In the nineteenth century (the 1800’s), Scandinavian believers of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish heritage came to the United States in large numbers, forming what they would call “free” churches, meaning churches which were not under control of a state-sponsored church.  During the late 1800s and early 1900s, many new, “free” churches were formed from this common Scandinavian heritage as more immigrants came to the U.S., settling primarily in the upper Midwest