Rockwall Friendship Baptist Church Expands its Ministry

By
Melissa Gautier
| Photos by Dallas McNeal Photography

People have an innate need to be
loved and accepted just as they are. Rockwall Friendship Baptist
Church believes church isn’t just a place to go — it’s a family where they
can belong. Pastor Shanon Thomas has been the dynamic leader of RFBC’s
congregation for the past 19 years, delivering inspiring sermons every Sunday
that promote and enhance a relationship with Christ.

The RFBC
Mission

RFBC’s mission is to lead people in embracing
a personal relationship with God that affects every area of their lives. “We
are called to love and serve our community for Christ,” Pastor Thomas
explains. “Our vision is to see believers equipped to extend the kingdom of
God not only to Rockwall and the surrounding communities, but worldwide.” His
desire is to be and resemble God’s love to everyone.

The RFBC ministry feels called to lead those
around them to an understanding of God’s love found in Christ. “Our community
is home to many who still have yet to learn that the word of God is alive and
active today,” explains Pastor Thomas. “Although God meets us wherever we are
in life, He loves us enough to not leave us there.”

From Humble
Beginnings to Multimillion-Dollar Expansion

In 2003, Reverend Thomas was an associate
pastor at Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church when he was approached by the
senior pastor about planting a church in the Rockwall community. After much
prayer and consideration, Reverend Thomas and Senior Pastor Turner began the
journey to start a new ministry. In cooperation with the Dallas Baptist
Association and the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas, Reverend Thomas
would serve as the first pastor of Rockwall Friendship Baptist
Church.

RFBC’s first service was held in February
2004 at an elementary school in Heath, Texas. The following Sunday, eight
members joined the ministry as the church’s charter members. A permanent
location was found just four months later, renovated to accommodate the
ministry’s needs. Six years later in 2010, with membership steadily growing,
RFBC was led through prayer and confirmation to a larger, more centrally
located existing worship facility. The new location provided a generous plot
of land to construct additional buildings, as well as the opportunity for a
multi-phase, multimillion-dollar expansion project, starting with the
renovation of the existing sanctuary in Phase 1.

Phases of
Expansion

Fast
forward to 2023, where Phase I is complete with the updated
14,000-square-foot worship center, seating 415 people. A café with full
coffee service is located in the common area outside the sanctuary. Next to
the café is The Center, a space for prayer where small groups can connect and
visitors can experience personal growth and development. The expansion
features a green room for podcasts, choir, and guest speakers. It also
features a nursing area for moms with a designated space to drop off
strollers before service begins.

Phase II, which is already underway and will
be completed this summer, will add 10,000 square feet of space for a
designated kids’ and students’ wing. Recognizing that kids need a unique worship
experience geared to their age group, two dedicated sanctuary spaces have
been designed and added to fulfill that need. The wing’s lobby provides a
safe and secure area for parents to drop off their children for worship
services.

A generous covered patio and pavilion is
located outside, featuring more than 5,000 square feet of space for community
and connection. The all-inclusive expansion project has been thoughtfully
designed to create open and inviting areas where people feel comfortable to
communicate freely with others. “When the entire project is completed, RFBC
will be one unified campus, created to cultivate a relationship with Christ
and other believers,” says Pastor Thomas.

“Our approach to building connections with
people coupled with a willingness to respond to their needs facilitates our
vision of unconditional love,” he says. “We welcome people just as they are,
no matter what their life history is, and have a genuine desire to see God’s
best for them in their lives.”

RFBC has continued to enjoy the favor and
presence of God at work in their ministry. “God continues to present
opportunities for our church to serve Him through this community,” adds
Pastor Thomas. “We look forward to carrying the message of grace and
salvation through Jesus Christ and witnessing the power of God at
work.”

RFBC welcomes and encourages people of all
ages to visit and experience unconditional love through fellowship and
connection. For more information on service times, directions, or group
activities, please visit their website or call the church
directly.