In 1909, following a student petition to honor the founder, the institution was renamed Johnson Bible College.

The inception of the school was introduced in a sermon by Ashley S. Johnson at Bearden Christian Church in 1892, proposing a college-level institution dedicated to the gospels.

Guests embarked on a steamboat journey from Knoxville in May 1893 to witness the laying of the cornerstone for the Main Building, completed in 1895 with a distinctive five-story square tower.

The school experienced significant growth following the dedication of the "New" Main Building, leading to the construction of Irwin Library in 1912.

David L. Eubanks assumed the presidency in 1969, overseeing continued academic expansion and the construction of new facilities, until his retirement in 2007.

[3][4] L. Thomas Smith Jr. then assumed the presidency, overseeing significant expansions, including the construction of the Graham Center and the Commons on the Florida campus.

[5] When Emma Elizabeth Johnson took the reins in 1925, she was one of the earliest women to lead a college in the United States.