Our Leadership

Steve Berg Sr. – Pastor

Steve was raised in Northern Minnesota and graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1988. After High School, Steve attended Hibbing Technical where he received a degree in Electrical Maintenance. Steve eventually obtained his class A Master license and owned and operated Berg Electric, Inc. until the Lord called him into ministry in 2006. Steve graduated from Northland International University in 2010 with a degree in Pastoral Studies. During Steve’s time at NIU, he served as Youth Pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Pembine, WI. He became the senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Witch Lake, Republic, MI in 2009 where he served until May of 2011, when he was called to Deer River Bible Church. Steve is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling. Steve and his wife, Carrie, have four adult children.

Let me extend my warm personal greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and on behalf of Deer River Bible Church. It is my privilege to serve as pastor of a faithful, God honoring, Bible believing, and Christ-serving family of the redeemed. We gather together to worship the triune God, study His inerrant and all-sufficient Word, and to build up the saints to more Christ-likeness and ministry to one another and our needy world. I know you will find us a friendly and loving group that seeks to welcome newcomers and extend our fellowship. If you do not know our Lord, we would love to introduce Him to you. If you already do, we covet your fellowship, whether just visiting or new to the area. Please join us whenever the opportunity presents itself. I would love to meet you personally.

Serving our Lord and His people,

Pastor Steve Berg Sr.

Brian Anderson – Assistant Pastor

Brian was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, graduating from high school in 1975. He attended Word of Life Bible Institute in upstate New York and then transferred to Citadel Bible College in Arkansas where he graduated with a B.A. degree in Bible and Pastoral Studies in 1980.

Brian and his wife, Jo Anne, were married that same year.

From 1980-83 Brian served as assistant pastor at Grace Bible Chapel in Grand Rapids. He then attended Capital Bible Seminary where he received his M.Div. in 1986. Following seminary studies, the Andersons returned to the Grand Rapids area where Brian served as Minister of Church Extension at Grace Bible Chapel. In the months and years that followed, Brian led in the planting of Deer River Bible Church, where he eventually served as pastor until the spring of 2006.

The Andersons had two semesters of studies at Jerusalem University College in Israel, beginning in the fall of 2006, with special focus on biblical history and geography. They returned to Israel in 2010, serving with Association of Baptists for World Evangelism, assisting a church in Jerusalem in varied aspects of ministry. They returned to the U.S. in 2015.

While the Andersons were again attending and serving in various ways at Deer River Bible Church, in 2022 Brian was asked to serve as part-time Assistant Pastor.

Brian and Jo have 4 children and 15 grandchildren.