RBC Spotlight: Professor Levi Berntson, Instructor in Theology

Posted On August 09, 2022

As our new instructor in theology, Professor Berntson will teach on-campus courses in Bible and theology and will also provide academic support for our online students. He earned a B.A. in Christian Studies from John Witherspoon College and two master’s degrees from Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi: an M.A. in theological studies and an M.Div. with an emphasis in biblical exegesis. He has been accepted into the Ph.D program at the University of Aberdeen, where he will be translating and evaluating the work of the Dutch Reformed theologian Campegius Vitringa. Drawing from his experience teaching and tutoring, especially in biblical languages, Professor Berntson anticipates preparing RBC students for success in a variety of vocations and endeavors.

We recently sat down with Professor Berntson to ask him about his life, faith, and work at RBC.

When and how did you come to faith in Christ?

I came to faith in Christ after an evening worship service in Valley City, ND, at around the age of seven or eight years old. The preacher had proclaimed the gospel, and I was confronted with the simplicity of it.

What’s your favorite book of the Bible or favorite author?

Hands down, my favorite book of the Bible is Hebrews. I have read Hebrews in Greek at least a dozen times, and every time I return to it I am struck by the profundity of the relationship between the Old and New Testaments described in this wonderful book.

Have you traveled overseas for missions? If so, where?

Yes, my wife and I met on a mission trip to Brazil when we were in our last years of high school. We loved our time there, and we helped with work at Bible camps, orphanages, and schools. I have also been to Israel.

What do you have a passion for?

I have a passion for understanding. This is why I am so fond of reading and learning, but it is also why I am passionate about teaching. I love when I understand something, but I love it more when I can help someone else understand something too.

Why do you enjoy teaching at RBC?

I think RBC is the embodiment of the kind of college in which I most believe. Not only is the rigorous curriculum centered around the Bible and theology, but these studies are reinforced with classical literature, languages, history, and philosophy. I believe the kind of education offered at RBC is exactly what the Christian church needs today. I am delighted to be a part of it.

What book, other than the Bible, has influenced you the most?

The first theological book that I ever read was Dr. R.C. Sproul’s Chosen by God. This work not only brought me to a deep love for our sovereign God, but it also introduced me to the study of theology.

How do you serve at your local church?

I love to serve the local church, especially in teaching and preaching. I have been doing this nearly every week for many years.

If you weren’t a professor at RBC, what would you be doing?

If I weren’t a professor, I would probably be an entrepreneur.

What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes?

One hobby I enjoy is fitness. I love the weight room. I also enjoy cooking and nutrition. And I cannot neglect to confess that I have an affinity for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Do you have a favorite sports team or athlete?

My favorite athlete, in the past, was Peyton Manning, quarterback for Indianapolis and Denver.

Do you have children?

Yes, my wife and I have one daughter.

How long have you lived in Florida?

My wife, daughter, and I are new to Florida. We moved here this summer to begin our work at RBC.

How were you first introduced to Dr. Sproul’s teaching?

I was first introduced to Dr. Sproul’s teaching while listening to Renewing Your Mind on the radio in a tractor. I grew up on a farm in North Dakota, so I had many hours in my high school years to listen to his teaching while driving back and forth in a field.

What books would you recommend to students starting at RBC?

I would highly recommend Dr. Sproul’s The Holiness of God and Chosen by God. Both of these resources are excellent introductions to Reformed theology, and they provide an important foundation on which all of the courses at RBC are built.

What is something you wish you knew before going to seminary?

Before going to seminary, I wish I would have known how to be humble. As an early student, it was so easy for me to think that I knew it all. I was wrong. The more I read and the more I listened to my professors, the more I realized how little I actually knew. I learned to trust my instructors and to have an appropriate view of myself.

How and when did you know you wanted to be a professor?

During my last year of high school, I knew I wanted to teach theology. The more I poured myself into that study in those early years, the more my love for God grew and matured. I believe that the Lord has called me to pass that love for God on to more of His servants.

What most excites you about becoming a professor at RBC?

There is nothing that gets me more excited than the Bible. I am thrilled any time that I get to set the Word before inquiring minds. I’m also thrilled that RBC is a place where students come for precisely this purpose. It is my great honor to serve them.