Our History
The Fellowship of Christian Believers is an outgrowth of past Pentecostal/Apostolic movements. Many such movements have been limited by the cumbersome parameters of organizational structure. We feel that to be bound to and by organizations which limit the freedom to fellowship, hinders our carrying forth the command “…Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature…” Why is my liberty judged of another’s conscience?
This desire for fellowship and love between Apostolic organizations led us to incorporate in the year 1963. Our founders were Bishop Louis W. Osborne Sr. and Grace C. Osborne in the city of Portland, Oregon. The fellowship at that time was called Faith Tabernacle Corporation of Churches F.T.C.C.) and later in 1989 changed to Faith Tabernacle Council of Churches, International; to include the growth of churches in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Haiti, Jamaica, and Mexico. FTCC continued to make its mark in Russia and China as delegates ministered to souls there. Bishops Louis Osborne Sr and Jr were also honored with several invitations to the White House for special briefing by President Ronald Reagan.
In 1994, our founder and Presiding Prelate Bishop Louis Osborne, Sr made history as he consecrated the first African American female to the bishopric, Bishop Grace Catherine Osborne. He also stepped down from his office after appointing Bishop Grace Osborne as Chief Executive Officer and President of F.T.C.C. In 1996, she and the Board of Bishops legally changed the name of this organization to the Fellowship of Christian Believers, Inc. to describe our relationship more accurately within the Body. F.C.B. seeks to be a fellowship indeed bound together not by rules, but a genuine desire to strengthen one another through accountability, love, and the sharing of resources.
Founder | Bishop Louis W. Osborne Sr.
Founder's | Bishop Louis W. Osborne Sr. & Grace C. Osborne
Our Leadership
The Honorable Bishop Louis W. Osborne, Jr.
Presiding Prelate
Louis W. Osborne, Jr. was born May 27, 1946, in San Francisco, California, the second of 13 children to Louis W. Osborne, Sr., and Ruth Osborne. He received Christ in his life at the age of seven years with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. His life has been one of service to Christ, the church, and the global community.
Louis Jr. (fondly called “Butch”) served as Youth Pastor and Choir Director at the Faith Tabernacle Church in Portland, Oregon from 1961 to 1964. Upon graduation from High School in 1964, he entered the United States Air Force and served 4 years as a Russian Linguist and Intelligence Analyst with top-secret cryptographic clearance in England, and with the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C. Following his tour of duty in the United States Air Force, Reverend Osborne worked with the Department of Housing and Urban Development for 15 years as an Appraiser; Realty Specialist; Housing Management Specialist; Counseling Service Advisor; Director of Neighborhoods, Voluntary Associations and Consumer Protection; Special Assistant to the Area Manager; and finally, the Director of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
During the period 1968-1983 while employed for the government, Reverend Osborne spent considerable time working for his local and national church bodies in the following capacities as: Youth Pastor, Minister of Music and Sunday School Teacher, Director of Administration and Member of Board of Directors, National Youth Chairman for Faith Tabernacle Council of Churches and National Minister of Music, Associate Minister of St. Andrews United Church of Christ and 1981 - 1984 Pastor, St. Andrews United Church of Christ. In 1984, Reverend Osborne relocated to Houston, Texas and on February 10, 1985, he founded the Apostolic Assembly of Love Church in the living room of his home with 10 worshipping members.
Reverend Osborne was elevated to the Office of Bishop and consecrated in December of 1994. He has written, produced and recorded an album of gospel music, toured nationally as a guest choir director, and been honored with several invitations to the White House for special briefing by President Reagan. Bishop Osborne has traveled extensively, in an effort to share the love of Christ, to Mexico, South Africa, Korea, Zimbabwe and Russia where he taught for two weeks in an Apostolic Bible school in St. Petersburg. He has also served as the General Secretary and later the Assistant Presiding Prelate for the Fellowship of Christian Believers, and the Home and Foreign Missions' auxiliary bishop. In April of 2022, Bishop Osborne was elevated to his present position as the Presiding Prelate of the Fellowship of Christian Believers.
Bishop Osborne is married to Lady Gwendolyn Willis-Osborne of San Angelo, Texas. They have 3 adult children: Yolonda, Danny, Joy and six grandchildren.
Honorable Bishop Grace C. Osborne, D.D.
Senior Bishop and CEO
Grace Catherine Schultz Osborne was born in Kansas City, Missouri to Bishop David and Grace Schultz. She received her early education in Louisville, Kentucky. She then continued her education in Columbus, Ohio at Franklin University, Capital University and Aenon Bible College. She furthered her education at Warner Pacific College and Portland State University, where she is honored with a “Women’s Federation for World Peace” plaque (the plaque is a permanent fixture in PSU’s Garden), as well as other institutions of higher learning. She received her Bachelor and Master’s Degrees from the International Institute and Seminary.
In 1960, Grace Catherine Osborne was ordained in the ministry in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1963, she and her late husband Bishop L.W. Osborne Sr. founded the Faith Tabernacle Church, Inc., later reorganized as The Faith Tabernacle Corporation of Churches. She served as the Minister of Education for 17 years at the Faith Tabernacle Church until 1986 when Bishop Louis W. Osborne, Sr. retired as pastor and appointed her in his stead. She served faithfully for seven years and then resigned to establish another work which she named Grace Covenant Fellowship in 1993 and later consecrated to the office of Bishop, the first female to be elevated to that position in her organization. In 1994, she was again elevated to the office of Presiding Bishop of the Faith Tabernacle Council of Churches, Inc.(FTCC). In 1996, the Lord led her to change the name to the Fellowship of Christian Believers (FCB) to reflect our relationship more accurately within the Body of Christ.
In 1964, Grace was the first African American teacher employed with the Head Start program in the city of Portland, Oregon. She also held the position of Principle of the Louis 1st Elementary Christian School. She was elected president of the Oregon Association of Ministers Wives and Ministers Widows and served as one of the Regional Vice Presidents in the International Association. Her region included the states of Oregon, California, Alaska, and Hawaii. She now serves as the president Emeritus for the State of Oregon. In 2011, Mrs. Grace C. Osborne was nominated as Portland’s American Mother of the Year, an organization founded in 1935 by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Grace served as a Chairman of North Portland Bible College for several years. She has served her community through her involvement as a board member of the Black United Fund, Portland Released Time Educational Program, One Church One Child, Friends of Sister of the Streets, 1st and 2nd Vice President of Albina Ministerial Alliance. Additionally, Bishop Grace has served on the Services for Children and Families Adoption Committee, the Franciscan Loan Committee and on the Advisory Committee for the Center for Health Research Committee. Grace is also President of Grace Cathedral Ministries, an organization designed to address the needs of the drug affected, homeless population and the health-related problems including AIDS. Bishop Grace continues to serve as the Presiding Prelate and CEO of the Fellowship of Christian Believers, Inc., formerly known as the Faith Tabernacle Council of Churches, Inc., and pastor of Grace Covenant Fellowship Ministries in Portland, Oregon.
Bishop George W. McCree
General Secretary
George W. McCree received his call to ministry as a teenager at Faith Tabernacle Church in Portland, Oregon. He was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus at the tender age of seven and received the infilling of the Holy Spirit at the age of twelve. He attributes his spiritual tutelage to the late Bishop Louis Osborne Sr. and Bishop Grace Osborne of Portland, OR. From a teen, Brother George worked in the local church in numerous capacities, primarily in the areas of music, youth, and education. He later rendered service in the international body, the Fellowship of Christian Believers, as its National Youth Director and Minister of Music for several years.
Brother George completed courses in biblical and religious studies through Aenon Bible College and Portland State University and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology and Biblical Counseling from Hill University. He was ordained to the eldership in 1986.
Elder McCree relocated to Phoenix, Arizona and became a member of First Pentecostal Church, an affiliate of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. He served as an associate minister from 1989 to 2003, aiding in the development of ministers and church leaders alike, and in the area of music as the Sanctuary Choir Director.
After much prayer and surrender, Elder McCree, yielded to the clarion call to the pastorate. On September 28, 2003 “New Vision Christian Fellowship” opened its doors, founded by Elder McCree, more affectionately known as “Pastor George” and Lady Robyn in the city of Gilbert, Arizona. In 2004, Pastor George and the newly founded assembly joined the Fellowship of Christian Believers; a ministerial alliance co-founded by his father and mother in the Gospel. He served faithfully in the capacities of Minister of Music, Youth President, Conference Coordinator and Adjutant to the Bishops. In 2013, Pastor George was consecrated to the office of bishop by presiding prelate, Bishop Grace C. Osborne. And in 2017, Bishop George was appointed to the office of the General Secretariat and currently serves on the Executive Board as General Secretary and Youth Auxiliary Director. Bishop George is a teacher, evangelist, and encourager to the Body of Christ. His desire is to see lost souls won to Christ and the character of men and women transformed for Kingdom living. Among his accomplishments, Bishop McCree has authored two inspirational books entitled, “Treasure Chest” and “15 Years of Grace”.
Bishop George McCree is the husband of the esteemed Robyn Henry-McCree, the father of three adult children: Angelica, Chantel, and George III, and three grandchildren: Arimi, Jaden and Zyiah.