OUR
TEAM
BEN KOCH
LEAD PASTOR
BEN@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
Ben and Sarah love living and serving in Austin and are passionate to see people experience the radical love of Jesus. “Our goal is to help connect people to that love through a greater experience of his presence and understanding through his Word. We invite you to join us in that adventure!” Ben and Sarah have 3 kids, Jasmine, Madeline, and Levi, and love traveling and exploring, caring for their growing plethora of pets, and having fun with friends and family.
"Here at The Vineyard, we are passionate to see our city flourish and desire to see everyone step into the adventure of following Jesus in the kingdom of God"
Pastor Ben
RICK EVANS
EXECUTIVE PASTOR
RICK@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
Rick was invited to join the Vineyard staff in January, 2018. He and his wife, Lisa, have been married for 43 years and have 3 grown daughters and 3 awesome grandkids. He is passionate about connecting people with and watching them grow in small groups. He enjoys “Jeeping” with those he loves. Whether it’s a date night with Lisa or piling his grandkids into the backseat, they pop the top and remove the doors and blast into a warm, sunny Austin day together without a care in the world!
ELAINE BRENDLER
ASSOCIATE PASTOR
ELAINE@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
Elaine is our resident “Brit” and has been on staff for more years than she can remember. She is our Associate Pastor and currently overseas our hospitality teams, our Alpha courses, and our women's ministry. Elaine loves helping anyone new to the Vineyard to get connected so that they feel "at home" in the Vineyard and also provides pastoral support and encouragement whenever needed. She has 2 much loved adult children and 4 brilliant grandchildren and has been happily married to her husband Bill since 2007.
ANTONIO HENRIQUEZ
CAMPUS PASTOR - SPANISH SERVICE
AHCEJASMERCY@GMAIL.COM
Antonio is a Pastor with Austin Vineyard since October of 2022 and leads the growing Spanish service and congregation. He moved to the United States in 2014 to begin ministering and helping establish Christian groups with the covering of the Federation of Ministers and Churches International under Bob Long.
sARAH KOCH
WORSHIP ARTS MINISTRY DIRECTOR
SARAH@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
Sarah has continuously had a heart for Jesus and for worship ever since she was called by the Holy Spirit at the age of seven in a significant, wonderful encounter with Him.
The call to God and then to ministry started in that moment and grew as she walked out her teen years participating on worship teams as a background vocalist at the Cleveland Vineyard, married Ben Koch in her twenties, Graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in Nursing in 2007, and started a family.
God called them to Austin, Texas in 2014, where she served as a volunteer in the Worship Arts Ministry and learned to become a leader while raising little kids. She eventually served in a staff role at the Austin Vineyard beginning in 2020. She became Director of the Worship Arts Ministry in 2024, where she leads various teams, and worship on Sunday mornings.
Her heart’s desire is to see all people, children, teens, and adults, from every nation, and background, experience the radical love and transforming work of the Holy Spirit through worship.
Lisa Evans has been married to Rick for 45 years and has 3 daughters and 3 grandchildren. enjoys spending time with her family and is looking forward to new camping adventures.Lisa is passionate to see each and every child at The Austin Vineyard to have the opportunity to meet with Jesus and then walk daily with Him and learn about all of the many amazing treasures He has for each one of us!
LISA EVANS
KIDS' MINISTRY DIRECTOR
LISA@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
CHANTEL TRUBILLA
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH
CHANTEL@AUSTINVINEYARD.ORG
Chantel found Austin Vineyard church in 2018 when she and her husband Nate decided to make the move from Omaha, Nebraska to Austin, Texas sight unseen with a u-hail packed full of their possessions, their 2 dogs, and their hopes and dreams. They had no idea that this new city would begin the most beautiful chapter of their lives as they just happened to have moved across the street from AVC.
Here they found loving community that became family at AVC, restored their relationship with Jesus, and started on their biggest journey of their faith, relationship, and healing they’d never even imagined!
Chantel is a Bible loving, study hungry, lovingly self-proclaimed nerd. She really appreciates the lifelong journey of knowing God’s character through the word, prayer, and community.
As the Director of Youth for AVC, Chantel and her husband Nate are passionate about showing young people how powerful, loved, and important they are in the kingdom and that they can do important things today and not when they are “all grown up.” Her and her husband lead from a grace filled relational approach that gives the space and intentionally for each teen and pre-teen to flourish in their own authentic and unique way. They also lead youth with a culture focused on to feeling safe, seen, and known in their community while also having fun and enjoying being a kid!