Rinse the dry beans in a colander and pick over the beans to remove any debris or broken beans.
Place the beans in the crock pot and cover them with cold water and cover them by several inches.
Allow the beans to soak overnight.
The next morning, drain off the water from the beans and return the beans back to the crock pot.
Add the water or broth to the crock pot with the seasonings (minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper). Make sure that the liquid covers the beans by 2 inches over the top of them.
Cook the beans in the crock pot on high for 3-4 hours until the beans are tender.
Once the beans are tender, drain off any excess liquid and then the beans are ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
You can cook the beans on low for 6-8 hours but I find that the beans get more tender by cooking on high in the crock pot. You can cook the beans in the crock pot without soaking overnight but they will take 5-6 hours on high. I prefer to soak the beans as they cook with a better texture and soaking them reduces the gas produced by the beans during digestion.