History

The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (Proverbs 29:18). Sixteen men, from the Lord’s church in Sinton, met with the “vision” of building a congregation in Odem. The building in Odem, TX stands as a tribute to that meeting on March 27, 1957. The agreement was simple. The brethren in Sinton would build the meeting house and those in Odem, the preacher’s house. Almost a month later, 5 elders and 7 deacons would be chosen. The first act of the eldership would be the hiring of W.E. Brown of the Houston Terrace congregation in San Antonio. 

On June 9th, 3 months after that first meeting, the doors of the meeting house were opened and Christians worshipped God, as a congregation, for the first time in Odem, TX. The brethren here faithfully loved and served the Lord as the Park Ave. church of Christ until 1989. It was then that the name was changed to the current name, Odem church of Christ.

The church in Odem has rendered decades of faithful service to God. Sometimes that service was sometimes marred by heartache, tragedy, and disappointment. Other times, she would be energized by hope, love, and triumph over sin. But through it all, with the help of God, the congregation in Odem has endured for 50 years.

During the last half-century, there have been changes to the building. A new foyer was added after Hurricane Celia in 1969.  The Rose House was replaced by a new annex facility in 2000.

Over the years, brethren have come and gone. The church has seen lives begun, lives ended, and souls saved. She has been overseen by various elders, even enduring several years without an eldership. There have been ten preachers to regularly occupy her pulpit: W.E. Brown, Gene Glaesar, Roy Smalling, Jack Fowler, John Goodwin, Bob LeCroix, Steve Orbison, Billy Novosad, Kevin Hahn, and Patrick Hammack. The church has grown and changed in many ways since it’s inception in 1957. She stands as a testament to the power and might of God and shows the results of what happens when His will is implanted in hearts of men. 

Although there have been many changes, one thing has not. The simple, soul-saving gospel has hailed from her pulpit for 50 years. The flicker of light that was ignited 50 years ago now burns brightly in this world of darkness. May God continue to grant her His favor and bless her efforts in the next five decades as He has in the last five.