The Australian Free Church was established in 1979 when Eric Turnbull (1928–2013) was removed from being a minister of the
Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia. According to Rowland Ward and Robert Humphreys, this was for "refusing to desist from teaching that the
King James Bible is the
very Word of God to the exclusion of other translations," such as the NIV or NASB, although the church's website states that it was formed "out of a desire to maintain the standards of doctrine, worship and church government held by our Scottish spiritual forebears." The church website also states they "use the Authorised Version (KJV) as the most faithful English translation." Turnbull was the minister at
East St Kilda and took the more active part of the congregation with him. After several moves a church building was purchased in
Chadstone in 1988. A number of people in Hamilton also adhered to the Australian Free Church. In 1994 the Australian Free Church applied to join the
Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland but their application was declined. They have fraternal relations with the
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). The first
Presbytery of the Australian Free Church was constituted in 2002. == Statistics ==