On October 9, 1897, twelve individuals began a new congregation patterned after the New Testament in Washington County, Tennessee, and gave it the name Eden's Chapel. Land for the church building was offered both by N. T. Edens, the father of the church's first minister, John H. Edens, and by James H. Shipley. After deciding on the Shipley property, which James Shipley gave in memory of his son Harrison, the church changed its name to Harrison's Chapel, although somewhere along the way the name was changed to Harrison Church of Christ. The first building was erected on the site in 1898, and was dedicated the following year by Mr. A. I. Myhr, a Milligan College professor and a Tennessee State Evangelist of the Christian Church at the time.
The church essentially was closed between 1903 and 1909 due to a combination of financial difficulties and a lack of leadership, but the doors were reopened in 1909 as a result of the work and influence of E. Roy Gentry. In 1912, a belfry was added to the building, and was fitted with a bell that was cast in 1898 in Hillsboro, Ohio. (The neighborhood still often hears the bell rung on Sunday mornings to signify the end of the Sunday School hour.) In 1922, support was withdrawn from the United Christian Missionary Society (the UCMS) and the International Convention of the Disciples of Christ over concern about their theology of church membership and Scripture. This withdrawal was partially lifted in 1940 when support was extended for a brief time to the National Women's Benevolence Association, a subsidiary of the UCMS, and to the National Benevolent Association of Indianapolis. After this, the church deliberately chose to identify itself exclusively with the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ branch of the Restoration Movement.
In 1965, a wing was added to the church, containing a new auditorium, classrooms, and a fellowship hall. The old building was remodeled into classrooms, a nursery, and church offices. Around 1972 the church began a bus ministry to reach out to the Johnson City and surrounding area. Resulting spikes in attendance that ensued led to the decision in 1973 to construct a new fellowship hall with a stage, and with plumbing for a new kitchen and more restrooms. Plans were to build a new, larger auditorium on top of the new structure, but the need for it never fully materialized.
Down through the years we have been visited by those who thought the church was non-instrumental. They usually would leave, often with apologies, and always with embarrassment, soon after discovering the musical instruments in the auditorium. Therefore, in 1994, after having been suggested by two of our ministers, the church changed its name from Harrison Church of Christ to Harrison Christian Church.
Our motto for our centennial year of 1997 was "Glancing Backward, Moving Forward." We held several special events during 1996 and 1997 to celebrate this milestone of our existence, including holding an old-fashioned Sunday service, taking a congregational picture, opening the cornerstone and viewing the contents of the time capsule inside and adding to the contents, and holding a week-long revival with each night's sermon being delivered by a former minister of the congregation.
Many ministers have served the congregation over the decades. Among them are the following: John H. Edens, C. O. Woodwards, Prof. Thomas, A. M. Ferguson, Mrs. J. W. Carpenter, J. Walter Carpenter, Jr., E. Roy Gentry, C. W. Tabor, J. C. Bass, Joseph N. Suggs, C. H. Poage, Walter H. Harmon, W. Pierce Blackwell, John H. Keplinger, W. C. Maupin, Curtis Holt, John P. Ellis, J. H. Boling, J. N. Shepherd, O. L. Mankamyer, James Owens, S. P. Miller, Charles E. Miller, Stephen A. Morton, Alvin B. Covell, Victor Brown, Charles Delaney, Lamar Garrison, Robert J. Tinskey, Jack Harris, Birney Mark Fish III, Donald R. Merryman, Palma L. Bennett, and Robbie D. Phillips. The congregation has seen average attendance range from virtually zero during the hardship years to over 290 during the 1960's. Current attendance fluctuates between 100 and 120.