First Christian Church began in 1839. Tolbert Fanning and David Lipscomb traveling through the area to raise money for Fanning College preached in Columbus and a small group of believers responded to their message to restore the early church. The believers began to refer to themselves only as Christians. Early meetings were held in a converted store across from the Gilmer Hotel known as “The Theater”. The first building constructed for worship was located at 2nd Avenue and 6th Street North and was built between 1849 and 1850. This building was used as a meeting place for the Mississippi State Senate during the Civil War and also served as a hospital for wounded soldiers. The original building was torn down in 1968 and First Christian Church moved to its present location on McCrary Road.