TBC is now TCJ

[4everfsu]

Trinity College of Jacksonville

 

[abcaines]

"The decision to adopt “Trinity College of Jacksonville” was not made lightly but with prayerful consideration of the evolving landscape of Christian higher education and the needs of today’s student.

After several years of research and the Board of Trustees' prayerful review, the College desired to adopt a name that welcomes the many students who come from varying like-minded evangelical denominations of the Christian faith, while adding clarity regarding the College’s location.

“Trinity College of Jacksonville” captures the heart of our mission: to prepare Christian men and women for life and ministry. It underscores our identity as a Christian college located in Jacksonville, Florida, while broadening our appeal to all prospective Christian students who seek a biblical worldview education.

For decades, we have embraced students of various denominational backgrounds, united by a shared desire to pursue a biblically grounded education. A growing number of young men and women of like-minded faith have recognized the value of what we offer as a Christian institution.

Doing business as Trinity College of Jacksonville positions the College to better serve a new generation of students seeking a Christ-centered education. It reflects our desire to be both faithful to our heritage and forward-looking in our mission. We believe this step will help us reach more students, expand our influence, and magnify the name of Christ in our community and beyond."

 

[abcaines]

Is this the same organization that Bob Gray was part of?

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Is this the same organization that Bob Gray was part of?

Yes

 

[abcaines]

Yes

Think they're trying to put that era behind them by rebranding? I looked at their website; nothing about the KJV... were they staunch KJVO?

 

[illinoisguy]

Is this the same organization that Bob Gray was part of?

As a clarification, the Bob Gray who was associated with Trinity Baptist College was Florida Bob Gray, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Jacksonville. It was not Texas Bob Gray, pastor of Longview Baptist Temple, who later apparently moved to Florida and became associated with North Florida Baptist College. So I guess that makes him the new Florida Bob Gray. (I hope that doesn't confuse anybody).

"Baptist Scandals: Trinity Baptist in Jacksonville, Florida"

Trinity

The doctrinal statement of the sponsoring church, Trinity Baptist Church, appears to make no mention of the KJV. The Trinity College of Jacksonville web site has a lot of pictures of women wearing pants.

 

[Ransom]

So I guess that makes him the new Florida Bob Gray. (I hope that doesn't confuse anybody).

So long as Texas Bob Gray can refrain from Frenching little girls, there's no problem keeping our idiots straight.

 

[Baptist Renegade]

I'm not really sure how to feel about this. Tom Messer has been pushing Trinity Baptist more into a "Contemporary" direction for a good number of years now. The way he and the staff at Trinity Baptist tried to sweep Bob Gray's "Indiscretions" under the rug and just "ship him off" to Germany was absolutely reprehensible and they ought to be held accountable for this! I am fine with their going to a more balanced and sensible position on the KJV but if they are going all "Loosey Goosey" on their doctrine, this is troubling!

Houston Baptist University (just up the road from me) recently changed their name to "Houston Christian University" and for whatever reason, this rubs me wrong. What is wrong with the "Baptist" moniker and why are we so quick to discard it?

 

[abcaines]

I knew about the two Bob Grays... I also knew this wasn't the Texas one... I just seem to remember controversy with both. I assumed because they had garnered attention they were of the IFBX ilk.

 

[Dr. Duck]

It might also be to help stop the confusion with Trinity College of Florida. (On a side note, this is the Trinity that Rev. Billy Graham graduated from: https://www.trinitycollege.edu/tcf-admissions/about-trinity/)

To make things even more confusing, the college campus that Billy Graham graduated from is now Florida College, which is an unrelated Christian college from a different denomination. However, there is a historical marker by the river where he used to pray as a student.

 

[illinoisguy]

I'm not really sure how to feel about this. Tom Messer has been pushing Trinity Baptist more into a "Contemporary" direction for a good number of years now. The way he and the staff at Trinity Baptist tried to sweep Bob Gray's "Indiscretions" under the rug and just "ship him off" to Germany was absolutely reprehensible and they ought to be held accountable for this!

Here is how Don Boys felt about this in 2007 - he agrees with you that Trinity Baptist should be held accountable for this:

Did Trinity Baptist Leadership Cover-up the Bob Gray Mess? (CSTNews)

According to my informants, rumors regarding Gray have been circulating for many years. It’s been reported to me that several Baptist leaders took the position that the rumors were “all lies.” I have enormous respect for those men but how do they know “it was all lies.”?

www.cstnews.com

"What the writer refuses to realize is that Gray had already been 'disciplined' by his church and had admitted that he 'French kissed' some girls in his office! Kissing little school girls is a not a fringe benefit of the pastorate! . . . . According to Denise, her father and Tom Messer and Dr. Gray sat down and 'daddy confronted him about it and he acknowledged, "Yes, it happened."'"

[Guess who is alleged to have participated in the cover-up. Congratulations, you got it right the first time - David Gibbs Jr. of Christian Law Association!]

"Tom Messer worked at one time as coach at the Trinity school and worked for the husband. They told me that a person very close to Messer said that Messer would 'never make a rebuke/statement because he had been told by Attorney David Gibbs that the ministry had to be protected. If there has to be a choice between the ministry and the victims, the ministry should be chosen first.'”

[With regard to the Contemporary drift at Trinity, see these comments by David Cloud - he also comments on the Bob Gray cover-up]:

"The Cassells told me that they resigned from Trinity and walked out when it was obvious that Pastor Messer was manipulating the events to cover up ‘Gray’s sin and to mitigate the church’s legal exposure.’ Pat Cassell, told First Coast News, ‘The victims are vindicated. The kids are vindicated. Tom [Messer] knew and covered it up for years.’ Dennis Cassell says, ‘The truth is finally out and that’s what we’ve been praying for many years.’"

https://www.wayoflife.org/pdf/trinity_baptist.pdf

TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH, JACKSONVILLE by David Cloud

. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 (King James Bible) TRINITY BAPTIST CH...

rainhadocanto10-evangelicalchristian.blogspot.com

 

[Tarheel Baptist]

Think they're trying to put that era behind them by rebranding? I looked at their website; nothing about the KJV... were they staunch KJVO?

I think they have been on that track fot many years now.

 

[Baptist Renegade]

Here is how Don Boys felt about this in 2007 - he agrees with you that Trinity Baptist should be held accountable for this:

Did Trinity Baptist Leadership Cover-up the Bob Gray Mess? (CSTNews)

According to my informants, rumors regarding Gray have been circulating for many years. It’s been reported to me that several Baptist leaders took the position that the rumors were “all lies.” I have enormous respect for those men but how do they know “it was all lies.”?

www.cstnews.com

"What the writer refuses to realize is that Gray had already been 'disciplined' by his church and had admitted that he 'French kissed' some girls in his office! Kissing little school girls is a not a fringe benefit of the pastorate! . . . . According to Denise, her father and Tom Messer and Dr. Gray sat down and 'daddy confronted him about it and he acknowledged, "Yes, it happened."'"

[Guess who is alleged to have participated in the cover-up. Congratulations, you got it right the first time - David Gibbs Jr. of Christian Law Association!]

"Tom Messer worked at one time as coach at the Trinity school and worked for the husband. They told me that a person very close to Messer said that Messer would 'never make a rebuke/statement because he had been told by Attorney David Gibbs that the ministry had to be protected. If there has to be a choice between the ministry and the victims, the ministry should be chosen first.'”

[With regard to the Contemporary drift at Trinity, see these comments by David Cloud - he also comments on the Bob Gray cover-up]:

"The Cassells told me that they resigned from Trinity and walked out when it was obvious that Pastor Messer was manipulating the events to cover up ‘Gray’s sin and to mitigate the church’s legal exposure.’ Pat Cassell, told First Coast News, ‘The victims are vindicated. The kids are vindicated. Tom [Messer] knew and covered it up for years.’ Dennis Cassell says, ‘The truth is finally out and that’s what we’ve been praying for many years.’"

https://www.wayoflife.org/pdf/trinity_baptist.pdf

TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH, JACKSONVILLE by David Cloud

. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 (King James Bible) TRINITY BAPTIST CH...

rainhadocanto10-evangelicalchristian.blogspot.com

I think I actually have more respect for FBCH/HAC than I have for Trinity/TCJ. I briefly watched Tom Messer's recent message and it sounded far more based upon psychology than Bible-based.

Dave Gibbs is a complete disgrace and I would hate to be him when he stands before God! His son has made his own career fighting against the damage his own father has brought to the cause of Christ! Dave Gibbs Jr. has worked tirelessly to fight and defend the IFB "Status Quo" while Dave Gibbs III actually defends THE CHURCH!

 

[Least of These]

"The decision to adopt “Trinity College of Jacksonville” was not made lightly but with prayerful consideration of the evolving landscape of Christian higher education and the needs of today’s student.

After several years of research and the Board of Trustees' prayerful review, the College desired to adopt a name that welcomes the many students who come from varying like-minded evangelical denominations of the Christian faith, while adding clarity regarding the College’s location.

This makes me laugh! When I attended TBC in 1980-82, we had fundraisers for our cheerleading squad where we sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts to the public. We learned very early on that we got more sales if we left the "Baptist" our of our pitch, so we'd say "Hi, we're from Trinity college..." I don't even know if there was a "Trinity college" at the time, but people in general were more comfortable with that than "Trinity Baptist." Sounds like Tom is finally catching up!

The motto of the school back then was "training specialists for the ministry" - a different goal than the new "preparing Christians for life and ministry." NOT that I have a problem with their current stance on any issue. I just always roll my eyes when an institution tries to explain a "shift" without coming out and saying that they were wrong about certain core beliefs & convictions to begin with. Otherwise, why would a "changing landscape" have any effect on their rules & standards, much less their name?