Founded in 1836 as one of the earliest congregations in the Stone-Campbell movement, First Christian Church met in various places around Madison until 1864 when the current brick Greek Revival style building was constructed in the dark days of the Civil War. In 1899, a mere 33 years later, fire destroyed the interior of the building. The new sanctuary was built within the original walls.  Fire again took the church on Christmas Eve 1989.  Once again only the walls stood. The current sanctuary and lower fellowship space were rebuilt within the original brick walls. It is notable that Fair Play Fire House of Company Number 1, the oldest volunteer fire department in Indiana, fought both fires 90 years apart. 

Music and the Arts have always had an important place in the life of the congregation. One of the first committees established when the church was rebuilt in 1990 was the window committee. In designing the stained-glass windows for the sanctuary, the theme was to portray the Gospel stories in a contemporary southern Indiana setting. Stephen Purdy and Fox Studios of Indianapolis were chosen to design the beautiful windows that grace the sanctuary today. The windows are made of opalescent glass, painted and fired as many as five times. The East windows represent the four seasons and the 12 disciples with the Ohio River flowing thru each window. The other two east windows in the Gathering Area are history windows showing key events of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Madison congregation. The Baptism window on the southwest corner shows Jesus being baptized in Clifty Falls. The two antique windows on the south wall, facing Main Street, were found in an abandoned church building in Lebanon, OH. They show German craftsmanship around 1890. The Chalice window above the front doors is symbolic of the Lord’s Supper, central to Disciple’s life and worship. The tri-fold ribbon at the bottom identifies the church name and is the only window element which also appeared in the 1899 windows.