In the 1930's, some residents of Hall's Ridge Road felt led of the Lord to establish a Sunday school in the community. No building was available but there was a little schoolhouse on the ridge known as Johnston School and the residents asked the Mercer County School Board for the loan of the building. The Board agreed with terms being care and upkeep of the property. Later, with school consolidation, the Board agreed to allow the residents of Hall's Ridge to purchase Johnston School and the sale was confirmed February 12, 1942. Sunday school expanded to include preaching services and guest speakers such as Rev. Donald Barnes of Athens preached often, Rev. Flounoy Bowling, and Rev. Clarence Kirby also preached. As more room was needed, a 30. x 40. block stucco building with Sunday school rooms in the basement was completed in 1953 and the old Johnston School was torn down.

Jimmie Jones , a lay speaker from Goodview, Virginia, visited and preached his first sermon on Mother's Day 1953 and later started holding services every other weekend. On December 8th of the same year, with 17 members attending, the church was organized. Mr. Jones continued to visit and preach and was extended a call to become full-time Pastor in September 1954. On November 14, 1954 with a total membership of 50, the roll for charter members was closed. The Jones family moved to West Virginia on January 5, 1955, and "Preacher Jimmie" began his pastorate at Johnston Chapel.

The church continued to grow, and additional space consisting of a baptistry, Sunday school rooms, and more seating in the auditorium was planned on March 1, 1959, when membership was approximately 200 and the yearly budget was less than $8,000. On April 10, 1963, the church voted to construct a 50' x 90' block and brick building to serve as the church auditorium. Membership at that time was approximately 400 and the yearly budget was $13,000. On June 18, 1967, the church voted to purchase 43.26 acres of land, which was situated across the road from the church. The land was purchased for $18,000 from Mrs. Willie Thayer Swim. Membership was then approximately 600 and the yearly budget was $28,000.

The church continued to grow and constructed a two-story, 15,000 square feet educational wing and began to utilize it in May 1973. Another two-story addition housing a 500-seat auditorium, plus fellowship hall, kitchen, and restrooms, was occupied in November 1977. The gymnasium, complete with seating and locker rooms, was finished and came into use in June 1987. An additional two story, 18,000 square feet, semi-circular educational wing was added and occupied in November 1996. It connected the original educational wing and auditorium and supplied 12 additional classrooms. This addition also includes a basement level, which houses a large youth activity room, a weight room, and a maintenance room. It, too, contains extra space that is ready to be finished when the need arises. After completion of all the building programs, the entire plant now consists of 61,000 square feet.

In December 1977, a fire completely gutted the Princeton Junior High School and the Mercer County School Board used Johnston Chapel for the seventh graders to attend until they could supply a building for the students.

In 1984, Johnston Chapel joined with Maranatha Baptist Church in Princeton as co-laborers in their Christian School, Maranatha Christian Academy. This joint ministry in the Christian education of children resulted in having one school, with two campuses, and the name was changed to Mercer Christian Academy. Kindergarten-sixth grades are located at Maranatha Baptist Church and the seventh-twelfth grades are located at Johnston Chapel Baptist Church.

On June 25, 1990, Pastor John King, a Princeton native and former member of the church, assumed his ministry as Senior Pastor of Johnston Chapel and continues currently. Following a transitional period of six months, Pastor Jimmie Jones retired December 31, 1990, after 37 years as pastor of the church. Since his retirement, he remains very active in preaching the gospel and has served as interim pastor for several churches until they could find a permanent pastor. Pastor King works closely with his four Associate Pastors: Jim Nofsinger, Jim Simmons, Brian Stuttler and Kevin Shirey, and a staff consisting of three secretaries, maintenance personnel, and a grounds keeper.

The church serves the community as a voting precinct, a place for choral festivities and special dinners, sports activities held both in the gymnasium and on the ball field, and other target ministries found described in detail within this web site.

Currently, the total number of active members is 845.