The definition of "exponential" is rapid, accelerating, and continuous growth. To a degree, Trinity has experienced this kind of growth for the last 18 years - growing from a single campus with 100 people worshiping together to seven campuses on three continents with 2350 people gathered on Sunday mornings and 740 more watching online. Remaining with our founding principles of: (1) preaching the Word of God; (2) reaching outside the walls of the church to impact our neighborhoods; and (3) being prepared to survive and thrive in the face of spiritual warfare; we believe Trinity is poised for EXPONENTIAL growth in this next chapter!

After significant prayer and discussion, the Governing Elders have determined that the best way to advance the Kingdom of God and see EXPONENTIAL growth is not in continuing to add “campuses” but rather to begin the process of “church planting.” Church planting can be done in a variety of ways and we want to ensure we have the maximum potential for success with the most most cost-effective approach. We have designated $200,000 from the campaign to establish a “Church Planting Team,” which would include the hire of an individual with significant and successful church planting experience and then building a team around that person. This team would be responsible for researching the current trends and models for church planting and assessing the right direction for Trinity to take for this new venture. This team would also begin the process of building a Church Planting Network so that we are well equipped to provide support and encouragement for future church plants. We have designated $500,000 for seed money for the first church plants. We don’t know how many churches this will support since much depends on their location and needs. While we realize that this is not a detailed plan, we desire to take the next year or two to develop our approach in order to ensure a successful venture. The lack of details at this point should not be interpreted as a lack of confidence and commitment in this next step for Trinity’s future. We simply want to take the time to develop a solid plan before starting the plantings.

Our commitment to the Achievement Center would be fully justifiable even if it were only a Virginia Beach initiative based solely on the number of those young people we are discussing. However, one of most exciting elements of our commitment to the Achievement Center is that the Governor of Virginia is treating this program as a "pilot" program that, if successful, will serve as the model for an Achievement Center concept in every city in Virginia!

This is a great question and one that we have wrestled with at the leadership level since the beginning. The question really is, "Are we hindering what God wants to do by not asking for enough?" Our answer is that we are asking for what we NEED in order to move forward in peace. We have been paying rent at the Westin for years, and the amount of that monthly rent is such that it would service a mortgage of $1,950,000. By deducting this amount from the $6,000,000 and asking for $4,050,000 while remaining "expense neutral" for the Town Center future budget, we can be more certain of being able to proceed. However, we are NOT without faith or without the complete confidence that God can do "exceeding abundantly more than we can ask or imagine." Should God choose to bless us in abundance, every dollar raised above the $4,050,000 will be directly applied to reducing the size of the mortgage we would need to take to build the Town Center Campus Worship Facility.

It is true that Trinity has never had any type of mortgage or loan debt, but we have had long-term lease and rental agreements such as at Princess Anne, Stuttgart, and Norfolk and in strict accounting terms, these are debts as they extend beyond one year and are not cancellable. Also, in all Christian stewardship training we have seen, debt on an appreciating asset, like a home or a building, is considered acceptable. Converting the rent we pay the Westin currently to service a $1,950,000 mortgage for this worship center is expense neutral and allows us to have a more achievable campaign goal. It also means that rather than having no return on our rent, we will build equity in our property. Again, however, should God choose to bless us in abundance, every dollar raised above the $4,050,000 will be directly applied to reducing the size of the mortgage we would need to take to build the Town Center Campus Worship Facility.

We have done our very best to ensure that we have not underestimated the project. Our professionals understand church building and have worked closely with us to try to ensure that the $4,900,000 budget is the best estimate we can make at this time. Of course there are always issues that arise and there is a contingency built into that budget for those issues.

As for timing, our professionals have told us the construction will take between 12 and 15 months once we have broken ground. The permitting process is almost completed and we are hoping to break ground soon after the campaign ends.

As was the case with the two capital campaigns in the Bible, the first to construct the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-9), and the second to build the Temple (1 Chronicles 29), no one is obligated to give to this campaign. Whatever each individual or family determines to give is a free will offering above and beyond their regular giving. No one should commit so much to the campaign that they would be unable to continue their regular giving to the general fund. The Church needs to continue to operate, and none of these funds will supplement the general fund.

As has always been Trinity’s position and practice, we believe that all giving is between the individual and the Lord so, outside of the people who process the checks and issue the tax receipts, no one else will ever know what you have pledged or given. By designing the campaign to the level that we NEED, we are very confident, based on our history of campaigns and the overall generosity of our people, that we will be able to achieve our goal.

This campaign will NOT be a high-pressure push – the Elders are entrusted, by the church and by God, to provide the best possible leadership and vision for the future and to provide all that is necessary for our staff to carry it out. We believe we have done that in the development of the 2030 Vision and the size and scope of the EXPONENTIAL campaign. We will continue to share the vision across the church and ensure everyone has the opportunity to receive the blessing of giving toward the campaign, but we will not pressure anyone at any time.

The Elders committed to the campaign officially in January 2025. The church received a pre-campaign gift of $800,000 that was applied to the campaign. Over the last few years, thanks to the generosity of our people, and careful expense control, the church has accumulated surplus funds of $750,000 that are being applied to the campaign as well. Prior to launch, we began with a Leadership Phase, where we have been working to achieve a 100% support level from our Governing, Shepherding, and former Elders, Deacons, and other leaders in the church. A second phase included staff, other leaders, and many long-term members. These phases raised $870,000 prior to the campaign launch date. The public phase began Launch Sunday, September 28, and will run until the close of the campaign on Sunday, November 16. This phase is designed to raise the balance of $1,630,000 or beyond as God blesses.

No, we are asking that all who are led to support the campaign make their pledge no later than November 16, but the fulfillment period is three years. Individuals may fulfill their commitment at any time during the three-year period, by anything from a single gift right away to a regular schedule of gifts over the three years, to unscheduled gifts over that time period. Pledges should be fulfilled no later than December 31, 2028.

While this is an understandable question, we don’t believe it should be a question at all. The elders committed to this vision and campaign with much prayer and seeking God's will for our church. Their unanimous decision to move in this direction was done with full confidence of God’s blessing on the venture. God already knew all that would be happening with Pastor Randy and with our church. He was not taken by surprise, and he wants us to be a demonstration of his glory and his power by trusting in him.

Additionally, if you will remember Pastor Randy's message on the Sunday he shared his health situation with us, he had, of course, three points:

Not Today Cancer – Cancer will not keep Trinity Church from where God wants to take us – not today – not ever.

Don't Shrink Back – Trinity has never chosen the easy path or hid during times of difficulty – and neither has Randy – we will not shrink back from this call of God.

God WINS! – and he will.