History

There is an old saying which states, “Despise Not Small Beginnings”, and so it is with the heritage and history of Abundant Life. 

The church was first established in 1942 by Rev. Lowe who erected a one story frame building on East Rudisill Blvd. here in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Known as Apostolic Christian Church, Rev. Lowe pastored there for two years before resigning and handing the pastorate to Rev. George Taylor. Shortly after that, the church was renamed to Calvary Tabernacle and was sold to purchase a school building to accommodate the growth God was sending to the church.

Calvary Tabernacle continued to grow and reach out to people of the Fort Wayne area. After several years, a man by the name of Rev. Ray McFarland assumed the pastorate. The church’s name was renamed again to Calvary United Pentecostal Church and Rev. McFarland began to communicate a vision of unprecedented growth for the body of Christ. With that vision in mind, the church purchased 6.70 acres of land at the location of 2702 Spring Street across the street from Saint Francis College. Thought of as an extremely risky move by many others in the fellowship, the church was intent on pursuing their vision. The people of Calvary built a new worship facility of 8,000 sq. ft. with the option of being expandable…revival was on the way.

In 1970, Rev. McFarland resigned and Rev. Walter Raines became pastor. Under Rev. Raines leadership Calvary UPC was remodeled, property next to the church was purchased, and the mortgage for the church was burned. God’s people were once again, sitting on the precipice of growth. 

Rev. Raines resigned as pastor in 1978 and was succeeded by Rev. Charles T. Stovall, who led the church in the construction of an annex building/ fellowship hall for the newly developed Calvary Christian Academy. Continuing to lead the church in revival and growth, Rev. Stovall began to feel the call of God to the Mission Field. In 1986, Rev. Stovall resigned the church to become a missionary to Germany and handed the pastorate to Rev. David E. Keller. 

Rev. Keller continued with the God given vision of revival and growth for Fort Wayne, Indiana and the people of Calvary UPC. He and his family labored tirelessly as the body of Christ continued to grow and expand, resulting in an addition to the church building to accommodate seating. Even with the expansion however, it wasn’t but a few years until the church was outgrowing the existing facility. The decision was made, and Calvary UPC in 1993 embarked on the journey to construct a brand new worship facility to house the souls God was sending to His church. The new worship center was completed in 1994 and then in 1998 the name of the church was changed to Abundant Life Tabernacle. 

The growth and revival never stopped but seemed to increase from year to year. After another expansion and addition to the new facility Rev. D.E. Keller, his leadership staff and the people of Abundant Life began to pray and seek God once again concerning the now overcrowded facilities. Through prayer, the Spirit of God began to move throughout the city of Fort Wayne, and on January 10, 2007 the sale of the facilities on 2702 Spring Street was completed to the University of Saint Francis and Abundant Life purchased the former First Assembly of God building at 3301 East Coliseum Blvd. God performed the miraculous and Abundant Life was a recipient of a new 100,000 sq. ft. facility to reach out to every lost, hurting, hungry soul in the Fort Wayne area.