Pastor Chad was born in Lapeer, Michigan to Todd and Rachel Harrison. He grew up in a youth pastor's home as the oldest of four boys. From an early age Chad had a desire to be a "cowboy preacher." When he was nine, his father took the position of senior pastor at Bible Baptist Church in Bloomington, Illinois. Chad watched with admiration at the way both his father and grandfather pastored the churches God had given them.
Right before his 17th birthday, he realized he did not have a personal relationship with Jesus. For many years he had thought he was saved, but in reality he had only based his salvation on a prayer he had said when he was four. He prayed at the kitchen table to put his trust in Christ alone and was baptized shortly thereafter.
The following summer, Chad had his first opportunity to work at a Christian camp in Arizona. It was there he felt the Lord was calling him into ministry. He later attended Bible College in North Carolina where he met his future wife, Elizabeth.
The summer before his Senior year of college, he had the privilege of completing an internship under Pastor Lehman at Mount Vernon Baptist Temple. During his time at MVBT, God made it very clear to Chad that he was supposed to work with teens; and as the summer closed, Chad was asked to return as the youth pastor.
He and Elizabeth graduated the following May, were married in July, and that summer he came on staff as youth pastor and teacher in the church's Christian high-school.