2026
The Sweet Spot: How Pastor Tim Davis Discovered Purpose Through Hardship
Tim Davis is 61 years old, and he's spent nearly every one of those years inside a church. But he'll tell you the truth about his life without flinching: he was performing. He knew how to say the right things and hit every mark expected of a preacher's kid — and he loved the applause that came with it.
His family relocated to Jacksonville on New Year's Day, 1980, when his father took over as president of Trinity Baptist College (now Trinity College of Jacksonville), and Davis became even better at playing the part. He built a life he was constantly praised for. His singing ministry carried him around the world. He made plenty of money designing pools, and he became a powerlifter and bodybuilder. With every achievement came more attention and applause.
"I became addicted to praise," Davis says.
"And when I say praise, I don't mean praise for God. I mean praise for me."
Davis’ efforts all went into chasing this praise, not God’s purpose.
From Bitterness…
In 2025, the life he’d built on his own pride and ego collapsed. Davis had a heart attack, his kidneys failed, and he ended up in the emergency room with a port placed in his chest. He lost his singing voice, his career, and his money. All things he’d built his identity on. He went from feeling limitless to spending every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday hooked up to dialysis for five hours.
Davis felt like God hated him. Furious and bitter, he begged God to give his old life back. God didn't.
"God had brought me to a place of humility that was so frustrating,"
he remembers. Davis was convinced he had nothing left to offer.
He asked his wife, Lisa, why God wouldn't just heal him. She was honest: God had already healed his heart and soul, which mattered most. Though Davis had grown up as a Christian, he’d now begun to genuinely surrender his life to God, understanding titles and possessions meant nothing.
Over dinner with friends, Davis admitted how unsure he was about the future. The last thing he expected was an invitation to become the Plaza pastor at Trinity’s Hammond Campus — someone stationed in a busy area to pray with people, counsel them, and talk with them about Jesus.
Davis pictured the plaza, where the play area and café stay full of moms looking for a cool place to sit while their kids played safely nearby. He wondered how he could possibly fit in. Still, desperate for income, he said yes.
His first day was terrifying — hundreds of kids, dozens of moms, and Davis standing there as one of the only men in the room. But something clicked. He's been married to Lisa for almost 39 years, and as the father of three daughters, he was a girl dad through and through. God had been quietly equipping him for this role long before he ever knew it existed.
To the Sweet Spot
Ask Davis how it's going now, and he'll light up talking about how the Holy Spirit moves through his conversations every day at the plaza. Through tears, he described a father who'd just sat in his office and said yes to Jesus.
Davis calls this being in the sweet spot, God's designed purpose.
"When God puts you in the sweet spot, and He works through you effortlessly," he says, "you just want to run around the building and scream and holler and shout and praise God."
Davis is also building a new legacy. His heart has changed, and his family sees it too. Every step he takes closer to God, they draw nearer too. They talk about God together now, and he sees a whole new foundation forming.
Life is still hard. His body is failing, but Davis isn't shaken. He suspects God isn't finished with him yet, and he plans to keep showing up. When people come to him overwhelmed by their problems, he encourages them to set that weight aside for a moment and remember something bigger: God has a plan that includes a better version of them that they can't see yet. Getting there sometimes means walking through what Davis calls a refining fire.
"Don't think of this refining fire as God's anger and wrath on you," he says. "Many times, He's just trying to get out of you what He doesn't want in you."
His advice for anyone in a hard season: don't stay angry at God for the refining. Let it happen. Trust God’s love. He is with you there, and he knows what's waiting on the other side.
2026
A Family’s Journey Back to Faith
When the Shafor family first visited Trinity, they had just moved from California and were starting a new season of life.
Like many families facing transition, they were looking for community, meaningful friendships, and a deeper relationship with Jesus. God led them to Trinity.
From the beginning, it was easy to see that Eric Shafor had a deep desire for his family to know and follow Jesus. As a father, he set the example by being the first to recommit his life to Christ and publicly declare his faith through baptism.
Still, the road to forming deeper relationships wasn't always easy.
Living on the other side of town made it difficult to stay connected, and there were seasons filled with uncertainty about work and housing. But with every step, God provided for the Shafors, constantly opening doors that drew them closer to the Trinity community.
For more than a year, they prayed God would give them a home closer to the church so they could be more involved. In His perfect timing, God answered. The Shafors were able to purchase a home just a few miles from Trinity, making it easier to invest in relationships and grow in their faith.
And God continued to move in powerful ways.
Eric’s parents began attending church and experienced life-changing spiritual growth. Through the love and dedication of our Trinity Kids volunteers, the Shafor children came to know Jesus as their Savior.
And then came a beautiful moment that reminded us why we do what we do.
Two years after one man walked into church praying that God would draw his family closer to Jesus, we collectively celebrated the baptism of his mother, father, wife, and two children.
What a picture of God's faithfulness!
Stories like this one remind us that God is still changing lives. He is still restoring hearts, strengthening families, and drawing people to Himself. We are grateful to have witnessed His work in the Shafor family, and we look forward to seeing all that He continues to do in the years ahead.
2026
It Started With an Invitation
Sometimes the most meaningful moments of church growth don’t actually start in a service. They begin quietly, in ordinary places most of us pass through every day: a yoga class, a mechanic’s waiting room, a simple conversation that God uses in ways we can’t see at the time.
A few years ago, Betty met Judy at a yoga class. They started as strangers, but as they chatted, Betty felt a nudge to invite Judy to join her at Trinity, the church she called home. It wasn’t polished or planned, just a genuine offer in an ordinary moment.
That Sunday, Judy and her husband Dennis decided to give Trinity a try. TWhat began as a typical visit for first timers didn’t stay that way. The couple was welcomed in, started forming friendships, and before long, Trinity felt like home. Week after week, they kept showing up and eventually found their place serving and investing in the life of the church.
Years later, Judy and Dennis were sitting in a mechanic’s waiting room on a cold day. They had no idea that God had plans for them, even in that ordinary errand.
Across the room sat Kev and Yuki.
In 2017, Kev and Yuki had moved to Florida from Chicago. It wasn’t an easy transition for the couple. The move itself came with frustration and grief, but it was all made worse with the ache of leaving behind a church they had been deeply involved in for sixteen years.
Over the next several years, they’d lived in multiple parts of Florida, visiting church after church, hoping to find something that felt familiar. They were looking for strong biblical teaching, meaningful worship, and a church that felt like home. At first, they willingly attended services and joined groups, always serving faithfully and investing deeply, only to walk away discouraged each time. Their disappointment built slowly, and eventually they decided to stop searching altogether and attend church online instead.
That morning at the mechanic shop, Kev was visibly frustrated. His car was broken down, the weather was cold, and the weight of years of unmet expectations sat heavy on him. Kev also faced physical challenges due to a disability, which made even simple tasks, like putting on his jacket, more difficult. Judy noticed his struggle and offered help, a simple act of kindness that opened the door to conversation.
She asked where the couple attended church, and Kev explained their long search and decision to stop attending in person. He shared his hesitations, his disappointments, and his reluctance to try again. Judy listened. Then she talked about Trinity, not with pressure or persuasion, but with honesty. She talked about family, about belonging, and about finding a place that felt like home after her and Dennis’s own season of searching.
Before they parted ways, Judy invited Kev and Yuki to visit her church home.
The following Sunday, Kev and Yuki attended a service at Trinity.
When they walked in, they sensed something different. Conversations felt easy, the worship drew them in, and the teaching was clear, grounded in Scripture, and unapologetic. It felt familiar in the best way. What they thought would be a one-time visit became something they didn’t want to miss.
Not long after that, they attended Trinity’s first membership class of 2026 and became members, eager to put down roots and serve.
Later, Kev and Yuki sent a message to Judy and Dennis that simply said,
“Thank you for inviting us. We have finally found a place that we can call home.”
It could have been the closing line of a beautiful story. But it wasn’t the end. It was something that God had been weaving together for years, a quiet chain of faithfulness that began with a simple invitation at a yoga class.
Their story is a reminder that God often works through ordinary people in ordinary moments. What feels like an ordinary conversation, a small invitation, or even a slightly uncomfortable step of obedience can carry more weight than we realize.
We rarely recognize the eternal significance of a moment while it’s happening. We just choose to be faithful in front of us.
And somehow, God takes it from there.
#extraordinarylife
2025
Pray. Give. Go.
Living Out the Mission God Gave Us
Over the past few weeks, our church family has been reminded of something simple and beautiful: God’s heart beats for the nations, and He invites us to join Him in what He’s doing. We ended our Missions Emphasis in November with a panel at each campus—a chance to hear firsthand how God is working around the world through the people we love.
Missionaries traveled back to share updates. Others from within our own church spoke about how God has used them in unexpected places. Their stories lifted our eyes. They helped us see that mission isn’t a program. It’s a calling. And it’s a calling for all of us.
That’s why this year’s focus—Pray. Give. Go.—matters so much. These aren’t steps in a process. They’re pathways of obedience. They’re ways ordinary people participate in the extraordinary work of God.
Pray
Mission begins with prayer because mission belongs to God. When we pray, something shifts in us. We start to see the world the way Jesus sees it. We start to long for what He longs for.
This month, we encouraged our church family to pray intentionally for our missionary partners, men and women serving in places like Togo, Poland, Mexico, England, Nepal, Taiwan, and dozens more fields around the world. These missionaries aren’t distant names. They’re part of us. When they rejoice, we rejoice. When they carry burdens, we help to lift them.
Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s heart. And it keeps us connected to the people we’re sending and supporting. If you haven’t already, take a moment to sign up for prayer updates or explore short-term opportunities. Your prayers carry real weight in the work God is doing.
Give
One of the most meaningful moments of our Missions Emphasis each year is seeing how God uses the generosity of His people to open new doors for ministry.
This year, we highlighted several needs — each one connected to real people and real gospel impact.
- Alderman Training Center, Phase 2 (Togo): Last year, you helped fund Phase 1: land and the initial training space for national pastors. This year, Phase 2 will add a security wall, storage, parking, and needed infrastructure that will strengthen the center’s mission to equip pastors who are planting gospel-centered churches across the region.
- Student Mission Trips: Our students will serve in Poland and Trinidad this summer. They’ll come alongside churches, missionaries, and families as they step into hands-on ministry. Your giving helps remove financial barriers so they can say “yes” to God’s call and grow as future leaders in global missions.
- Martinez Family Vehicle Need: Brittany and Lemuel Martinez serve faithfully in Poland, but their current vehicle no longer meets the demands of ministry or family life. We want to help provide a reliable vehicle that supports their daily work and allows them to keep investing in the people God has called them to reach.
When we give, we’re not funding projects. We’re investing in people. And God uses that generosity to carry the gospel farther than we could ever go on our own.
Go
For some, the next step is to step out—to go.
We shared opportunities for upcoming trips to China, Poland, and Togo in 2026. These teams will serve on university campuses, support local churches, encourage missionaries, and build relationships that open doors for gospel conversations in places with real spiritual need.
Not everyone is called to go long-term. But many of us can go short-term. And all of us can ask the question: Lord, where do You want me to step?
One Mission. One Church. One God Who Sends.
As we look back on these two weeks, one theme rises above the rest: God is at work. He’s at work through our missionaries. He’s at work through teams we send. And He’s at work in the hearts of people right here at home who pray, give, and go.
If you’d like to take your next step in supporting missions, you can give at tbc.org/give. And as always, let’s keep asking the Lord to use us—every one of us—to carry His love to the world.
Because this mission is bigger than any campus, any ministry, or any one of us. But together, we get to be part of it.
2025
Touch A Truck Recap: Bringing All Three Trinity Campuses Together for a Day of Fun
Saturday was a day to remember at Trinity Baptist Church as families from across our community joined us for our annual Touch A Truck event. Spread across our Hammond, Mandarin, and Oakleaf campuses, the event brought together more than 6,000 attendees for a morning packed with curiosity, excitement, and hands-on fun. Whether it was climbing into the cab of a fire engine, sounding the horn of a semi-truck, or exploring the inside of a police cruiser, children were able to experience some of our community’s most fascinating vehicles up close.
One of the most encouraging parts of the day was welcoming 1,130 families who visited Trinity for the very first time. We were thrilled to open our campuses to so many new faces and provide a space where families could connect, play, learn, and simply enjoy time together. Touch A Truck has always been about building bridges between our church, our neighborhoods, and the people who serve our city every day— and this year truly embodied that mission.
Each campus hosted an impressive lineup of vehicles, from emergency response units and construction equipment to utility trucks and specialty vehicles. Children had the chance to climb inside, flip switches, honk horns, and hear the real sounds that bring these machines to life. The wide eyes, big smiles, and enthusiastic questions made it clear that this hands-on experience left a lasting impression.
We were also proud to offer a dedicated Quiet Hour from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at all locations. We recognize that some children and adults prefer a calmer environment, so during this hour, vehicles refrained from sirens, horns, and engine revving. While there were still natural background sounds from generators and crowds, this quieter window made the event more accessible and enjoyable for guests with sensory sensitivities. Seeing families take advantage of this thoughtful addition reaffirmed our desire to make church events welcoming to everyone.
Of course, the fun didn’t stop with the vehicles. Each campus featured a variety of food trucks that kept families fueled and smiling throughout the morning. From sweet treats to savory favorites, the food added an extra layer of enjoyment as parents relaxed, and kids proudly shared their favorite vehicle discoveries.
Events of this scale don’t happen without an incredible team behind them. We are deeply grateful for every volunteer who greeted guests, guided families, managed lines, coordinated logistics, and ensured each child had a safe and memorable experience. A special thank you also goes to our vehicle partners and vendors, who generously shared their time, equipment, and expertise. Your participation not only made the event possible—it made it extraordinary.
Touch A Truck is one of our favorite opportunities to celebrate our community, showcase the heart of Trinity, and create meaningful memories for families. We loved spending the day with you, and we’re already looking forward to doing it again. Thank you for making this year’s event such a tremendous success.
2025
The Ripple Effect of One Life: Adrian “Huggy” Williams
At Trinity Baptist Church, one of our greatest blessings is the ministry of Trinity Christian Academy. Since 1967, TCA has been helping students discover their God-given life and purpose. Each day, our classrooms, hallways, and athletic fields are filled with young people who carry extraordinary potential. These are students whose stories remind us of the power of faith and community.
Adrian Williams, known to everyone as “Huggy,” is one of those stories.
Standing at 6’3” and 275 pounds, Huggy is a presence on the TCA football team where he plays both offensive and defensive line. Colleges such as University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of South Carolina have taken notice of his athletic talent. But as bright as his future on the field looks, it is his faith and influence that are making the deepest impact.
Recently, eight of Huggy’s teammates were baptized, bringing the total to eleven football players who have trusted Christ and followed Him in baptism over the last year and a half. And it all began with Huggy.
Like many young men, Huggy has walked a difficult road. His mom passed away when he was just ten years old, and his dad is currently serving time in prison. Today, he lives with a Trinity family whose son is also on the football team. Along the way, he faced struggles at school and needed accountability.
That is when the Trinity family stepped in. Coaches, teachers, and pastoral staff surrounded him with encouragement and guidance. They did not discard him in his struggles. Instead, they walked with him toward restoration. Part of that accountability included sitting in church each Sunday with his coach. Over time, God began to work in his heart. One Sunday morning, Huggy responded to the invitation and gave his life to Christ.
From that moment, things began to change, and his teammates noticed. In his steady, determined way, Huggy began sharing his faith. At summer camp, several players gave their lives to Christ. At the start of this football season, Coaches Verlon Dorminey and Dave Burdetsky challenged the team to take the gospel seriously, and eight young men were ready to publicly declare their faith in baptism.
Huggy’s story reminds us of a simple truth: no life is too broken for God to redeem. When one life is transformed, the ripple effect can touch countless others.
Adrian “Huggy” Williams is more than a football player with a promising career. He is a young man whose faith is influencing his teammates, his school, and his community. And his story is only the beginning. #extraordinarylife
Click here to watch the football players’ baptisms: TCA Football Baptisms on Vimeo
2025
From Second Grade to a Second Chance
Sometimes God plants seeds early in life, and years later, He brings the growth in the most unexpected ways.
Carson Seward first attended Trinity Christian Academy as a second grader. Though he later transferred to another school in Jacksonville, the connections he made during those early years never faded. Fast forward to today, Carson is a high school graduate navigating adulthood and, like many, wrestling with his spiritual journey.
After drifting away from church and his walk with Christ, Carson found himself at a crossroads. Difficult life circumstances became the turning point that made him realize he needed to get back to the foundation he once knew. In that moment of reflection and need, one name came to mind—Michael Parson, a classmate from his second-grade class at Trinity Christian Academy.
Though they hadn’t spoken since elementary school, Carson reached out and asked a simple yet powerful question: “Can I go to church with you?”
And Michael said yes!
Since that moment, Carson has been faithfully attending services each week, getting reconnected to God and to a church family at Trinity Mandarin. He has taken the next step in his faith journey and was recently baptized as a public declaration of his renewed commitment to Christ.
His story is a beautiful reminder that God is never finished writing our story. No matter how far we drift, He’s always pursuing us—and sometimes, He uses a childhood friend and a long-forgotten connection to lead us home.
2025
Trinity Students on Mission: Trinidad and Tobago 2025
From June 4–11, our Trinity Students traveled to Trinidad and Tobago for a mission trip that has now become a three-year tradition. What started as a simple opportunity to serve has grown into a powerful, ongoing connection with the people of Trinidad—and a deeply personal experience of transformation for our students.
Throughout the week, students were actively engaged in bringing change to the island—because they themselves have been changed. One of the primary ways they served was by leading a kids club, where they ran crafts, games, and shared a fun, gospel-centered message. They also hosted a teen event, giving local students a glimpse into what a regular Wednesday night at VIVE looks like in America.
Beyond the events, our students participated in various outreach opportunities throughout the area. They went out to invite students right outside of schools to come to the teen night and even took time to connect with people at the mall. These simple invitations and conversations turned into moments of real impact. Several of our students were able to share the gospel in meaningful ways.
One particularly memorable interaction happened between one of our students and a girl from a local school. After receiving a pamphlet that explained the steps of following Jesus, the girl returned to find one of our students and asked her what some of the steps meant. Our student had the opportunity to walk her through the plan of salvation. After hearing it, the girl ran off to share what she had just learned with her friends.
One of our students reflected,
“God showed me what it means to step out of my comfort zone and serve people.”
This trip opened the eyes of every student to what it truly means to go, serve, and love people who may look, speak, or live differently than they do. It’s evident that God worked through them in big ways. They served and loved sacrificially, living out our mission to help everyday people discover an extraordinary life with God.
We’re so thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside Jimmy and Marie Westbrook—and we look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come. #extraordinarylife
2025
Easter Celebration for Every Family: A Special Needs Service Recap
This Easter, we had the privilege of hosting a Special Needs Easter Service—an evening designed to be welcoming, inclusive, and full of joy for families of all abilities. From the moment guests arrived, there was a sense of warmth, laughter, and genuine community in the air.
We intentionally created an environment where everyone could participate in a way that felt right for them. With thoughtful accommodations and sensory-friendly touches, families were able to relax and enjoy the evening knowing they were in a space that saw and supported them.
One of the highlights of the night was a visit from Pastor Joel and his puppet friend, Hercules, who brought energy, humor, and lots of smiles. Their engaging performance was a hit with both the kids and adults! Worship was intentionally designed to be interactive and accessible, with egg shakers and colorful streamers so everyone could join in and worship together.
Beyond worship, families enjoyed hands-on crafts, fun games, and a photo spot to take family pictures. The entire night was centered around connection, celebration, and the hope we have because of Jesus.
The most meaningful moment came as we shared the Easter story—the powerful truth of Jesus’ love, His death and resurrection, and the new life He offers to each of us. It was a gift to see families hear and respond to that message in a setting where they felt safe, included, and celebrated.
As a church, we seek to live this extraordinary life together, considering the unique and powerful ways we can impact Northeast Florida with the gospel—living intentionally, strategically, and missionally. Nights like this remind us of the importance of creating space for everyone to encounter Jesus in a real and personal way.
We are so thankful for every volunteer who helped make the evening possible and for every family who came to be part of it. This is what the church is all about—making space for everyone to experience the love and joy of Jesus, just as they are. #extraordinarylife
2025
Extraordinary Generosity: Trinidad and Tobago Mission Trip 2025
In just a few months, our Trinity Students mission team will be heading to Trinidad and Tobago from June 4-11, 2025, to serve alongside our long-time mission partners, Jimmy and Marie Westbrook. The Westbrooks have faithfully ministered in Trinidad and Tobago for 20 years, reaching communities with the love of Christ, and we are honored to support their work. Our team of 20 students and leaders will be hosting kids' clubs, youth events, service projects, and serving at a local college, all with the goal of sharing the gospel and making an impact in the community.
Preparing for a mission trip is no small task, and one of the biggest challenges is often fundraising. But our church family showed up in an extraordinary way to make this trip possible. Over the course of three weeks, we launched an envelope fundraiser across all three of our locations, giving people the opportunity to take an envelope with a specific dollar amount written on it and donate that amount toward our mission team. What happened next was nothing short of incredible—our church raised over $20,000 to help send our teenagers to Trinidad and Tobago!
This kind of generosity is a powerful reflection of one of our values: “Be generous people because we serve a generous God.” We don’t just say it—we live it. Our church family didn’t just meet a need, they invested in the next generation of missionaries. They gave sacrificially so that our students could experience the life-changing impact of serving others and sharing their faith in a different culture.
As we prepare to go, we are overwhelmed with gratitude—both to God for His provision and to our church family for being a part of this mission in such a significant way. This is what it looks like when the body of Christ comes together to help everyday people discover an extraordinary life with God.
Please continue to pray for our team as we get ready for this journey. Pray that God would prepare our hearts, open doors for ministry, and use us to make a lasting impact in Trinidad and Tobago.