Our Name
Why name a church Trinity Bible Church?
Trinity
Trinity is first because it is the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that makes salvation possible. The Father chooses, the Son redeems, and the Holy Spirit regenerates. Therefore, all the credit is God’s.
Bible
Bible is central because it must permeate all that we do. We believe that the Word of God is the only infallible rule of faith and practice. It is the only means by which God conveys His truth to us concerning Himself and what duties he requires of us. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are inspired by God and “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man (or woman) of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Church
While “Trinity” and “Bible” were our choice in defining who we are, Church was mandated by God — as revealed in His Word. The church is His designation for the assembly of people called by His name. As such, our course has been charted by God; our destiny has been planned by God; our members have been chosen by God; our purposes have been defined by God. Thus we look forward to gathering together to fellowship and encourage one another, all to the glory of His name.
Why We are a Non-denominational or Community Church
Trinity Bible Church is a non-denominational community church in Lynden, WA. For more information on the church, start at our Home Page.
What Does It Mean to be Non-denominational?
When we say we are non-denominational, it means, primarily, that we do not belong to a larger organization of churches. We believe God has invested authority in the local body of believers, not in a denomination or a greater governing body.
What Does It Mean to be a Community Church?
Community church is synonymous with local church. It means we are grounded in the community. It means our body is made up of people from the community. It means we are committed to the community. And it means our primary outreach is in the community. We are a church in Lynden and North Whatcom County.
Don’t Others Use Those Terms Differently?
Yes. Unfortunately, many have come to use non-denominational and community to mean that they have few doctrinal distinctives. It means, for them, that those who attend the church are free to believe whatever they choose and no one will ever say anything or do anything that challenges those beliefs. In fact, in their thinking, if someone were to say anything, it would be deemed divisive. We do not believe that is consistent with what Scripture teaches.*
What are Trinity Bible Church’s Distinctives?
We are baptist, in that we believe in believer’s baptism by immersion. We hold to the doctrines of grace. And we are committed to God’s word as our sole authority. You can find more in our Statement of Faith.
In the Bible, divisiveness is not described as the church (elders or fellow believers) pointing out aberrant beliefs. Elders are commanded to “give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9, 2 Timothy 4:2). It is essential for a strong church. The Bible describes divisiveness as refusing to submit to what the Word of God teaches. Thus it is the person holding the incorrect belief that is divisive and damaging unity, not the one who gently and lovingly confronts error.
History
In May 2013, approximately 40 like-minded believers gathered on a Sunday morning at the Barn Youth Center north of Lynden for the first worship service of what would become Trinity Bible Church. From the beginning the church was marked by a commitment to teaching and obeying the word of God. Within the first few months, mid-week Bible studies had sprung up to augment the Sunday messages.
In addition to the hunger for the word of God, Trinity Bible Church has been defined by close Christian fellowship. They share a meal together after each Sunday morning service, and gather in homes during the week. Perhaps it is partially due to the church’s small size, but this is a body that truly displays the love of Christ for another.
The early history of Trinity Bible Church is still being written. The body is still less than one year one old. But God is the one writing our history, and we are excited to see what He has planned as Trinity Bible Church grows and matures.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” –Psalm 127:1