What is a тАЬBereanтАЭ anyway?
Being called a Berean comes from Acts 17:10-11.
In verse 11 it says that those from Berea (hence, the Bereans) were nobler than the people in Thessalonica because they тАЬreceived the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.тАЭ
So, when we say that someone is a тАЬBereanтАЭ we mean that they do two things:
(1) They have an open mind and willingly receive the Word of God when it is taught to them and
(2) But then, they check out what they were taught by comparing it with the Scriptures.
Both aspects are important. Some people are so closed minded that they will not even listen to anything new or that might threaten what they already know. Others are so gullible that they accept whatever is told them without ever checking it against what the Bible says. Both extremes are to be avoided.
We listen to what someone has to say because we are eager to learn The Word of God more perfectly.