In November of 1996, four couples sat around a dining room table sharing a vision that God had laid on each of their hearts. The vision was for a place people could come as they were to praise and worship, a place where the whole Bible was taught, and a place to find God. It was also essential to create a place for the hurting to come and find rest. One of the most important parts of the vision was to make it a safe and fun place for children to come and for teenagers to hangout.
The search for a building ended when an empty sale barn was found. Over the next 6 weeks, untold hours were spent cleaning, painting and remodeling the building. Every spare moment, spare dollar and spare favor owed was used to get things ready for the first service that was held on January 12, 1997. From four families around a table, we had 43 people in service that cold January day.
Seven years later, Open Bible Praise Center purchased land on Hwy 87 and began the process of building the 30,000 square foot facility you see today. Done in phases, services were first held in what now is the gymnasium while the remaining areas were completed. What you see is not the end of a huge building contract but instead the blood sweat and tears of many talented carpenters, electricians, plumbers and volunteers that donated their time and their hard work to Kingdom work. No words can express the gratitude due these individuals.
As our building and ministries grew, our name shortened. Though we are still affiliated with the Open Bible Churches, we are known in the community and by our congregation as The Praise Center.
