The history of St. Paul’s Free Lutheran Church begins with the history of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations. The AFLC was formed in October 1962 as a group of Lutherans from the former Lutheran Free Church who desired to retain congregational polity, wholesome Christian piety in lifestyle, and most importantly, a strong stand on the inerrancy of Scripture. They organized a Mission Board and called Rev. John Abel as director. A church building, located at 16th Avenue and 5th St. North in Fargo, was purchased two months later and served as the Mission Center for the new AFLC. A legal Missions Corporation was formed, and owned the building until it was sold to the St. Paul’s Congregation in 1971.
The actual congregation began with a group of people who met for fellowship in the Mission Center on Sunday afternoons, beginning in August of 1963, also under the leadership of Rev. Abel. The first regular Sunday morning worship and Sunday School sessions were held on September 15, 1963. The congregation officially organized on February 2, 1964, with 49 charter members, and received Home Mission aid until it became self-supporting June 3, 1979. In December of 2005 St. Paul’s purchased its current facility located at 2802 12th St. South in Fargo, and moved there in 2006.