Beliefs

Our Beliefs

WE HOLD to the historic and reformed views of Christianity.

WE BELIEVE the Bible is God’s infallible Word. It is the fully inspired Word of God, inerrant and the final authority.

WE BELIEVE in the Holy Trinity. God exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are of the same substance, equal in power and glory.

WE BELIEVE in the majesty and sovereignty of God. He is the one and only supreme Lord and Master of the universe. He ordains unchangeably whatsoever comes to pass after the counsel of His will. For His own glory, He sovereignly revealed Himself by the Holy Scriptures, and in His Son Jesus Christ initiates a relationship toward mankind. He sustains both the universe and the relationship with His people.

WE BELIEVE Jesus Christ to be fully human and fully divine…born of a virgin and lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death and resurrected from the grave, ascended into heaven and will return to judge all mankind.

WE BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is the only savior of sinners, and that no one comes to the Father but through him. No one can attain relationship with God or eternal life any other way but by faith in Jesus Christ. The way of salvation is confessing our sin, trusting and resting in Christ alone for salvation.

WE BELIEVE in the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, who is the gift of the Father through Jesus the Son; who dwells within all true believers in order to seal their redemption and prepare them for heaven.

WE BELIEVE God’s people can be assured of their eternal salvation…Sola Scriptura – scripture alone, the infallible and final authority; Sola Gratia – grace alone, salvation is a gift from God; Sola Fide – through faith alone, we are united Christ; Sola Christua – in Christ alone, the only sufficient Mediator; Sola Deo Gloria – unto God’s glory alone.

Our Commitments

EIGHT BASIC COMMITMENTS OF TRINITY CHURCH

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”  Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)

THE COMMITMENT TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AND TEACH THE REFORMED FAITH TO OUR MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY AROUND US.

Trinity Church will be a Christ-centered, evangelical, conservative and reformed Presbyterian congregation.

THE COMMITMENT TO WORSHIP GOD ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES AND WITH A SENSE OF JOY, THANKSGIVING AND ANTICIPATION.

Trinity Church will be a church that pursues Biblical, balanced and beautiful worship according to the regulative principle of worship.

THE COMMITMENT TO BECOME A PRAYING PEOPLE AT WORSHIP, WORK AND WITNESS.

Trinity Church will emphasize prayer in all we do and under gird all we do in prayer.

THE COMMITMENT TO WELCOME AND ENFOLD OUR MEMBERSHIP INTO A LOVING COMMUNITY OF FAITH.

Trinity Church leadership will seek to shepherd its members while its members seek to love, accept and care for one another.

THE COMMITMENT TO THE PRACTICE OF BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP.

Trinity Church will encourage and expect all its members to give of themselves, their time, their talents and their treasures in support of Christ’s Church and its ministry locally, nationally and around the world.

THE COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHEN THE COVENANT FAMILY IN ITS GROWTH IN GRACE, FAITH AND HOLINESS.

Trinity Church will invest in ministries to develop male leadership in the home, develop godly womanhood, enrich marriages and minister to youth and children of all ages.

THE COMMITMENT TO PROACTIVE AND WINSOME WITNESS TO THE PEOPLE, COMMUNITY AND CITY AROUND US, BY MEANS OF THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Trinity Church will seek to grow both as a congregation and as individuals in our witness to the grace of Christ. Our witness will be both in lifestyle and in word.

THE COMMITMENT TO USE OUR MINISTRIES AND RESOURCES TO SERVE THE SPIRITUAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF JACKSON.

Trinity Church will seek to be both salt and light to our neighbors and will use the gifts that God has given us to extend God’s common grace to the city of Jackson, enriching our culture in every way possible.

Our History

Trinity Presbyterian Church is a member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, a conservative Biblical, reformed and evangelical denomination, and one of the fastest growing denominations in America.

In the fall of 1950 the Presbytery of Central Mississippi of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) planted a new congregation at 640 E. Northside Drive, on the last paved road in the north end of Jackson. Located in the Broadmoor area commonly and affectionately known as “GI Village”, this new church grew rapidly with the young veterans from World War II and their families.

Trinity Church served as a neighborhood church in North Jackson, providing spiritual and community services for growing families. Reaching its peak membership in 1968, the church then began to decline due to both generational shifts and demographic changes that impacted both its numerical growth and spiritual condition.

In its half-century of history, Trinity Church has been served by only six pastors. John Reed Miller planted the church but was there only a few months before accepting the call to pastor the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson. He was succeeded by J. Harrel Harper who built Trinity’s first building and served as senior pastor from 1952-1960. Park Moore came next. He was the minister during the turbulent 60’s and during the years of Trinity’s most rapid growth. His tenure from 1962-1974 left its mark on Trinity Church perhaps more than the two previous pastors. H. Cobb Ware came to Trinity Church in 1975. He guided the church into a vibrant missions focus and can be credited with developing the missions-mindedness of the congregation that exists to this day.”Cobbie” shepherded Trinity Church through its most difficult and declining years.

After Cobbie Ware left in 1990, Dr. Gordon K. Reed was called to serve as Interim Pastor (1990-1992). Dr. Reed was the man God used at a critical time in the life of Trinity Church to bring revitalization and refocus to a tired but gifted church. His two years as minister were, by far and away, the two most significant years of Trinity’s history. Gordon Reed prepared the Trinity Church to enter its second half-century of ministry and mission full of faith, optimism and vision.

Michael Ross came in June of 1992. Under his leadership, Trinity Church became an integrated congregation and, once again, a partner in the community life of Jackson.

In the summer of 2003, the Elders of the Trinity Presbyterian Church decided to move the congregation to a new location and upgraded facilities. This process was the culmination of over two years of study, prayer and investigation of various plans to improve our existing facilities and expand them.

After considering several options that included either purchasing other church properties or building new facilities at our existing location in North Jackson, the elders hired an architectural firm to develop plans for an expanded campus on Northside Drive. The final plan called for multiple phases of construction over two decades of time, at a total price of approximately $10 million at 2003 prices. Just prior to the launch of phase one of this long-range plan, in July of 2003, the Christ United Methodist Church (CUMC) on Old Canton Road contacted our officers and offered to sell their facility to us for slightly more than $2 million. This was virtually the same price as phase one of our master plan, but for a total of 89,000 square feet of church facilities.

The Session decided to look at the Christ United Methodist offer and prayerfully discuss it. In early August of 2003, the thirteen elders of the Session voted unanimously to recommend the purchase of the CUMC property and the relocation of our congregation and ministry to Old Canton Road, just four miles from our home of fifty-four years on Northside Drive. The motivation for this move was not just financial. It included several factors.

Trinity Church has been a unique congregation in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and in the city of Jackson. It was purposefully integrated and had invested much effort and expense in reaching out to the surrounding neighborhoods of both Broadmoor and Broadmeadow. By 2003 the church has hit a growth plateau. Its facilities were 80% full or more each Sunday. Two services had not relieved the over-crowding. Parking, office space, classrooms, nursery, sanctuary seating and fellowship hall were at maximum capacity.

More significantly, Trinity had reached a point in its demographic niche where future growth and impact in the African American community – the predominant community at its’ Northside Drive location – necessitated African American leadership. The elders became convinced that the location of the church demanded an African American pastor on staff and an integrated body of elders and deacons. The move to Old Canton Road would open the way for a black church on Northside Drive with indigenous leadership.

A sizable minority of the congregation were committed to remaining at the Northside Drive location. Many were involved in outreach to the neighborhood, and some had moved into the neighborhood to create an incarnational presence for the Lord and His Church. They desired more of a parish model of ministry that carried on the work of gospel ministry and racial reconciliation. These member were willing to plant a new church in an “old” location.

After a year of discussions, meetings, congregational votes and much soul-searching a plan of action was agreed upon. Almost a third of Trinity’s congregation would remain at the old location, would purchase the existing facility from Trinity Church, would call an African American minister, and would continue ministry in the Broadmoor/Broadmeadow neighborhood. The other two-thirds of the congregation would purchase the CUMC facility and move Trinity Church to a new home, a new ministry, a new era. In November 2004 this parting of congregations and the multiplication of PCA churches took place. On February 13, 2005, those who remained at the Northside Drive location particularized as a congregation of the PCA’s Mississippi Valley Presbytery under the name Redeemer Church, PCA. Rev. Michael Campbell serves as Redeemer’s pastor. These two PCA congregations in the city of Jackson now exist as sister churches. On November 21, 2004, Trinity Church held its inaugural worship service at its new location.

Our Officers

Trinity Church annually elects its officers and votes, when necessary, to call its senior minister. There are, in the church, two classes of officer. These are…

The Office of Elder:

Ruling elders are drawn from the ranks of the “laity,” and share the job of shepherding, administration of the sacraments and the work of evangelism with the ordained ministers. They are elected by their peers to govern the church. The organization, management, discipline and administration falls to the office of the ruling elders. Most ruling elders work in other careers and govern the church voluntarily. The elders are ordained to their office and organized in a governing body or “court” known as the Session.

The Office of Deacon:

Deacons are added to the government of the church by Christ and the Apostles in order to supplement, assist, advise and encourage the elders. The office of primarily a ministry of administration, service, mercy and stewardship. The deacons are ordained to their office and are organized in a Board of Directors, often referred to as the Diaconate.

Active Elders for 2017:

Dave Collipp, Jon Henry, Mark Henry (Clerk), Rob Jones, James Logan, Patrick McDowell, Martin McGee, Ben McLain, Will Murray, Dennis Watts, John Williams

Active Deacons for 2017:

Jamie Allen, Addison Canevaro, Andy Segrest, Dan Smith (Chairman)

All of our active elders and deacons, along with some of our inactive elders, serve each year on one of our ministry teams. For a current list, click on the Ministries tab in the top menu.