My history with Trinity International Church began in 1999 when Nicole and I moved from the United States to The Netherlands where I served as the Associate Pastor of Youth. We fell in love with Trinity and over the ensuing years we often described our time here as the “best four years of our life.” Now that we are back again we are very aware that God has been using this church for many years to touch the lives of thousands of people spread across the globe. This month we celebrated 42 years of Trinity International Church. Here’s a brief history…
In 1984, God began writing a new chapter in the Den Haag area through the faith and vision of six families who felt called to establish an English-speaking, Bible-based church. What started as a simple dream quickly became a reality when 44 people gathered for the first worship service in a rented building in Wassenaar.
In those early days, different preachers shared the pulpit each week—active military personnel, missionaries, retired pastors, and elders—each contributing to the foundation of a growing community. Before long, Stephen and Gwen Smith responded to the call of a Pastor Search Committee and began leading the young congregation.
As the church grew, so did its ministry. Women’s gatherings, retreats, and the annual Thanksgiving Banquet at Duinrell became cherished opportunities for fellowship and outreach in those early days. By 1987, the congregation had grown enough to purchase its first church building on Bloemcamplaan in Wassenaar. What had begun with a handful of families was becoming a thriving church family.
Over the following years, Trinity flourished. People from more than 25 nations gathered each week to worship, learn, and serve together. A youth pastor was added to help invest in the next generation, and the church became known for its strong biblical teaching, commitment to missions, and welcoming community. Trinity developed a reputation as a place where people from around the world could find spiritual encouragement, meaningful relationships, and a sense of belonging.
By the late 1990s, the church building was filled beyond capacity. Even with rented classrooms at a nearby school and two Sunday services, space had become a constant challenge. Yet this challenge was also evidence of God’s blessing.
After years of praying and searching, God provided a new home. In the fall of 1999, under the leadership of Pastor John Johnson, Trinity International Church moved into a larger facility in Leidschendam. The move created new opportunities for ministry and positioned the church for continued growth in the years ahead.
Today, more than four decades after those first gatherings in Wassenaar, Trinity International Church continues to celebrate God’s faithfulness. Hundreds have been baptized, countless lives have been transformed by the gospel, and thousands of people have passed through Trinity’s doors before being sent to live, work, and serve around the world. Along the way, the church has hosted prayer meetings, Bible studies, retreats, fellowship events, and outreach ministries that have impacted both the local community and nations far beyond the Netherlands. What began with six families has become a global story of God’s grace, with former members serving Christ across the world.
As we look to the future, we remain committed to the same mission that inspired our founders: proclaiming the gospel, making disciples, and helping people from every nation follow Jesus. We are grateful for God’s provision in the past, confident in His guidance for the present, and excited to see what He will do in the years to come.
“Trinity International Church is a safe, welcoming, community of Christ-followers who uphold a high view of Scripture, celebrate unity in diversity and participate fully in the abiding Christian life as described in the Bible. We are united by the principle that in the essentials there should be unity, in all else there should be charity.”
Pastor Dan
