Scott Berg plants church in his hometown By G. Halliday [1-10-1992]    Southern Baptists told Scott Berg if he opened a Baptist church in North Dakota, they would help him financially.   Berg chose Grafton, his hometown.    "I felt led to come here.   I felt I was a good can- didate.   I know the people and the weather."    Since July, Berg has been busy remodel- ing the former Radio Shack building at the corner of 10th Street and Hill Avenue into a place of wor- ship.    "The first few months we worked on securing property and getting or- ganized."    Now, equipped with a pulpit, piano and a dozen folding chairs, it has become home to at least two families every Sunday, sometimes three.    "We want to build a Baptist church here, regardless of its size," he said.    Considered a home missionary, it's Berg's job to establish a new church.    "Instead of going to a foreign country, we plant churches in the United States, in an area where there are not too many independent Bap- tist churches," he said.    Berg has three reasons for picking Grafton.    "One is to provide a place of Baptist heritage to come if they so choose, two is to provide a place for people who don't have a church home and three if someone is looking for a change."    Berg was a college student at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, when he first became in- volved in the Baptist church.    "I wasn't involved in church.   I knew there was more to life than a job.   I was searching and seek- ing.   I needed a deeper relationship with God.   I needed more than church on Sundays.   One day, there was a knock on my door.   It was someone from the Baptist church inviting me to their church.   I decided to try it out.   It was beautiful singing, no pious religious atmosphere.   The preacher preached a sermon right out of the Bible.   It impressed me.   I kept going.   Eventually, I saw myself as a sinner.   And I became more and more involved."    Berg's involvement in the church led him to en- roll at Northland Baptist Bible Institute in East Grand Forks, a school that opened 15 years ago to "get young men to go out starting churches."    After Berg received his bachelor of theology de- gree in 1985, he became assistant pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Crookston and administrator of a private Christian school in Crookston, positions he held for four years.    Last fall, Berg preached in independent Baptist churches throughout the United States.   His wife, Nadine, and their children, Chad, 5, Elissa, 4, and Wade, 2, traveled in the family's motor home.    "We were in 30 to 35 states.   We traveled from November to April.   We went south to Texas, east                                                     to Florida,                                                     north to New                                                     York, back to                                                     Minnesota and                                                     all states in be-                                                     tween.   I'd                                                     preach, and                                                     they would                                                     give us what                                                     we call a love                                                     offering.   Many                                                     of these con-                                                     gregations                                                     voted to sup-                                                     port me and a                                                     lot of churches                                                     are sending                                                     me money to                                                     get started.   I                                                     was amazed                                                     with the                                                     hospitality.                                                     Some churches                                                     said they                                                     would support                                                     me for six                                                     months, others a year and others as long as I need it.   Many of the churches in the United States, and even Canada, helped me with the downpayment to buy this building.   Those few months of traveling really helped me.   In some churches, I preached to 1,000 people, in others 50."    The Sunday schedule at the Grafton Baptist Church includes Sunday school for children and adults at 10 a.m., worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Bible study Wednesdays at 7 p.m.    Berg said Sunday school and sermons include in-depth studies from the Bible.    "We have lots of singing, no liturgy or for- malities.   It's basically singing and preaching and an offering, of course.   Sometimes, we have musi- cal specials.   We have a piano but not a piano player.   It's pretty unique singing acappella."    The Grafton Baptist Church is currently under the authority of the Crookston church.    According to Berg, the basic teaching of the Baptists is they are saved by grace through faith.    "We don't put mention on religious works, like good deeds as baptism and communion to get to Heaven.   ...people [need to] at the same time take a real close look at their spiritual condition."    Eventually, Berg intends to remodel the build- ing, adding an altar and Sunday school rooms.    "We want to stay low key.   We're proud we're able to say we're a small church."    The son of Odell and LaVonne Berg, Scott lived on a farm outside of Hoople and then in Nash. After graduating from Grafton High School in 1977, he attended NDSU one year, AVTI in Thief River Falls two years and one quarter at UMC.   He farmed with his father until he was 21.   In 1985, he married the former Nadine Spaulding of Minot.    Besides preaching, Berg raises watermelons and cantaloupe on 10 acres for B & B Produce and works part-time for Campbell Brothers.   The Berg family recently purchased a home just out- side of Oakwood. Scott Berg returned to his hometown to share the Gospel.