If you drive South through Broken Arrow on 129th (Olive) near 121st, you have probably noticed an old white church building with an old cemetery. Known as the White Church, this church was built in 1875, making it the the oldest church building in the Tulsa area.

Today the church is called Full Gospel Grace Assembly. Founded originally as a Creek Presbyterian mission, for much its existence it has been a Pentecostal church. Its history is connected to Tulsa’s Pentecostal history.

The roots of the White Church go back to 1875, before Oklahoma statehood. The small white church was founded and built by Daniel Childers, a member of the Creek Tribe in Broken Arrow. The church was founded as a Creek Presbyterian Mission and school for the Creek community. The local Creek members called it “Hutkie” Church, the Creek word for “white.”

One of the early pastors of the Presbyterian mission was the famous missionary and pastor, Robert M. Loughridge (Lockridge) who was also responsible for founding several other churches and missions around Tulsa and Muskogee.[1] The cemetery, named after him, is one of the oldest in the area. Many of the early Broken Arrow Creek residents are buried there.

In 1928, the property and church was sold to three families who became trustees of the Church building. One was C. O. Stafford whose descendants own the property today. The church had ups and downs during the 1930’s and 1940’s and closed for a few years during WWII.

There is not much information on the Church during the 1950s and early 1960s. Pastors included Charles Bogler and perhaps others. But in 1967, Dean Stafford became the pastor of the White Church. The church changed the name from “White Church” after Pastor Stafford received a phone call from someone asking if the church was “only for white folks.”[2] Stafford renamed it Full Gospel Grace Assembly. The church continues to preach the full gospel grace message and the building has been established as a historical landmark.

For more on Tulsa’s Pentecostal history, check out my book Pentecost in Tulsa

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[1] Nancy [no last name listed on blog], “Reverend Loughridge,” August 28, 2011, Tulsa Gal, accessed October 31, 2020, http://www.tulsagal.net/2011/08/reverend-loughridge.html.

[2] Bill Sherman, “Longevity Has a Purpose: Oldest Church Building was Named After Its White Paint,” Tulsa World, June 23, 2007.