On a five-acre tract along Elkton Road in the Piney Chapel community of Limestone County, Alabama, Elkton Road Baptist Church has been a steady presence since 1967. The church's motto, "Where Jesus is Lord and you are someone special," captures the small congregation's warmth, and its mission statement points to a long commitment to fellowship, evangelism, discipleship, service, and missions. Families driving the quiet country road out of Athens still find the same family of believers that began as a mission plant meeting in a milk barn.
A Mission Plant That Grew From a Milk Barn
The story began when the Limestone Baptist Associational Missions Committee voted to purchase a five-acre tract with a house on Elkton Road for a new mission. Piney Grove Baptist Church, led by George T. Willingham, sponsored the work and held a Vacation Bible School on the property that drew sixty enrollees. A. L. Wayne Howard served as the first missionary pastor. In 1969, First Baptist Church Athens took over sponsorship of the young mission.
Services were held in a milk barn on the property for several years, and through the late 1960s and 1970s a succession of interim and bi-vocational pastors - Donald Travis, Walter Brooks, George Stewart, Harold Daniels, Ferman Miller, and George W. Haynes among them - led the small body of believers. As the church reached out into the Piney Chapel community and grew, the need for a real building became clear. In 1976 the congregation raised funds, borrowed money, and broke ground on a 4,500-square-foot building to replace the milk barn.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, other pastors such as Dr. Steve Lingefelter continued the work. Sunday school, Vacation Bible Schools, discipleship training, GA's, RA's, camps, and retreats marked those years. In late 1997, Toney Wales was asked to interim; he was later called part-time and bi-vocational, then full-time in 2004. Under his leadership the church retired a $200,000 debt in the year 2000 and began the phased construction that produced the building the congregation uses today, adding space for senior and young adult Sunday school and discipleship, JAM, and AWANA for the children.
The Weekly Rhythm at Elkton Road
Sunday begins at 9:30 am with Sunday school, followed by morning worship at 10:30 am. The afternoon offers two more gatherings: Discipleship training at 5:30 pm for adults and Kids-4-Truth at 5:30 pm for children. Wednesday nights are a second anchor of the week, with worship at 6:30 pm, a separate Youth Worship service at the same hour, and a Children's Class. The Adult Choir rehearses on Sunday evenings at 6:30 pm, and visitors are welcome to come and sing.
Services are livestreamed, and past messages are available as a podcast, so members who travel or are unwell can keep up with teaching from Pastor Wales and the music ministry.
Family Ministry on Three Pillars
The Family Ministry at Elkton Road welcomes couples and parents into a journey shaped by three pillars. The first is spirit-filled marriage, anchored in Ecclesiastes 4:12: "a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." The second is spirit-led parenthood, drawn from Ephesians 6:4, "bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord." The third pillar is spirit-shared discipleship, echoing 2 Corinthians 1:4, that those comforted by God are equipped to comfort others. Couples, parents, and individuals can sign up through the church to be part of the ministry's ongoing work.
ERBC Kids from Birth Through Fifth Grade
ERBC Kids is the umbrella for everything the church offers children from birth through fifth grade. Children's Ministry Director Abby McCown leads a team that includes nursery care on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights for newborns through four-year-olds, Kids Worship (a service for kindergarten through fifth grade that mirrors the adult sanctuary - fellowship, worship, intercessory prayer, and a children's message), and the ERBC Kids Choir, which practices about fifteen to twenty minutes during Sunday and Wednesday gatherings for children up through fifth grade.
Summer brings the highlight: Vacation Bible School, with recent years featuring a Jungle Cruise theme that fills the church with energy and outreach into the Piney Chapel community. Recent teaching series have walked children through the armor of God and a "Battle for Truth" study for toddlers through fifth grade. A ministry fair introduces children to the wider work of the church and invites them to see themselves as part of the body of believers.
The children's staff lays out a clear statement of faith for the youngest: God created us and the world to serve and love Him; God loves us and sent a Savior because we are sinners; salvation is through Jesus Christ, the Son of God; God calls believers to make disciples of all nations; and God calls His people to serve Him and His church.
Walking With Students in Grades 6-12
For students in sixth through twelfth grade, the Youth Ministry - led by Youth Minister Daniel Long - gathers for the Wednesday night Youth Worship service at 6:30 pm. The ministry's verse, Ephesians 5:15-17, reads: "Look carefully then how you walk. Not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Students grow, serve, and walk with the Lord, and D-NOW weekends reflect the church's commitment to investing deeply in the next generation.
Choir, Hymns, and Modern Worship
Music Minister David Kobeck and organist Jennifer Kobeck lead a music ministry that brings together traditional hymns and newer worship songs. The Adult Choir presents major musicals at Easter and other seasons and has partnered with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Athens for joint summer musicals such as "Heaven Is" and "Joy Every Day." Choir practice happens at 6:30 pm on Sunday evenings, and anyone interested is invited to come and sing.
The choir's hymn selections tie into devotional notes shared each month. Past letters have walked through "Holy, Holy, Holy," "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," and contemporary songs like "Sing Wherever I Go" and "He Knows My Name." The result is a blended musical diet that gives longtime members familiar hymns while introducing the congregation to fresh expressions of praise.
Adults: Sunday School, Discipleship, Men's, Women's, Senior Adult
Sunday school classes meet at 9:30 am for all ages, with small groups gathering to study God's Word and trust the Holy Spirit to transform lives. Discipleship Training, held Sunday evenings, embraces the Great Commission through Equipping Classes and Life on Life Discipleship, growing mature followers of Christ at ERBC.
The Men's Ministry focuses on missions, ministry, and fellowship, looking to enlarge the coasts of what God is doing through the men of the church. The Women's Ministry encourages women to become women of God through service, discipleship, missions, and fellowship. A Senior Adult ministry recognizes that mature adults are ready, willing, and able to serve Christ and His church while having fun doing it. A Widows and Widowers ministry offers care and connection for those who have lost a spouse. Eight scripturally qualified deacons shepherd the church family.
Outreach Near and Far
Outreach in the Piney Chapel community remains central. The church has run Vacation Bible Schools, Backyard Bible Clubs, and other outreach events for decades. Nationally, the church supports work through the cooperative program, and globally, missions have reached Haiti and Wales, with more partnerships continuing to grow. The phased expansion of the building itself reflects the congregation's commitment to making room for ministry to children, students, and adults.
Beliefs and Mission
The church's stated mission: "To live in fellowship, loving and worshipping God, using our gifts to love and minister to a changing world through evangelism, discipleship, service, and missions in obedience to the Word of God." Members affirm that the Bible is true and full of life, that God is love, that He hears prayer, cares for His people, and calls believers to preach the Gospel.
Pastor and Staff
Pastor Toney Wales has shepherded the church since 1997. Youth Minister Daniel Long leads the student ministry. Children's Ministry Director Abby McCown oversees ERBC Kids. Music Minister David Kobeck directs the Adult Choir, and Jennifer Kobeck serves as organist. Eight deacons share in shepherding the congregation, and lay leaders head the Men's, Women's, Senior Adult, Widows and Widowers, Family, Music, and Discipleship ministries.
Visiting Elkton Road
The church sits at 19470 Elkton Road, Athens, Alabama 35614, in the Piney Chapel community of Limestone County. Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 am, with Sunday school an hour earlier. Wednesday night programming begins at 6:30 pm. Services are livestreamed, and sermons are available as a podcast. The church office can be reached at (256) 232-9086.