Driving Lessons
There are several ordained ministers who serve at Trinity. Pulpit supply for area churches is commonplace. I’ve had the privilege to serve two great churches in Kulm, ND for several years now.
From Ellendale, the drive to Kulm is pleasant. It soon becomes a winding road through hills and small lakes with a real sense of immersion in nature. After driving for about ½ an hour, a distinctly smooth, rounded hill reveals itself as you crest a rise. The road then reaches towards the hill before bending away to the right. Like the crooked tree, or the derelict shed, the hill serves as a landmark on the trip.
I normally find the drive relaxing, but one Sunday morning, about two years ago, I remember being uncharacteristically anxious as I sped along. My mind was revisiting the Trinity business office financial outlook for the next few months. I don’t remember details but I was undoubtedly concerned about cash-flow, budget controls or revenues.
I remember reaching deep in prayer as I drove along, and the anxiety became a search for certainty in God’s plan for Trinity’s finances. I crested the same rise, seeing what was normally a vacant hill, this time adorned with cattle. Each beast was standing unusually equidistantly apart and all seemingly looking at me as if they had been in position, on this stage, waiting for the curtain to rise.
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In this moment, the words of the Lord in Psalm 50 flashed through my mind and stilled the concern in my heart, “every animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills” (v10). I was reminded that God knows no lack. Actually, all He knows is excess. We live so aware of the scarcity of resources that we disconnect from the fact that God has exponential, multiplied abundance!
The issues that troubled me two years ago still remain. Like every other year at Trinity, this year will be filled with financial miracles.
However, God’s faithfulness over the last 7 years is evident as we look at a key financial indicator. In the last 7 years, Trinity’s net assets have increased by a staggering 463%. This means that the Board of Trustees are now responsible to take care of an institution that is nearly 5 times more valuable than it was in 2011. This means that the generosity of donors and the diligence of administration have enabled exponential asset growth without a proportionate increase in liabilities. This is a foundation for institutional resilience in the decades to come.
Ultimately, the recognition, the glory belongs to God! The owner of the cattle on a thousand hills! It’s our privilege to be His instruments as He equips Trinity for another 70 years of significance.
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