The ministry of Faith Church had its inception in the fall of 1943 when a handful of Lutherans were among the thousands who came to Oak Ridge to work on the World War II Manhattan Project. J. A. Rolfing, personnel director for Tennessee Eastman, obtained a permit from the U.S. Army to hold services in one of the Army chapels under construction. Area Lutheran ministers had to be enlisted to convince the Lutheran Home Mission Board in St. Louis that Oak Ridge, which did not appear on any maps, did indeed exist. And Texas missionary J.H.C. Sieck was sent to lead the 16 members who attended the first service at the “East Village Chapel” on February 13, 1944, even before heat had been installed.

When the Lutheran Home Mission Board became aware of the size of the project in Oak Ridge, a second minister was sent in July 1944 to assist and subsequently organize a mission in the Highland View neighborhood in the elementary school auditorium. He was recalled by the Mission Board six months later, and the two missions were combined at East Village Chapel, with a bus rented to provide transportation between the two neighborhoods.

The young congregation was first known as “East Village Chapel Congregation,” with J. A. Rolfing as president and John Peters as Sunday School superintendent. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) was organized in May and that summer conducted the first Vacation Bible School, which was held at Elm Grove Elementary School, was staffed by student teachers obtained through the Mission Board, and was attended by more than 100 children. The men’s Lutheran Laymen’s League (LLL) was formed in July, with the ambitious project of hosting over 200 attendees at the Tennessee LLL Convention held at the city’s Central Cafeteria.

In 1945 the name of the church was changed to “East Lutheran Church” and then to “The Church of the Lutheran Hour.” In 1947, the congregation adopted its first constitution and approved the permanent name of “Faith Lutheran Church.”

The present church site at 1300 Viking Road was purchased in March 1950, and the first unit—consisting of a sanctuary, two areas for Sunday School classes, pastor's office, and a kitchen—was dedicated in September 1951. The unit was financed by member contributions, loans from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Extension Fund, and First Lutheran Church in Knoxville.

A new sanctuary, with semicircular rows of pews around the chancel area, and extensive remodeling of the Sunday School rooms was completed and dedicated in March 1965. A third building program (1967-1968) added six classrooms to the educational unit. The most recent building project—an enlarged, circular narthex, additional classrooms, and relocation of offices—was dedicated to the glory of God in November 1996.

The following pastors have served Faith Lutheran Church:

1944 – 1947 1944 - 1946 1946 - 1947	J. H. C. Sieck G. Groerich, Assistant Andrew Fritze, Assistant
1947 – 1949	E. G. Neunaber
1949 – 1951	Walter W. Grumm
1951 – 1952	Roland Frerking, Interim
1952 – 1962	Julius V. Kimpel
1962	Robert Kuntz, Interim
1962 – 1971	Ross J. Schuler
1971 – 1972	Joseph Meitzer, Interim
1972 – 2006	James P. Evers
2006 – 2007	William Wagner, Interim
2007 – present	William Wagner

Note: Most of the above information is derived from "History of Faith Lutheran Church, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1944 - 2004" compiled by founding member and longtime church historian Charles Kienberger.