Have you ever witnessed God doing a miracle? I have. Not long ago God did a miracle at Trinity International Church. Pastor John Johnson was one of the best Pastors in the 40 year history of our Church. He served Trinity from 1993-1999 during a season where the church grew and thrived and was able to buy our current building, which was no small miracle. Part of his ministry has always been leading Holy Land Tours and while arranging a tour in 2024 he offered to preach at Trinity during his layover on his way back home. At that time, Pastor Dave was happy to accept and Pastor John was scheduled to preach. That’s when God did a miraculous thing. Several months later Pastor Dave very suddenly left a shocked and damaged Trinity Church in disarray. Yet, in God’s sovereignty, it was the very Sunday after Pastor Dave left that Pastor John was already scheduled to preach, and preach he did. That divine appointment became the starting point for Pastor John to come back to Trinity for 90 days in the fall of 2024 to give much needed leadership to a church in crisis without a pastor. His calm hand and tenured voice steadied the ship and brought hope back as he established a road map back to health. 90 days goes by rather quickly and Pastor John knew there was much more work to be done than he could finish. So, God used Pastor John to do another miracle. At that time, he reached out to his friend and former Associate Pastor, Dan Axtell, asking if I’d be willing to come for 90 days. Knowing I had a history with Trinity Church as well he trusted me to pick up where he left off. It seemed impossible for me to come for 90 days but yet God made a way. Nicole and I came to Trinity in the early months of 2025 and saw God do more miracles. Health was restored. Peace and joy came back into the halls. Many people asked me if I would come back and be the permanent Pastor but I assured them it would take a miracle. God would have to move mountains. Shortly after I left, God did move mountains. He also moved the Pastor Search Committee. Thanks to Pastor John Johnson not only did Trinity International Church survive, we are thriving. God used Pastor John twenty-five years ago to grow our church, to buy our building and this past year to give much-needed direction. We all owe a great deal of gratitude to Pastor John and on Sunday, November 30th, we will vote to honor him with the title of “Pastor Emeritus” in recognition of his great contribution to our ongoing success. Thank you, Pastor John Johnson, for your faithfulness to God and to Trinity International Church for the past 30 plus years.
Pastor Dan
