Living Word Brethren Fellowship is a congregation of the Brethren Church, headquartered in Ashland, Ohio.  So who are the Brethren?

Brethren Beginnings

The Brethren movement began in 1708 in Schwarzenau, Germany, with a group of eight men and women, led by Alexander Mack.  They had become dissatisfied with the established state churches of their day because they emphasized correct doctrine but did nothing to change people’s lives.  Although they had been influenced by Radical Pietists who criticized all organized religion, they became convinced that they must organize in order to be obedient to the commands and example of Christ in Scripture.  In particular, they believed that obedience to Christ required the practices of believer baptism, church discipline, and three­fold communion. 

In 1708, the eight received believer baptism and established a congregation.  They adopted much of their doctrine and practice from the Anabaptists – specifically, the Mennonites.  Their dissent from the established churches led to their persecution.  Because of this persecution, as well as economic factors and internal problems, the Brethren were forced to emigrate.  By the 1730s, almost all the Brethren had moved to America.

Brethren in America

As the German-speaking Brethren interacted with American culture, disagreements arose over how fully to embrace new cultural and religious practices.  In the 1880s, these issues led to a three-way split between the Old German Baptist (or Old Order) Brethren, who wanted to maintain Brethren tradition; the Conservatives (later called the Church of the Brethren), who wanted to maintain a middle position; and the Progressives, who wanted to adopt a variety of new practices such as Sunday School and paid ministry in order to reach the world more effectively with the gospel.  The Progressives became the Brethren Church.  In the 1930s, a split occurred within the Progressive movement as a group withdrew to form the Grace Brethren.

Brethren Today

Today, the Brethren Church is a denomination of about 120 congregations in nine districts.  District organizations and a national organization based in Ashland, Ohio, allow congregations to work together to perform ministries they cannot do alone.  The Brethren Church supports a university and a seminary (Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary).  Brethren also engage in home missions in several regions of the United States and world missions in Mexico, South America, India, and Malaysia.

Much has changed since the Brethren began in 1708.  From a small, uniform, German subculture, the Brethren Church has become a diverse group speaking several languages and witnessing in several different cultures.  There will soon be more people attending Brethren Churches overseas than there are in the United States.  As Progressive Brethren, they have tried to remain faithful to the gospel of Christ, while adopting new methods of expressing that gospel in changing times.  Wherever their journey has taken them, Brethren have tried to witness to Christ both by their beliefs and by their life.