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For the Journey – February 2023

Posted on Feb 1, 2023 in General, John |

It is wonderful to see Trinity entering in new doors and enjoying fellowship with one another over orange juice and donuts again. Our new ministry space is allowing us to gather and visit just as we anticipated. Our new classrooms are growing in numbers each week. We are seeing the faithful stewardship of our Faith Family bearing fruit. Thank you, Trinity, for your steadfast commitment.

We are looking forward to having full access of our building soon, with offices back in place and our punch-list completed. I appreciate our ministerial and church staff for their willingness to stay engaged even though we have not occupied the same space together for a long time. Thank you, Building Committee Task Force and Clint Brown, for all you are doing to bring our project to a completion.

February brings our offering for Short Term Missions. Trinity has a heartbeat for missional living and both going and sending members to serve. There are already over thirty short term missionaries going with Trinity this year around the world to serve the LORD and assist in the ongoing work of the Kingdom, in places other than the United States.

I am excited about our next steps as a church. Trevin Wax writes in his book, The Thrill of Orthodoxy, “In every generation, we face the danger of longing for the past while fearing the future. And this mix of nostalgia and fear leads us into a state of complacency – a mission-less faith. We file in and out of the worship center week after week, content to recite the same words with our lips, but our hearts remain unstirred by the truths we confess and we are less likely to invite others to believe the good news.”

I hope you will open yourselves up to the LORD’s leadership in your life to seek, consider and take the next steps God has for us. There are amazing things taking place through Trinity Baptist Church. And I don’t mean the building we inhabit, but the people to whom we belong.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – February 2023

Jan '23

For the Journey – January 2023

Posted on Jan 1, 2023 in General, John |

Jan '23

Welcome to 2023! This past year saw many opportunities of ministry and God was faithful to make Himself known in many ways. Every Sunday as we gather for worship and Bible study there is an atmosphere of family and encouragement. There is no perfect family nor perfect church. We are all making necessary adjustments to take next steps. I hope your Christmas celebration was joyful as you centered in on God’s love coming to us in Christ.

Where there is a will, there is a way. January 8th is the dedication day for our new ministry space. We will use our new space for Bible study that morning and come together at 3:00 in the afternoon for a service of dedication. We will not have continual use of offices until one last detail is worked out. However, Master’s Plan, the city of Kerrville, and our Building Task Force, with Clint’s assistance, have worked out a plan for us to use our space on Sundays and Wednesdays. It will be a great day. I hope you are making plans to be here for the thanksgiving and celebration.

Trinity Baptist Church has been on a journey in discovering our next plan, securing finances for it, faithful participation in it, and now we are about to put into action our kingdom assignment. All along we have been clear that this new space will help us reach out to others who we don’t know yet. Your faithful stewardship to our church and our building endeavor are a direct testimony of God’s direction for us moving forward together. I am excited to see how God will use what we dedicate to His purposes for His glory.

January 8th will also be Jay Ghormley’s last day as our Interim Minister of Worship. Jay has done an exceptional job with our worship services. Jay is a gifted worship leader and we appreciate his willingness to come and lead us in our time of need. Jay has been such an encouragement to us all. Continue to pray for our Minister of Worship Search Committee as they seek God’s direction for the next Minister of Worship for our church.

There is much to be excited about in the church in the year to come. The culture around us might seem dim, but we have the Light, are the light, and alongside each other will have a bright response in our world. I count it a blessing to be able to walk alongside you as pastor and look forward to our steps together in 2023.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – January 2023

Dec '22

For the Journey – December 2022

Posted on Dec 1, 2022 in General, John |

Dec '22

“Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” We are truly blessed as the people of God. God has given us everything we need to live godly and fruitful lives. I am grateful for the opportunity of witnessing the goodness of God as He works through us. Though there is much to be in prayer over in our world, there is doubly more to be grateful for in all that God has planned. God is faithful to His purposes and His love endures forever.

As we move between holidays, I pray God will give us moments of silence and solitude to remember all He has done for us. Christmas can be busy in a lot of ways. We can hurry though the hustle and totally miss the reason for our season. I hope you will share with friends and neighbors about the upcoming opportunities of Christmas celebration at Trinity.

A few weeks back, those who were with us on campus for worship were asked to move up to the edge of their seats and I shared these words, “We will have our grand opening on …”. At the time, that was all I had. Today, as I write these words, we are making plans, the LORD willing, to have our grand opening of our new ministry space on Sunday, January 8, 2023. It is looking so good. Each day brings one more thing to completion. I hope you will write that day on your calendar and be present as we open up new space for Bible study and gathering. We will most likely be able to use the entrance and elevator prior to our grand opening. That date is still to be determined, but you will be the first to know.

If you drive down Holdsworth Drive at night toward Harper Road, the church is well lighted and visible. My prayer is that we will continue to be visible and even more visible in our community, not because of the lights on the building, but because of the lights on the inside which we call members. God is so good.

Thank you, Trinity Baptist Church, for your faithfulness to be a part of God’s assignment of reaching our community for Jesus. We are blessed to be part of a community that has good churches. Let us take the time during Christmas to see the Christ Child in the manger and be willing to tell the rest of the story.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor John

Trinity Life – December 2022

Nov '22

For the Journey – November 2022

Posted on Nov 1, 2022 in General, John |

Nov '22

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen.” -Ephesians 3:20-21

Blessed to Bless has been in our conversations for the past four years. It truly has been a blessing to see how God has blessed our direction and provided through His faithful followers who call themselves Trinity Baptist Church. Your hearts of cooperation, sacrifice and stewardship inspire us to continue the good thing that God has placed before us. We serve a God who has grand schemes and desires of redeeming this world. He has given His greatest gift to us in Jesus. I am amazed at God’s faithfulness to accomplish what He has begun. As we near the date of Thanksgiving, I am so thankful for our journey together and pray we can encourage more to journey with us.

There are just a few more details and then we will be announcing a special day to dedicate our new ministry space. If you have not taken the time to look through the open areas leading into our new building, do so and imagine with me the gathering of our present church and those who will come to join us. We will be back in our refreshed offices before long and will look forward to visiting with you there.

The word picture I have of the verse printed above is of a piece of paper where I have listed everything I could ever wish for and God coming to me and telling me that He has something so much better. in fact, it is immeasurably better. The greatest joy that we have ever experienced will not compare to that which God is bringing our way. I want to be busy serving God until it is revealed. I hope you will join me.

On Friday, November 11th, as a nation we will celebrate Veterans Day. I hope you will make a note to stop wherever you are at 11:00 a.m. and say a prayer of thanksgiving for our veterans who have served our country and afforded us the freedoms we enjoy today. Many have given the ultimate sacrifice of life while others have been wounded in many ways. “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” — G.K. Chesterton. Thank you, veterans, for your service.

Continue to be in prayer for our Minister of Worship Search Committee. The committee is doing a great job of moving through the process to discover our next Worship Leader. Our committee loves our church and it is apparent as they follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We have a wonderful ministerial staff and church staff at Trinity. God has knit together a group of individuals who work well to lead our church. Thank you for all your appreciation to our ministers. We love and appreciate the opportunity of walking alongside you as we serve the LORD. To God be the glory, great things HE has done, is doing and will do!

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – November 2022

Oct '22

For the Journey – October 2022

Posted on Oct 1, 2022 in General, John |

Oct '22

As I write this article I am also watching and hearing about the devastating Hurricane Ian that has reached landfall and produced a state of emergency for five states, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. We remain prayerful for the safety of loved ones and the rebuilding that will need to take place as a result of the high winds and water. In times like these it brings some comfort to know that neighboring states are ready to assist with the needs. Hurricanes and natural disasters put us all in the position of appreciating assistance from fellow human beings. Join me as we continue to pray how God will reveal Himself though these circumstances. I have heard from our Texas Baptist Men teams that they are on standby and may be called to go at any time. What do we do when what we consider to be basic needs are gone? Several of you have experienced storms both natural and physical. There is a silence and awing of events that follow such times. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Trinity Baptist sent teams of church members along with the Texas Baptist Men groups to assist in any way needed. I am grateful for the spirit of a church that is willing to go and get dirty, to walk alongside people who have needs of shelter as well as comfort. As followers of Jesus we are always called to be on standby whenever there is a need. Closer to home I am counting the blessings of a community and her leadership that stands consistent with Biblical standards. Both in our schools and our public library, there are those who give leadership to books that are appropriate for ages and community standards. We are blessed to have our City Officials and our School Board to give proper direction. Let us find ourselves supportive of those who are helping to lead us in the right directions. As we continue to think about blessings, we are getting closer and closer to a date for our grand opening of our new ministry space. Another blessing that overflows everyday is the faithfulness of Trinity Baptist Church to our godly assignment together. It is exciting to see the building taking shape and ceiling and floors being put in place. All of this because of our agreed upon direction and faithful support. Thank you Trinity for all you are doing. A Blessed Community is our new sermon series. We will be looking at the beatitudes in Matthew 5. I hope you will journey with us from Sunday to Sunday as we see the blessings of God and the faithfulness of God’s people. Please remain in prayer for our Minister of Worship Search Committee as they work though the process of discovering our next Minister of Worship. Remember we have been blessed so that we might bless others in return.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – October 2022

Sep '22

For the Journey – September 2022

Posted on Sep 1, 2022 in General, John |

Sep '22

The world has never been boring. Everyone who has ever lived, lived in interesting times. We most certainly see interesting things around us today. We can notice the evil that is so prevalent around us or we can focus on our response and provide an escape. As I shared recently in a sermon, I have never lived in a time when the church is so opposed as it is today. There have been worse days in our history, but our post-modern culture presents challenging assignments for the church.

I am not depressed. I have read the end of the book. Nonetheless, these truly are interesting days. How we respond to everything going on in our world today speaks volumes about our faith and trust in God’s plan and solutions. It is time for us to hold strong to our biblical upbringing. It is time for us to stand on the truth of God’s Word. It is time for us to refute heresy with gentleness and respect allowing others to see the validity of our message. Sin carries consequences and a life lived in the Spirit produces fruit.

I recently read some great advice regarding our response to our current situations. We are challenged to walk with God today in what we know while waiting for tomorrow to come. We ought to be preparing ourselves for what is coming our way while at the same time living productive and fruitful lives. We desire for others to see the good things we do and glorify our Father in heaven. Our faithfulness is a powerful witness to those around us.

So how do we spend our time? We should consider evaluating what is most important and give our highest cause our greatest service. We are moving closer to a grand opening to a new opportunity. A new gathering place and teaching space. I am already anticipating greeting you in our new entrance. It will be joyful to look down from our walkways to see the fellowship taking place.

Faith family, you have been faithful to the task and faithful to your commitment. We are experiencing God’s blessing because we are sharing the blessing God has given in order to bless those we know as well as those we don’t know yet. Thank you for your faithfulness.

I want to also express my thanks to Carrie Overby who has served faithfully as our Worship Ministry Assistant. Carrie will be stepping down at the end of this month. Carrie is greatly involved in our worship ministry as a participant, but has also provided great leadership. Stephanie Clarke will be coming on staff this month to work alongside Carrie. We are grateful for all of God’s provision and are blessed by such a great group of ministers and assistants. Thank you, Carrie. Welcome, Stephanie.

Stay tuned to the announcements coming your way. We hope very soon to let you know when we will celebrate a grand opening to our new building. Who knows, we might even bring back donuts.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – September 2022

Aug '22

For the Journey – August 2022

Posted on Aug 1, 2022 in General, John |

Aug '22

Anniversaries are great reminders of God’s provisions. God has plans and He always provides for His plans. Melinda and I want to thank you, Trinity Baptist Church, for the past ten years. We have walked together through great times and times of struggle. I remember the weekend we came in view of the call to serve as Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. Trinity graciously put us up at the Inn of the Hills and when we arrived, there were flowers and a snack basket for our room. We were eating breakfast at the hotel when Jimmie and Ruth Spradling came over and introduced themselves and asked if we were the Wheats. That began a wonderful day of meeting precious people who called themselves Trinity Baptist Church. Jimmie has since gone to be with the LORD.

It wasn’t very long after I came that we began our Forward by Faith remodel. The church had already voted to move in this direction and, shortly after coming, we moved our worship services to the Family Life Center. It was quite different but provided for a great way to meet new people. I got to see the beautiful response of the Trinity members as they were displaced for worship but so joyfully moved together.

Ten years later, we are in search of our next Minister of Worship as well as counting down the days till we open our new building through our Blessed to Bless campaign. God is sure faithful to provide for the work He is calling us toward. We are receiving new members as God provides and celebrating the baptisms of those who are coming to receive salvation in Christ. We set up the flag in the Worship Center from Sunday to Sunday of the state or country Trinity members are heading for mission opportunities. The American flag is always out reminding us of our mission responsibility here at home.

We have been blessed this summer through the incredible potential of Vacation Bible School, Horizon Student Camp, and Alto Frio Pre-teen Camp. God is moving among our students and their leadership. Our adult discipleship includes specific Bible studies for everyone. On Sunday mornings and during the week, groups gather to connect with each other and study God’s Word. We are blessed to be a blessing for such a time as this.
Our community and world need to see strong and committed followers of Jesus. I am grateful for the journey with you as we travel these days and paths together. I prayerfully anticipate that next month’s Trinity Life will carry the information about the Grand Opening of our new gathering and education space.

Anniversaries are great reminders of God’s provisions as we remember all that God has done while also anticipating all that God is planning to do

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the LORD and not to men, knowing that from the LORD you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the LORD Christ.” Colossians 3:23

We love you Trinity,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – August 2022

Jun '22

For the Journey – June 2022

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 in General, John |

Jun '22

We all have a heavy heart. Prayers, presence and words are often the response to tragedy. We have all grieved with Uvalde, Texas this past week. Anyone who is a parent or grandparent begins to groan with the families and the loss of life of these precious children and teachers. After the initial shock of what took place, we begin to ask, “What can we do?” We cannot believe any individual could do such a horrendous act, but we are reminded that evil is evil.

There are no words that can be offered that help to explain or console. However, we can offer prayers. Prayers to God who hurts alongside all the grieving families and the community that will forever be changed. I do not have the words to share or encourage us except that God will work through all that has happened. God redeems all He allows and He is very near to the broken hearted. We also can be near to those in Uvalde through our prayers for them.

There are many who need our prayers. First and most definitely, those whose family members were killed. We also need to remember to pray for all of the first responders who both ended the conflict and began to offer help. Remember the hospital workers who received the injured and deceased. Pray for all of the school children who will remember these events and those who walked alongside them in the halls of their school. Lift up the faculty and administration as they mourn the loss of students, but also their peers. God help us all as we consider how to pray for those in need.

In the midst of all the chaos of the world, God is still moving forward. We should never let evil stop us or silence us. The answer to all of our struggles is still an authentic relationship with Jesus that transforms us and our world. In the presence of all the ugly, there is hope. Our world does not have the answer. Therefore, we must continue to do our part in declaring in our brokenness that God pursues us and desires to have a relationship with us. He has made it all possible through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior.

There are many opportunities to share hope this summer. Find your place and plug in. Vacation Bible School and summer camps are scheduled and many children and youth have already signed up. They have signed up for an opportunity to take a first step in Jesus for salvation or a next step in Christ in discipleship. Let us be in the position for God to use us in great ways this summer and every day.

This month we will say goodbye to Larry Danks. I am forever thankful for the time Larry has served as our Minister of Worship. He and Mary Pat have faithfully served the LORD in life as well as Trinity Baptist Church. We will be hosting a Retirement Celebration for Larry on Sunday, June 26th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. We will have a brief presentation at 3:30 for Larry and Mary Pat. Church members are encouraged to bring a card expressing their love and appreciation to the Danks for their faithful and outstanding ministry among us.

The summer will be full of opportunities to be involved both in prayer support and active engagement. Let’s join together as we see God working among us to declare His goodness and purpose.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – June 2022

Apr '22

For the Journey – May 2022

Posted on Apr 30, 2022 in General, John |

Apr '22

What a wonderful blessing and honor it was to celebrate our Risen LORD on Resurrection Sunday. We are still meeting those who came to experience the Victor and are returning to worship with us. God is blessing as we continue to visit with others and make plans for baptisms. On Easter Sunday morning we had 710 worship with us on campus and another 210 worship with us online. Praise the LORD!

There are holes in our building, but that is a good thing. The builders have penetrated the exterior walls and have now joined our established building to our new building. It looks amazing. We are beginning to get a glimpse of what our new facility will bring our way. We have begun our third year of our pledges and Trinity Baptist Church has gone above and beyond. We are so fortunate to serve the God who meets our needs and provides for our direction together. I am anticipating a day, in just a few more months, when we will be gathering to dedicate new opportunities for ministry through TBC because of God’s provision of gathering space and discipleship. These are exciting days.

The month of May will bring great ministry opportunities our way. The Encore Senior Adult Days, highlighting our Prime Time Ministry, begins the month. We will recognize our graduating seniors on May 15th and welcome our two summer interns later in the month. Our Women’s Bible study and our Men’s Bible study have concluded for a brief break before the summer studies start. I am simply amazed at all the meaningful ministry taking place at Trinity.

Please be praying for both Larry and Mary Pat Danks as they draw closer and closer to Larry’s date of retirement. We will surely take advantage of appreciating the Danks for their tenured ministry of over 15 years at TBC. You will get more information next month, but be sure to put the date of Larry’s retirement reception on your calendar – Sunday, June 26th.

Also, be in prayer for our Worship Minister Search Committee as they begin the process of discovering who our next Worship minister will be. I appreciate this committee’s dedication to pray and I know they would cherish your prayers for them as well.

In Christ,

Pastor John

Trinity Life – May 2022