For Such a Time As This, How Hard Can It Be?

Contributing Author: Dave Sommerville, Founding Board Member

A pastor, a mom and two couples were sitting in a living room.

Okay. It may sound like a joke should follow. But this was no joke. Prior to this moment, God had planted the idea, some would say vision, of starting a classical Christian K-12 school. There was a lot of prayer. “Lord, you want us to do what?” And we sought counsel to see if we were crazy. Okay, crazy was a given, but all the counselors were excited and encouraging, they also spoke words of reality. The realities were not meant to discourage, but to ensure the costs were being counted.

After many weeks of seeking the Lord’s guidance, Chacko Varghese, Donna Berenbrock-Buehring, Brian and Stephanie Wirick, my wife Cheri, and myself, were sitting in that living room. It was Thursday, March 6th, 2003. At 6:40 p.m. Chacko opened in prayer, then we unanimously decided to step out in faith and formed Trinity Christian School.

There were no fireworks or streamers. There was no light that shown down on us between parted clouds. There were no halos that appeared above our heads. There were just six ordinary Christians, led by the Spirit, excited to start this new classical Christian school. Oh, there were also homemade refreshments, which became a staple of our board meetings.

The vision was simple; we wanted Christ to be a part of every subject, not just Bible classes, and we wanted to teach kids how to think from a Biblical worldview, and be able to support their view. We may have been crazy, but we did understand the vision was “simple” to say but would not be so simple to implement. So, before taking that step of faith, we needed to find someone to take the step with us to teach and manage the school. If only we knew some young kid who didn’t know any better.

We did, his name was Kyle Maestri. As Kyle likes to tell it, he was sleeping on the floor of the temple, when suddenly, he heard a voice telling him to join this crazy group of six. On a serious note, he was a young man who sought biblical counsel and God’s direction before deciding to step out in faith with us. He was a young man who had a passion for serving Jesus Christ, willing to join this vision. As a 2001 graduate of Biola University’s Great Books program, Kyle completed studies in philosophy and theology where he gained a passion for K-12 classical education. He was already wise enough to understand teaching kids to think and reason could create prideful little monsters who would rudely speak down to others. To combat this, he told us that we need to teach “logic with a heart.” As they say, this was a no-brainer. Welcome aboard, Kyle.

God is not known for assigning easy tasks, and this was no exception. We quickly learned how much we needed to learn. The tasks piled up and the challenges rolled in. However, every step of the way, God kept revealing resources that He had been preparing for such a time as this. I do not recall exactly when, but God’s provisions were so abundant that for every new challenge that arose, Stephanie started saying “how hard can it be?” It was a simple rhetorical statement, based on faith in God’s continuous provision. It is impossible to list every person that God provided over the last twenty years for such a time as this, but it started with our parents and grandparents.

Since then, God has continuously provided: teachers, staff, administrators, board members, and many volunteers. He has provided church buildings and members. He has provided financially through many donors and through School Tuition Organizations. He has provided wise counselors and mentors. He has provided families and students. He has also provided a place that is more than just teaching kids. It is a ministry, with people within the school ministering to one another.

It is hard to believe twenty years have passed, but it never gets old seeing God at work. Please continue to pray for strength and wisdom for our current board, administrators, teachers, and staff. As we reach the crest of twenty years, we know there will continue to be new things to learn, new tasks piling up, and new challenges rolling in. But we know God will continue to provide for such a time as this. So, “how hard can it be?”

• Dave Sommerville is a Trinity Founding Board member, along with his wife Cheri. They have two children Becky and Joel. Dave has a B.S. in Computer Science / Systems Analysis from Taylor University and is V.P. of Development with BFC Associates, Inc. Starting a Christian School was not on his bucket list, but is grateful God gave him a small part in His plan.