Dear Trinity....from Bro. Jeff Summers

Dear Church Family,

This March, four years ago, God called my family to join with Trinity to do life and ministry together. My how time flies!

As I reflect on the past four years, I can’t help but think of the transition here and some of the difficulties that we experienced during this time. On the other hand, I can’t help but think of the joys we have experienced with our Church family. But that is life.  I can honestly say the joys outweigh the difficulties and, through it all, my love has grown for my church. It is a growth that has not been by leaps and bounds, nor one that has been a firework of growth and fizzled out:  the growth of my love for you has been steady. My love for you is like the steadiness of a good friend who knows you and accepts you, but at the same time does not allow things to just get by. I need that kind of love and accountability and you have become that church for me. 

Although there is always room for growth, I look forward to our lives growing together even more as we serve together and minister for the cause of Christ.  There will be many ups and downs, but I have seen my church, my brothers and sisters, reach out to love, care, accept, confront, speak truth–speak Scripturally to one another in so many ways.

The scripture from Philemon 1:7 speaks accurately of our Church when it says:

For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. 

Even though we can’t be close to everyone, it does not dampen the impact you have on me or my family, or on others as you seek to love and minister to and with one another.  Our hearts have been refreshed through you, truly. You not only give and live the Word of God, but you give of yourselves.

The love of our Church has grown. In the past four years, I have seen it and experienced it for myself. My wife and children have as well. The growth of our Church’s love is evident as we do life: as we weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice.  The basis of this affectionate, sacrificial and transparent love is our Church’s love of Christ and His Word.  We never claim perfection or even that we are good, but we seek, desire and yearn to know Jesus more and more. By the outworking of His Spirit through our obedience, we are able to experience the love of Christ through one another and how refreshing that is! What freedom there is in Christ.

I love my Church more now than ever. I love my Church for coming together to love and minister, and as a result you stir up more and more love and good works. I love my Church for seeking to know and love Christ and His Word. You yearn to not only know Him but to apply His Word. I love my Church for not being perfect, because in this humble truth, you urge the rest of the body to rely on Christ, who is our sufficiency in all things. I love my Church for your faithfulness in applying the diversity of your God-given gifts in your ministries so that the whole body is edified and made stronger.  I love my Church because you want others to know Jesus no matter who they are, where they come from or what they look like. I love my Church because you love Jesus…and it shows.

From your brother with love,

Jeff Summers

My Love for Trinity... From Bro. Greg Stringfield

I can truly say through my tenure here that I have experienced a “true love relationship” with Trinity.  There have been times of joy, times of tears, times of indecision, times of frustration, times of victory, and times of just standing in awe of God! 

So often we get caught up looking for the end result and miss out on the blessing of the journey.  It’s hard in the midst of the storm to be thankful when the spray is falling on you! The statement is just as true today as when my first pastor I served with made this statement to me. He said, “When you are the captain of the ship, sometimes the waves crash in on you from over the bow.”  During these times we must remember to hold on to our calling and to what God has specifically promised/called you to do.  The journey of those times strengthens our relationship with the church as well as our relationship with Christ.

James 1:12 states “Blessed is the man who preservers under trial; because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

I’m grateful for times of trial in my life because in and through them my foundation of Spiritual belief is strengthened.  Trinity is no different than any other church in that we have had times of trial and struggles, times where we were strengthen due to our experiences.  I love Trinity for the growth I have seen in her and the foundation we are laying for an incredible future. We are becoming a church where we hear often from so many that "you just can’t find this anywhere else."  I’m overjoyed at those who come in and appreciate that Trinity is preaching and teaching a true Gospel.  It is so refreshing to see the new members God is sending us who come in like minded and ready to serve!  We (staff) often are focused on the end result or where we are headed, and we sometimes forget or miss what God is already doing and has done.  No one could have imagined what we are experiencing today!  Trinity has become a fellowship where the Gospel is presented correctly and through that our church is experiencing healthy spiritual growth.  As we experience this growth we are able to see the true love God has for His body.  I can’t imagine being anywhere else at this time in my life.  I love Trinity for the lighthouse it has become to each of us and to the community.

Greg Stringfield

Administrative Pastor 

I Love My Church....from Bro. Bubba Crowder

I love my church because:

-         They love on my family.  In fact, they are my family.  They’ve gone out of their way to help us and encourage us.   It’s great bringing your children to a place you know they’re going to be loved the way you love them.

-         There is a desire to serve.  The people at Trinity go the extra-mile to make sure they serve with excellence.  They sacrifice their time to be here and give their energy to serve well while they are here.

-         There is a passion for the Word of God.  This is the standard for all of our ministries across the board.  We don’t seek the world’s standards but the Truth of God’s Word.

-         There is an attitude of seeking peace instead of war.   This is always a work-in-progress, but there’s an attitude to live together in unity.

-         There is a healthy respect for leadership.  It’s a joy to serve in a place like Trinity.

We are today, more than ever, thankful for Trinity Baptist Church.   We love our church!

Bubba Crowder

"I Love Trinity" Letter from Bro. John Miller

As I think about my love for Trinity Baptist Church, I think about Christ’s love for the Church. He gave himself to die to redeem it. To me this means we are to imitate Jesus in this respect:  He gave himself to suffer on the cross to save the church, so we are to be willing to deny ourselves, to bear toil and trial, that we may promote the bride of Christ. 

Trinity has been through good and not so good times because of many different reasons, but probably one reason is that people have not practiced self-denial, so therefore Christ and His church suffer.  The Bible says that Christ rules over the church, Trinity Baptist Church, and has a right to direct and control it, so we must put "self" aside.  During my years at Trinity Baptist Church, I have seen many men and women who have given of themselves through time, trails, and service to bring people to the saving grace of Jesus.  Men and women who have gone beyond what was expected, who have taught Sunday School and Bible studies for years, who have sat in committee meetings without any recognition, men and women who just love the Lord and are willing to serve for His glory. That is another reason I love Trinity.

“Even as Christ loved the church...”  This is the strongest love that has ever been shown clearly in this world. So, we ought to love the church in the same way. How can a man or woman say they do not love the church and claim to love Christ? “Love” means to feel affection for, to adore, to care for, be devoted to, to find irresistible:  it is an action word. We are to make the love which Christ had for the church be the model for our lives in everything.

I love this church because I have witnessed the love of Christ at Trinity Baptist Church in the past and I expect to continue to witness our love for Jesus Christ, His people and His church in 2013.

Just For Jesus

Bro. John