Our History

The families comprising the Martinsville Church of God...now the Martinsville Bible Church...in its first organization migrated from   Richland County, Ohio in the fall of 1847.  They first went to Missouri but because of slavery in that state they left there shortly after arriving and came to Martinsville.

In the spring of 1848, several others came to join the original group. Elder Henry Rupp was a member of the Eldership of the Churches of God in Ohio but was unable to be much use to this group because he could only speak in German. However, prayer meetings were held regularly in private homes.

This little band of Christian soldiers had many trials to endure in their new homes as settlers usually had on new frontiers, yet they continued in prayer, always praying that the Lord would lead them to establish a church here. 

After some time, the members seriously felt the need for a suitable house of worship, and in the spring of 1858 a building was begun and completed that same year. Elder Henry Rupp by now had learned English and continued to serve the church until the fall of 1864. This was a period of severe trial owing to the unsettled state of the country during the Civil War. However, the church held steadfast in the preaching of God’s Word and weathered the storm in fair condition. 

Having continued services in the original building, the congregation gathered there on a Sunday in November of 1900. Singing “We’re Marching to Zion”, they left the old frame building for the last time; and carrying their hymnals with them, walked across the street to the newly-completed brick building that we worship in at the present time on the corner of Vine and Mill Streets in Martinsville. During the summer of 1909 the church erected two additional rooms on the south side of the church at a cost of $854. The lovely art glass windows were added at an expense of $106, as well as new seating and carpeting, bringing the church’s total expense to $1,100. In July of 1947, the Centennial year of the church, it was voted to withdraw from the Church of God Eldership and become independent. The name of the church was changed to The Martinsville Bible Church.  In 1949, the church became affiliated with the Independent Fundamental Churches of America International.

Most recently, in early 2006, the congregation once again took their hymnals and marched to the new church building located on Ridgelawn where one can find them worshipping today.

Edited by Linda Miller from the Condensed History of the Martinsville Bible Church by Eugene Durnal