Eleventh Avenue Church
Historical Highlights

Spiritually, we trace our roots back to the revelation of the Holy Spirit concerning the church, the Body of Christ, found in the writingsof Paul, Apostle, Preacher, Teacher of the Gentiles.

Historically, our local ministry goes back to:

1930's: Mission in downtown Mineral Wells during the depression, sponsored by College Avenue Church (now Grace Bible Church), Fort Worth. Brother Joe Jones was a tireless worker and led many to the Lord. Home Bible Classes, Camp Meetings, etc. under the direction of Pastor Ike T. Sidebottom, Pastor Elmer Leake and Pastor Paul Leake.

1940's: Bible classes in the Brazos Valley Schoolhouse, taught by Brother Sidebottom, Pastor Weldon Rightmer and Brother Vernon Bolton. These classes were disbanded in 1947.

Fall of 1949 Bible classes taught by Brother R. B. Shiflet in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Hardwick.

January 1950: Week of meetings in small rent house with Bro. Sidebottom, Bro. Shiflet, Bro. Charles Wages, Bro. Joy James, Bro. Leonard Gideon and Bro. Weldon Rightmer preaching. Sunday School and regular service were started and work began on a small chapel, 15 feet by 45 feet. This chapel was dedicated to the Lord on Sunday, March 5, 1950.

1952: Sunday School classrooms were added.

1961: A larger auditorium was dedicated to the Lord on the first Sunday in March.

June 12, 1978: Ground broken for present building. Building occupied in August, completed for dedication on October 8, 1978, debt-free, February 1, 1979.

Recent Changes: In the summer of 2000, ground was broken for a new wing to the south of the building. This resulted in doubling the size of our fellowship hall, a larger nursery and primary classroom, a spacious kitchen with all new appliances and rest rooms that are fully accessible to the handicapped, including wheel chairs. This new construction is debt-free. We are in the process of adding room-dividers that can convert the fellowship hall into four large classrooms, or open it to one large hall. We are now paying for these partitions and our library cabinets.

The present: The church continues with many spiritual blessings, souls saved, believers edified, four Bible Camps, new church bus, new carpet in auditorium and hall, east parking lot expanded, additional exterior lighting, more outreach activities, such as prisoner correspondence, additional youth activities, etc.