through God’s provision, the ministry was able to expand its floor space to accommodate a warehouse for storage, a shipping and packing department, a radio studio, audio duplication and video editing departments, bookkeeping and mail-order departments, as well as editorial, graphics and administrative departments. While many of these divisions consist of only one or two employees, and the volume of mail, orders and product output is generally quite high, TBC consistently receives praise and thanks for the quality and speed with which products are dispersed, as well as the courtesy and consideration given to people over the phone and through personal letters written in response to their questions.
The Berean Call has always operated on the belief that God will provide as we seek His face, so we do not make appeals for financial help. While the ministry operates primarily on donations, these are freewill and not solicited. TBC has seen God “do exceeding abundantly above” all that was asked or thought.
Dave and Tom have continued to supply the articles and answers to questions in the newsletter itself, and they have also written and produced books and videos through the years. The materials carried by TBC are thought provoking and regarded controversial by some, and are therefore not offered by many Christian bookstores. For nearly ten years the weekly radio program, Search the Scriptures Daily, was broadcast on more than 300 stations as well as the internet. Though no longer in production, STSD is re-broadcast on many stations and is always available on TBC's website.
At present, the ministry is branching out into new territory seeking to reach more people with the truth of God’s Word by way of the Internet, in-house videos, e-books and other means. The radio/tape/cd ministry has continued to grow. The ministry receives letters and inquiries from around the world, as people are introduced to the newsletter and Dave’s and T. A.’s books.