The Next Chapter: A Church Revived

By CHRIS DRIVER
Baptist Progress Correspondent

​Less than two years ago, First Baptist Church of Avalon was in a place far too many rural churches have found themselves in post-Covid. Each Sunday, the small but beautiful building that was built in the 1920’s began to grow empty. The pews, capable of seating more than 125 people, sadly offered plenty of open space as the 15 to 20 members took their seats. Despite its historic past and faithful ministry to the community of Avalon, the church and its ministry just seemed unable to get things turned around. But in faith, they continued to seek the next chapter God might want to write for their church and for the community of Avalon.
 
During that time, no one felt the pain and frustration more than their pastor, Eric Enriquez. Eric had been at FBCA most of his adult life as a member and on staff. From the very first moment Eric, his wife, Cristie, and their daughter, Tinzley, first walked through those doors in 2008, the young family was welcomed by loving members with open arms and open lives. Eric remembers the moment they knew they belonged at FBCA.
 
“Tinzley was in a car seat when we walked in the door. I’ll never forget Jake (Escamilla) walking up and unbuckling Tinzley and grabbing her up out of that car seat. He walked around loving on her like she was his own,” recalls Eric. “That’s when I knew we were home.”
 
It didn’t take Pastor Cleve Clark long to recognize the call on Eric’s life, a call Eric admits he had been running from for a long time. Eric’s grandmother had dedicated him and prepared him for a life in ministry. And Eric had even spent a season back in west Texas testing the waters of ministry at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene. But it wasn’t until Pastor Clark made the suggestion that he fill the youth pastor role at FBCA shortly after they arrived, that Eric realized the next chapter God might be writing for him and his family just might be the thing he’d run from for so long. Eric took the position as youth pastor for FBCA and eventually stepped into the role of pastor in 2017.
 
But God’s story for Avalon took the same, difficult turn as so many other churches post-Covid: people left and didn’t come back. It was there in that loss and pain and uncertainty that Eric made a covenant with God. “I promised Him whether there was one person there or 80, we would be prepared every Sunday to share Jesus.”  And that commitment to the gospel is where God began His next chapter for First Baptist Church of Avalon and for Eric. 

Ricky Whitney’s baptism that started it all

Disciples make disciples

It wasn’t long before God began to honor their faithfulness to the gospel. “My friend, Ricky was the first domino to fall. His changed life was the spark that God used to start what’s been going on the last year and a half,” recalls Eric. “Ricky’s life did a complete 180. He just loves life and loves everyone and wants them to know Jesus. People saw Ricky’s changed life, his hunger for God’s Word, and his new love for Jesus and for people. There is power in the testimony of a transformed life and God used it.”
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God certainly has! Since January of this year, FBCA has baptized 26 people. People are sharing their story and God’s story. Souls are being saved, lives are being changed, and the church is growing. The church fills up with 70 to 80 people each week. The pews that once sat almost empty are now full of life, not just people. Disciples are being made. The youth and children’s ministries are growing. And the community of Avalon is being impacted by the gospel.
 
When asked what the key has been to seeing God write this new chapter for FBCA, Eric is quick to give God all the glory. “God is moving. All we’re doing is trying to be true to our promise to be prepared to share Jesus,” says Eric. And true they have been. They have stayed committed to being consistent in their mission, consistent in their preparation, and consistent in their love for Jesus and their love for people. But Eric also emphasizes that the love they have for Jesus and for people can’t stop with just being faithful to help people come to faith.
 
“We are committed to the importance of effective discipleship,” says Eric and Cristie. “It is everyone’s responsibility to not only make new disciples but to be diligent in their continual growth. The vision is to have a church full of disciples that are making and building new disciples…not to be just a community of church goers.” So Eric continues to remind the people of FBCA every week to not just be a “church gathered” on Sundays but to be the “church scattered” all week long.
 
After several chapters full of difficulty and loss, this current chapter in the life of First Baptist Church of Avalon is a chapter full of life, faithfulness and a deep expectation for God to move. Oh, what a beautiful chapter God is writing!

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Monthly First Sunday Fellowship

Sanctuary full of families at First, Avalon

Disciples make disciples