Harris Prairie Church of Christ began as a small rural church in the prairies of Granger, Indiana. Harris Prairie has its roots beginning sometime around the end of the Civil War. While no specific date is recorded, we know that the church is around 150 years old.
    Harris Prairie Church of Christ began as a part of the American Restoration Movement that held to the belief that we could be “just Christians.” Harris Prairie Church of Christ never officially joined itself with any denomination, but we identify ourselves with the Independent Churches/Churches of Christ. The core of our beliefs is rooted in our desire to be Christians only, but not the only Christians.
    Since our humble beginnings, the church has had a continuous existence and growth. Since the 1900’s, the church has undergone multiple church expansions. Over the past 40 years the church has undergone major changes from being a predominantly rural church to a church with a more suburban and urban makeup. Different from many older churches, Harris Prairie Church of Christ has always strived to be contemporary and relevant to today’s culture. To this day, Harris Prairie Church of Christ has about 500 members and regular attenders of all ages and backgrounds.

The following are the three specific elements that drive our church:

We know that our God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love. As His church, we believe that we should exemplify that love and grace wherever we are, with whomever we meet. And so we freely give grace because we have freely received it. We are passionate about showing God’s love and grace to everyone we encounter and we strive to make our church a safe haven for all kinds of people.



We believe that God has a heart for the poor and oppressed, for the hurting and the broken. We believe that Jesus is God and that he lived on earth for a time, serving and caring for humanity. As an extension of God's love in our community, we believe that it is important for us to serve our world as Jesus served his world. Led by God's Spirit, we passionately seek to relieve suffering and fight injustice. And so we enthusiastically intersect the kingdom of God with the kingdoms of this world, bringing God's love and compassion to the community around us.


We believe that our world is broken, that because of our dark deeds, we have separated ourselves from the goodness for which we were created. We also believe that God is passionate about repairing the brokenness of our world - that He is constantly reversing the ill effects of our sin. We believe that this restoration is taking place today, and that it is our duty as a part of God's church to teach and offer the hope of this salvation to anyone who seeks it. We believe that the teachings of Jesus Christ are an integral part of this redemption and together we journey towards a fully restored life.

1. We believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, God in human form. We believe that the virgin born Son of God died for our sins, was buried, arose from the dead and is coming again. We believe He is both fully God and fully man. (Philippians 2:5-7, John 14:9, John 8:57-58, John 1:1, Colossians 2:9)
2. We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, the written record of His supernatural revelation of Himself to man, absolute in its authority, complete in its revelation, final in its content and without any error in its teaching. (2 Timothy 3:15-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21)
3. We believe in the historical creation of man. (Genesis 1 & 2)
4. We believe that all men are born with a sinful nature. (Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23)
5. We believe in the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind. (Isaiah 53:3ff)
6. We believe in the literal, bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead as prophesied. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
7. We believe in the literal return of Christ as promised. (John 14:1-6, 2 Peter 3:3-34)
8. We believe in the resurrection and assignment of all people to heaven or hell at the time of death or Christ's return. (Revelation 20:10 & 15)
9. We believe that the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are available to those who trust Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. (John 3:16)
10. We believe that those putting their trust in Christ should repent of their sins, confess their faith and be baptized into Him. (Romans 10:9, Acts 2:38)
11. We believe that those who receive Christ also received the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who marks them as the possession of God, manifests the first of righteousness in their character and endows them with spiritual gifts for ministry.
    (Ephesians 1:13-14)
12. We believe that God works supernaturally within His community in ways often mysterious to His followers.
13. We believe that a normal conversion in the New Testament includes faith in Christ, repentance of sin, confession of Jesus as Lord and Savior and baptism, by immersion, into Him.
    - We would ask any believer who has not been baptized by immersion to submit to that New Testament form before becoming a member of HPCC. - Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:12
14. We believe that the pattern of the New Testament was to observe the Lord's Supper weekly. (Acts 20:7)
15. We believe that each believer should give generous, intentional, regular, proportional gift of their income to God, through their church, as a spiritual discipline. We believe that the tithe is the standard by which Christians determine if they are giving generously. (1 Corinthians 16:2)
16. We believe that God answers prayer, occasionally in miraculous ways. We believe prayer is a spiritual discipline that should be taught and learned within the Body of Christ. (Luke 11:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 4:2)
17. We believe the Church is a body of Christ followers who should live in community and enjoy the connection possible in fellowship of small groups. (Acts 20:20)
18. We believe the "will of God" is discerned through the direct teaching of Scripture as well as through prayer, wise counsel and the consideration of circumstances.
    (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 5:17)
19. We believe that we are "Christians only," but not the only Christians. (Acts 11:26; 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16)
20. We believe the Church should seek unity with all believers in matters essential to the universal Christian faith and contend for liberty in all matters wherein the Lord has not legislated in His Word. (1 Corinthians 1:10, Romans 16:17)
21. We believe that the local church is an autonomous body that cooperates with many Christian agencies but is regulated or dominated by none. (Acts 14:22-23)
22. We believe love is to be shown to all people as the central trait of the Christian faith. (1 Corinthians 13)
23. We believe the mission of the church is to reach the spiritually lost for Christ, to teach with the goal of "forming Christ in them" and then mobilize believers to accomplish God's purposes in the world. (Ephesians 4:12-13)
24. We believe that full devotion to Jesus Christ is normal for any Christian