The Erastus Christian Church is part of a movement with the ideal of restoring New Testament Christianity. We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible is silent. Our only creed is Christ. We are not the only Christians, but Christians only. We wear no name except the name of Christ Jesus. Historically, Erastus Christian Church was once part of the Disciples of Christ denomination. However, in 1996 the congregation voted to become autonomous. Erastus Christian Church was organized on October 30, 1899 and named in honor of Erastus Lamar Shelnutt (1865 –1941) Erastus Lamar Shelnutt was born at Walnut Grove, Walton County, Georgia, a son of Mr. & Mrs. William L Shelnutt. He was graduated from Bible College, Kentucky University in 1891 and became one of the most effective and best known preachers in the Christian Church. Rev. Shelnutt was an evangelist, state organizer, writer, publisher, college president, school trustee and established 28 Christian Churches in the State of Georgia, which was more than any other evangelist. The following is an account by church historian Edward Mosely of the organizing of Erastus Christian Church: Erastus L. Shelnutt, evangelist of the Women’s Society for Georgia Missions, encountered opposition at a meeting he began September 16, 1899, at Lilburn School in Madison County, not far from Athens. There were many Primitive Baptist in the community. However, all went well until October 3rd, when the doors and windows were found nailed shut. Trustees had posted a notice that service must end. Shelnutt had the disappointed group sing, he read a Psalm and offered prayer. The meeting continued at another school three miles away. Enthusiasm was high and a building site was donated. A tabernacle was built and ready for use October 10th. “Preachers began to ridicule and oppose,” said Shelnutt, but the meeting continued until October 30th, when a congregation of 128 members was organized as the Erastus Church, the name in honor of Shelnutt. “It was the longest and largest rural revival ever conducted by the brethren in Georgia,” Shelnutt reported. The original church building was constructed in 1900 and remodeled in 1960. This building was destroyed by fire on November 27, 1977. The present building was first used by the Erastus Christian Church congregation for regular church services on June 11, 1978 and dedicated July 9, 1978.