THe History of Osceola Grace

The opening services of the church, first known as Bethel Brethren Church, were held in 1929. This new congregation was taken on as a mission point by the Home Missions Board of The Brethren Church (Ashland). By 1931 the church had grown to nearly 100 people and had built a basement church building on Apple Road (that building is what was once the Debbie Werbrouck School of Dance). Some difficult years followed, however. During the depression of the 1930’s, sometimes attendance was as low as 20 and the total offering would be less than 5 dollars. At one low point in 1935 the church actually voted to discontinue services. But before the next Sunday the Lord provided new pastoral leadership and the church continued. 

In 1939 when the division arose between The Brethren Church (Ashland) and the new Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, the church chose to affiliate with the Grace Brethren because of their biblically fundamental and spiritual convictions. Because the Home Missions Board of the Ashland group still held a $2,500 mortgage on the church building, the church was invited to vacate its facility.

For a while the church met in homes, in a rented storefront, or in open air along Baugo Creek. In 1940 the group purchased property on Lincolnway at Oregon Avenue. A small frame church building was built, and in 1946 a larger, permanent building was constructed (that building has since housed the Michiana Korean Church and a Retirement Center). This facility housed the church for over 30 years, through times of significant ministry and growth.

In 1955 the church took a giant step of faith by beginning the first evangelical Christian day school in Northern Indiana. Brethren Christian School continued through 1998 at which time it was discontinued due to financial constraints. The church moved to its present facility on Apple Road because the Lincolnway building was increasingly inadequate to handle the church's future growth. This move proved to be a difficult and costly one, but again the people persevered in faith. It was at the time of the move that the church officially adopted the name Osceola Grace Brethren Church.

The history of the church is a testimony to a people of spiritual strength and stamina as well as a panorama of outpourings of God's grace and blessings. Yes, there have been heartaches, disappointments, tragedies, and some people have turned away. But multitudes have followed Christ and many "OGBCers" have been witnessing to others locally, across the nation, and around the world. Over the years the "double arrow" has become a logo, of sorts, for the Osceola Grace Brethren Church family.  The church family has also  become known in our community as "OGBC".

Our most recent change has been to move toward the name Osceola Grace Church because the "Brethren" term was getting confusing to explain with so many other "Brethren" in our roots.  We are still Grace Brethren but choose to focus upon "Grace" as we seek to connect to our community.

The History of the Grace Brethren Movement

In the early 1700’s, a dynamic revival swept across Europe. In Germany, many of these revived believers became dissatisfied with the cold formalism and error in the three state religions (Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed). They longed for a church in which they could worship God according to the Bible, the Spirit, and their conscience. As a result, a number of these believers settled at Schwarzenau on the Eider River because its prince offered them freedom to worship and study the Bible. Among those were eight people who saw the need for a new fellowship of churches built solely upon the teachings of the New Testament. From that day to this, the only "creed" the fellowship has ever had is: "The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible".

In their study of the Scripture, these first "brethren" became convinced of all the great doctrines of the Christian faith, some of which had been seriously neglected in that day. They observed teachings such as triune immersion, footwashing, anointing the sick, and non-hierarchical church government. Alexander Mack, often called the founder of the movement, was the first of the group to receive baptism, and he in turn baptized the others.

The "brethren" grew and prospered in Schwarzenau from their humble beginnings in 1708. It was not long however, until persecution again reared its ugly head. The group began to be called derogatory names like Tunkers, Dunkards, AnaBaptists, Dippers, and New Baptists. 

By 1719 the persecution scattered the brethren from their homes, much like the case of the early disciples in Acts. They spread throughout Europe, and several groups came to America. In 1729 Alexander Mack himself came to Germantown (Philadelphia), Pennsylvania. In America, these brethren proved to be zealous missionaries, rugged pioneers, and good solders of Jesus Christ declaring the whole counsel of God. The movement grew and spread across the nation.

Unfortunately, two major division have split the brethren movement in America. In 1881 there was a division resulting in "The Church of the Brethren" and "The Brethren Church". Our heritage is "The Brethren Church" which advocated education and pay for pastors, less conformity in dress, and less centralized authority in the Fellowship. The second major division, in 1939, resulted in "The Brethren Church" (Ashland Brethren), and "The Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches" (Grace Brethren). Grace Brethren stood for sound biblical teaching, moral and doctrinal purity, Christian liberty, and the eternal security of the believer.

Today there are over 1,000 Grace Brethren churches, with over 200,000 believers, in at least 12 countries around the world. God has honored this humble fellowship which was born out of Bible study, and continues its commitment to Jesus Christ and the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16-20).