Our History

In 1981 Earl and Doris Sutton had a dream for a Bible-believing church with new vibrancy to arise in Minot.  They began gathering around the Word of God in their home for a Bible Study which quickly grew into the nucleus of that new church. Having Evangelical Free church experience in the past, the Evangelical Free Church stood out to them as the one which best exemplified the biblical vision and values behind this new church the Lord was raising up.

By the following year the Sutton Bible study had indeed become a growing church; therefore that year Mark Bendell was called as Trinity Church's first pastor. Mark's gifts of evangelism and pastoral care helped Trinity grow and become firmly established in Minot. After meeting in various locations on North Hill as well as the YWCA for several years, the church purchased the land upon which it currently sits at 4th Street SW. Mark pastored Trinity for twelve years, faithfully leading the congregation into its adolescence. Growing pains brought the need for construction of a new worship and administrative center, the large rear section of our current facility.

When Pastor Mark sensed the Lord calling him to relocate to Minneapolis to lead Hockey Ministries International, the congregation called its second pastor, Greg Strand in 1994. For the next eight years Pastor Greg helped Trinity grow biblically and theologically stronger, laying an important foundation for lay leadership and God-centeredness. In the summer of 2002 Greg accepted an invitation to play the key role of Director of Theologyfor our denomination and relocated to our home office in the Twin Cities.

In November of 2002 Andy Perry was called as Trinity Church's third preaching pastor.

In May of 2005 Vince Black was called as Trinity Church's equipping pastor.