The Church of the Lutheran Brethren came into being as the result of a spiritual awakening that swept over a large territory of the Midwest just before the turn of the century.

The revival did not only cause people to ask, "What must I do to be saved?" but also, "What is the right order in the House of God, as it pertains to church membership, worship, communion, absolution, confirmation, etc.?" They turned to the New Testament for answers to these questions, and there they could find no Scriptural foundation for accepting the unconverted into full membership. Neither could they find any basis for admitting unconverted to communion and for requiring the oath of confirmation from young people who were not in the right relationship with God. Finally, Scripture indicated simplicity of worship as opposed to the elaborate ceremonies which prevailed in many church services. These matters became questions of conscience, and many said with the saints of old, "We must obey God rather than men."

These convictions led to the organization of several independent congregations founded on biblical principles. These congregations came to realize that it was not good for them to stand apart, for that reason they felt the need of organizing into a synod to undertake such joint efforts as home and foreign missions, Christian education, as well as other ministries.

In December 1900, representatives from several independent congregations gathered for a convention at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and decided to organize the Church of the Lutheran Brethren. The constitution of the new synod followed closely that of the Lutheran Free Church of Norway, which had been organized in 1877. It recognized the Biblical basis of the Lutheran doctrine, which states that "the Church is the communion of saints." As such, the congregation should consist of only confessing Christians, whose lives give evidence of their faith.

From the very beginning, interest in world missions was strong. The first missionaries were sent to China in 1902, and a fruitful ministry was carried on in the provinces of Honan and Hupeh until the missionaries were evacuated by the Communists in 1947. Missionary work has, however, continued to flourish among the Chinese people with the establishment of a mission on the island of Taiwan in 1952.

It was decided to begin mission work in Cameroon and Chad in 1917. This work has been blessed by God, so that a great number of converts have been won to Christ. In addition to the evangelistic work, seminaries, Bible schools, and a public health program have been established. Two complete Bibles have been translated in two languages with portions of the Scriptures translated in several more.

In 1949 the synod further expanded its missionary enterprise to include a very neglected field in northern Japan on the island of Honshu. Several churches and a Bible School have been established in Japan.

The Lutheran Brethren School began in 1903 in Wahpeton, North Dakota, was moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1918. In 1935 the school was moved again, this time to Fergus Falls, Minnesota, where it is located at the present time. In 1948 the name was changed to Lutheran Brethren Schools, which includes Hillcrest Lutheran Academy and the Lutheran Brethren Bible College and Seminary.

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren is divided into five districts. Its growth has been conservative rather than phenomenal. Nevertheless, the growth has continued steadily. Many new churches have been organized through the Home Mission Extension Program, and other churches of like convictions have joined the synod.