Our history
Established around 200 years ago, the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church was founded by John Nelson Darby, one of the most influential Protestant thinkers of the 19th century.
Who We Are
Learn about our origins
We were formed in the early nineteenth century in England after a growing dissatisfaction with the Anglican Church. This feeling led to a number of independent meetings where men and women gathered to learn teachings from the New Testament of the Holy Bible. Right from the beginning, these gatherings were centred on the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, also known as Holy Communion, which continues to be core to our faith.
This newly formed fellowship, referred to as the “Brethren”, rejected an ecclesiastical arrangement and focused instead on individuals’ direct relationship with God. They met in simple meeting rooms for the Lord’s Supper and to join in prayer and preach the gospel, just as we do today.
By 1829, the first permanent meetings had been formed and the participants adopted the name the Plymouth Brethren as some of the founding teachers hailed from Plymouth, southern England.
John Nelson Darby was instrumental in forming the PBCC. By the mid nineteenth century, members had immigrated to North and South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand and the foundation for a global Christian fellowship had been established.