Christian Standard is compiling a list of the oldest Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ that are still gathering for worship each week, but we need your help. Please review this list of churches that started between the years of 1800 and 1859. If you know of a church that we have overlooked, or if you see incorrect information, please share it with us via the Comments (below) or by emailing us at [email protected]. Place “Oldest Christian Churches” in the subject line. The updated list will appear in our March/April 2024 issue. Thank you!
UPDATED AT 5:00 A.M. SUNDAY, NOV. 5 — Thanks to everyone for your great additions! We’ve very nearly doubled the size of the list that was posted originally! The word ADDED denotes church names that readers have provided to us since publicizing this list via our weekly newsletter at about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
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1740 — Calvary Christian Church (Glen Allen, Virginia; became Independent c. 1833) — ADDED
1789 — Stony Point Christian Church (Charlestown, Indiana; became Independent, 1829) — ADDED
1790 — East Union Christian Church (Carlisle, Kentucky; became Independent, early 1830s) — ADDED
c. 1800 — Parksville Christian Church (Parksville, Kentucky)
1800 — Cool Spring Christian Church (Keysville, Virginia)
1803 — Indian Creek Christian Church (Cynthiana, Kentucky) — ADDED
1811 — Dutch Fork Christian Church (Claysville, Pennsylvania) — ADDED
1814 — Countryside Church of Christ (Seaman, Ohio)
1815 — Driftwood Christian Church (Vallonia, Indiana) — ADDED
1818 — Mulkeytown Christian Church (Mulkeytown, Illinois)
1819 — Keensburg Christian Church (Keensburg, Illinois) — ADDED
1821 — Bentonville Ebenezer Christian Church (Lewisville, Indiana)
1821 — Bethel Christian Church (Fountain City, Indiana)
1821 — First Christian Church (Minerva, Ohio; originally called the Plains Church) — ADDED
1823 — New Hope Christian Church (Columbus, Indiana; affiliated with Christian Churches in 1832) — ADDED
1823 — Clermont Christian Church (Clermont, Indiana; originally called Old Union Church) — ADDED
1823 — Little Prairie Christian Church (Albion, Illinois) — ADDED
1824 — Mountain Christian Church (Joppa, Maryland)
1824 — Berlin Christian Church (Berlin, Illinois) — ADDED
1825 — Boones Creek Christian Church (Johnson City, Tennessee)
1825 — North Central Church of Christ (Bloomington, Indiana)
1826 — Leesburg Christian Church (Cynthiana, Kentucky)
1826 — Mackville Christian Church (Mackville, Kentucky) — ADDED
1827 — Bluff Creek Christian Church (Greenwood, Indiana)
1828 — Corner House Christian Church (Hubbard, Ohio)
1828 — Lick Prairie Christian Church (near Lancaster, Illinois) — ADDED
1828 — Bethany Christian Church (Bumpass, Virginia) — ADDED
1829 — Plainfield Christian Church (Plainfield, Indiana)
1830 — White Oak Christian Church (Cincinnati, Ohio)
1830 — Bethany Christian Church (Washington, Indiana) — ADDED
1830 — Hanoverton Christian Church (Hanoverton, Ohio) — ADDED
1830 — Greenford Christian Church (Greenford, Ohio) — ADDED
1830 — Union City Christian Church (Richmond, Kentucky) — ADDED
1830 — Manville Christian Church (Madison, Indiana) — ADDED
1831 — First Christian Church (Monticello, Kentucky)
1831 — Clarksburg Christian Church (Clarksburg, Indiana)
1832— Greenford Christian Church (Greenford, Ohio)
1832 — Germantown Christian Church (Brooksville, Kentucky)
1832 — Ash Grove Christian Church (Windsor, Illinois) — ADDED
1833 — First Christian Church (Decatur, Illinois)
1834 — Traders Point Christian Church (Whitestown, Indiana)
1834 — Hopwood Christian Church (Milligan College, Tennessee) — ADDED
1834 — Pleasant Ridge Christian Church (near Lawrenceville, Illinois) — ADDED
1834 — Clarence Church of Christ (Clarence, New York; originally known as First Congregation of Disciples of Christ) — ADDED
1835 — The Church at Mt. Gilead (Mooresville, Indiana)
1835 — First Christian Church (Charlottesville, Virginia) — ADDED
1836 — Pleasant Hill Christian Church (Washington County, Iowa) — ADDED
1837 — Middletown Christian Church (Middletown, Missouri) — ADDED
1838 — Eastside Christian Church (Milford, Ohio; formerly called Mulberry Church of Christ) — ADDED
1839 — Campbellsville Christian Church (Campbellsville, Kentucky)
1839 — First Christian Church (Sturgis, Kentucky; originally called Cypress Creek Christian) — ADDED
1839 — Portland Mills Christian Church (Rockville, Indiana) — ADDED
1840 — Mount Tabor Christian Church (Salem, Indiana)
1840 — Northpointe Community Church (DeWitt, Michigan)
1840 — Cambridge City Christian Church (Cambridge City, Indiana)
1840 — CrossView Christian Church (Waynesville, Ohio; formerly Ferry Church of Christ) — ADDED
1840 — First Christian Church (Grayville, Illinois) — ADDED
1840 — Bethlehem Church of Christ (Winchester, Ohio) — ADDED
1841 — Hutsonville Christian Church (Hutsonville, Illinois) — ADDED
1841 — Ruddles Mill Christian Church (Paris, Kentucky) — ADDED
1842 — First Christian Church (Barnesville, Ohio)
1842 — Poplar Ridge Christian Church (Piney Flats, Tennessee) — ADDED
1842 — Lancaster Church of Christ (Lancaster, Illinois) — ADDED
1843 — White House Christian Church (Bridgeport, Illinois) — ADDED
1844 — South Fork Christian Church (Verona, Kentucky)
1844 — Abingdon Church of Christ (Abingdon, Iowa) — ADDED
1845 — Warsaw Christian Church (Warsaw, Missouri)
1845 — Marion Christian Church (near West Salem, Illinois) — ADDED
1845 — Bachelor Creek Church of Christ (Wabash, Indiana) — ADDED
1846 — Amity Christian Church (Amity, Oregon)
1847 — Delta Church of Christ (Delta, Ohio)
1847 — Ladoga Christian Church (Ladoga, Indiana) — ADDED
1848 — Athens Christian Church (Lexington, Kentucky)
1850 — Indian Run Christian Church (East Canton, Ohio)
1850 — Croton Church of Christ (Croton, Ohio)
1850 — Texas Christian Church (Clinton, Illinois)
1850 — Westport Christian Church (Westport, Indiana)
1850 — Lane Christian Church (Lane, Illinois)
1850 — White Mills Christian Church (White Mills, Kentucky) — ADDED
1850 — Hardinville Christian Church (Hardinville, Illinois) — ADDED
1851 — First Christian Church (Warsaw, Indiana)
1851 — First Christian Church (Carmi, Illinois)
1852 — Millersburg Christian Church (MIllersburg, Ohio) — ADDED
1853 — Central Christian Church (Mt. Vernon, Illinois)
1853 — Lincoln Christian Church (Lincoln, Illinois)
1853 — Castle Rock Christian Church (Castle Rock, Washington)
1853 — Orleans Church of Christ (near Moulton, Iowa) — ADDED
1854 — Rising Sun Church of Christ (Pleasant Hill, Iowa)
1854 — Buchanan Christian Church (Buchanan, Michigan) — ADDED
1855 — First Christian Church (Canton, Ohio)
1855 — First Christian Church (Columbus, Indiana)
1855 — Shelby Christian Church (Versailles, Indiana)
1855 — Atlanta Christian Church (Atlanta, Illinois) — ADDED
1856 — Milford Church of Christ (Centerburg, Ohio)
1856 — Greenville First Christian Church (Greenville, Illinois)
1856 — Willisburg Christian Church (Willisburg, Kentucky)
1856 — First Christian Church (Lyons-Muir, Michigan) — ADDED
1858 — Pleasant Grove Church of Christ (Mt. Gilead, Ohio)
c. 1858 — Pricetown Church of Christ (Hillsboro, Ohio) — ADDED
1858 — Putnam Christian Church (Putnam, Illinois) — ADDED
1858 — West Village Christian Church (near Albion, Illinois) — ADDED
1858 — First Christian Church (West Salem, Illinois) — ADDED
1859 — Hope Christian Church (Indianapolis, Indiana)
1859 — Crossroads Christian Church (Washington Court House, Ohio)
1859 — Millwood Church of Christ (Howard, Ohio)
Adair Christian Church, Adair, Oklahoma
https://www.facebook.com/AdairChristianChurch?mibextid=LQQJ4d
1834 Hopwood Christian Church
Poplar Ridge Christian Church
Piney Flats TN
1842
Ash Grove Christian Church
Windsor, IL
1832
1840 – CrossView Christian Church (Waynesville, Ohio); formerly Ferry Church of Christ
I read with great interest your list of old churches as I grew up in the CC/CoC in the area of eastern Ohio just south of the Western Reserve. It appears you have omitted a few of those churches in the Stark County / Columbiana County / Carroll County tri-county area. So, here goes:
First Christian Church, Minerva, OH (1821) — originally called the Plains Church
Hanoverton Christian Church, Hanoverton, OH (1830)
Augusta Christian Church, Augusta, OH (I’m not sure on the date, but I believe it will be around 1830-1840)
First Christian Church, Kensington, OH (Again, not sure about the date, but I believe Hanoverton, Augusta, and Kensington will have begun around the same time.)
Eastside Christian Church, Mulberry Church of Christ began in Milford, OH in 1838.
https://www.calvarychristianglenallen.org/who-we-are/
Calvary Christian Church 1740 became Independent in 1830s.
Dutch Fork Christian Church, in Claysville PA, might be the oldest Restoration Church in PA near Washington PA where the movement started.
West Liberty Christian Church in west liberty PA might be old enough to be on your list.
Hutsonville Christian Church, Hutsonville, Illinois, est. 1841. Hardinville Christian Church, Hardinville, Illinois, est. 1850. Little Prairie Christian Church, Albion, Illinois, est. 1823.. West Village Christian Church, (7 miles NW of Albion, Illinois), est. 1858. First Christian Church of West Salem, Illinois, est. 1858. Marion Christian Church (7 miles NW of West Salem, Illinois) est. 1845. White House Christian Church (3 miles NW of Bridgeport, Illinois) est. 1843. Pleasant Ridge Christian Church, (5 miles N of Lawrenceville, Illinois) est. 1834. Keensburg Christian Church, Keensburg, Illinois est. 1819. Lancaster Church of Christ, Lancaster, Illinois est. 1842. Lick Prairie Christian Church (7 miles SW of Lancaster, Illinois) est. 1828.
All of these churches are still meeting regularly for worship each Lord’s Day in Southeastern, Illinois.
Hales Chapel Christian Church, Gray Tennessee began in 1887
1841 Ruddles Mill Christian Church Paris, Kentucky
The Hamburg Church of Christ was organized March 1861 in Hamburg, Iowa. Source: Taking a Stand by Victor Knowles & William E. Paul, (c) 1996. Published by College Press, 1996.
First Christian, Sturgis, Ky. 1839. Started as Cypress Creek Christian.
Orleans Church of Christ – est. 1853 – It is now a rural congregation located about 11 miles east of Centerville, IA (the county seat). The town nearest to it is Moulton, IA.
Pleasant Hill Christian Church, Washington County, IA – 1836 originally Pleasant Hill church of Christ founded in the home of Isaac Briggs south of Washington, Iowa. First minister was Absalom Leeper.
Bethany Christian Church in Bumpass, VA. Started in 1828 by James M. Bagby.
First Christian Church in Charlottesville, VA. Started in 1835.
Atlanta Christian Church – Atlanta IL. 1855
Ferris Church of Christ, Vestaburg, Michigan was started in the 1870’s and celebrated their 140th anniversary about 6 years ago.
First Christian Church, Lyons-Muir, Michigan was founded in 1856 by Isaac Errett
Organized by Walter Scott, Mayslick Christian Church, Mayslick, KY
Christian Church. Cave in Rock, IL 1892
Portland Mills Christian Church, rural Rockville, Indiana (eastern Parke County) was established in 1839 and still meets today. Interesting fact: Their original building was going to be underwater, because a Cecil Harden Lake was being built and they moved about a mile into an old Seceder Presbyterian church which was no longer meeting.
Indian Creek Christian Church.
51 Waits Road
Cynthiana, Kentucky
(859) 234-5223
Senior Minister – Adam Wilson
Founded 1803
Oldest active Independent Christian church. 220 years
According to their website, Ladoga Christian Church, Ladoga, Indiana was founded in 1847. Interesting fact: I read in their history that Alexander Campbell held a series of revivals in the area and he used Ladoga as his base while doing it.
Bethlehem Church of Christ (Winchester, Ohio) – 1840
Is there anyone/an organization that collects the records from Independent Christian Churches? We have the records for the Central Christian Church in San Bernardino. Please let us know and we will send them to you.
Eminence Christian Church, Atlanta, IL – 1838