Trinity Baptist Church was constituted on June 2, 1974, in West Columbia, South Carolina. The church began with 129 members, most of whom came from Holland Avenue Baptist Church, driven by a desire to establish a Christ-centered congregation with a clear mission and purpose. In September 1974, Trinity merged with Line Street Baptist Church, which accelerated the church’s growth as they acquired the Line Street property. In April 1975, Don Davis was called as the church’s first senior pastor. By 1977, Trinity had purchased land on Charleston Highway and began constructing a new building, with the first phase completed in 1978. The 1980s marked a period of significant development, beginning with the “Here We Grow” campaign in 1981, which funded facility expansions, including a new educational building completed in 1984. By the end of the decade, church membership had grown to nearly 1,000. In 1988, Trinity launched the “Building on the Promise” campaign to finance a new worship center, which was completed in 1990 with a seating capacity of 1,800. The church continued its growth into the 1990s with long-range planning and strategic facility expansions. In 1994, the church celebrated its 20th anniversary with the “I Love My Church” offering, which funded further projects, and by 1998, the “Building on Purpose” campaign led to the acquisition of additional property and the construction of a multipurpose building. By 1999, Trinity Baptist Church had grown to over 1,550 members with property valued at approximately $5 million. The new millennium brought a renewed focus, with the adoption of the Acts 1:8 strategy in 2001, emphasizing local and global missions. Under the leadership of Pastor Don Davis, who retired in 2005 after 30 years, Trinity continued to thrive. Rob White became the church’s second senior pastor in 2006, launching the “Foundations for the Future” campaign aimed at reducing debt from previous expansions. In 2010, Eddie Coakley became the third senior pastor, ushering in a new era of leadership. Under Pastor Eddie, the church became debt-free in 2013 and launched the “Go Campaign,” focusing on missions and global outreach, establishing long-term partnerships in India and Guatemala. In response to growing membership, the church transitioned to a two-service format in 2014 and embraced technology by launching an online streaming platform in 2019. This foresight proved invaluable when the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed in-person services in 2020. In February 2022, a fire caused significant damage to the church building, displacing the congregation for 16 months. They reopened in August 2023 with a celebratory event. Today, Trinity Baptist Church continues to build on its strong foundation of faith, mission, and community, dedicated to its mission of loving, reaching, and growing followers of Jesus Christ for the glory of God.
