After ministering in the Los Angeles area for twenty years, Pastor Scott and Shelly Kirkland have returned to their native west Texas. Bro. Scott grew up in Abilene, graduated from Cooper High School, and went on to Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. Shelly graduated from Merkel High School and received her degree from McMurry University in Abilene. They served on staff in Borger, Texas for three years before the Lord called them to Southern California. Pastor Kirkland taught on the faculty of Pacific Baptist College for fifteen years and pastored an inner-city church in Gardena. The Kirklands have one son, Chandler and his wife Christy, who are serving on staff at a church in the Houston area. 

Bro. T.J. began attending TBC at the age of 16 after being invited by a friend. He was saved at the age of 17, and God called him into the ministry at the age of 18 . Laura (Davis) Lipham was saved at the age of 10 at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Big Spring. Laura and her family joined TBC when she was in the 9th Grade. It was then that she met the love of her life (Bro. T.J.)! Laura dedicated her life to serve the Lord in the ministry during High School. Bro. T.J. graduated from Arlington Baptist College in 2003, and Laura graduated from ABC in 2004 as Valedictorian.

After graduating Bible College, they served for 2 years as youth directors at the Calvary Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, Texas before the Lord moved them to TBC. They have served on staff at TBC for the past 14 years.  They have been married for 17 years, and have three children (Andrew, Addison & Audrey).

Bro. T.J.’s favorite verse of Scripture is Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Laura’s favorite verse of Scripture is I Timothy 1:12, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.”

Their goal in the ministry is to lead an active and exciting youth ministry in which teenagers are transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ, and trained to be His life-long disciples.

Mason grew up in Trinity Baptist Church and was saved at age ten during a Wednesday evening service preached by Bro. Cotton. He surrendered his life to the Lord not long after that, and it soon became clear to him that God wanted him to serve on the mission field. 

Brianna was born in Glendale, AZ. Her family moved to Big Spring soon after, where she was saved at TBC at age nine. She and Mason grew up in the youth group together and began dating during 11th grade.

Ministry was always on their horizon, and when the time came, they attended West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, CA, to receive training in ministry. Mason graduated in 2024 with a degree in missions, and Lord willing, Brianna will complete her degree in church ministries in 2025.

During their final year at WCBC, God led Mason to accept the position of youth minister at TBC. Mason and Brianna returned from college and were married in May of 2024, then jumped right into youth ministry. They count it a privilege to serve the Lord in the church where they grew up. Their foremost desire is to bring Him glory by discipling young Christians, encouraging and equipping them to know, love, and serve God according to the purpose He has for them.

They still desire to serve God in missions, and as He leads, their plan is to begin serving in Canada following their time at TBC.

Bro. Earl has been attending services at Trinity since he was an infant. At the age of 14, he accepted Christ as his Savior during a Sunday morning salvation message preached by Dr. Claude Craven. Bro. Earl was baptized that night. His wife Natalie was saved at the age of 9 at a church in Arizona, but had never been scripturally baptized. And so, on Earl and Natalie’s first “church date” at Trinity, Natalie was baptized by Dr. Craven in the evening service.

Earl and Natalie were later married at Trinity. Several years later, they were blessed of God to have a son, Nathaniel. A few years later, Natalie’s nieces, Kassady and Wanda, came to live with them and they took over parenting responsibilities for the girls. Nathaniel is married to Evalena and they have a daughter, Elyse. Wanda is married to Malachi Allen, who is in active military service with the U.S. Army. Kassady resides in the Austin, Texas area.

Bro. Earl was hired by Dr. Craven in August of 1990. He has grown to love his job and church family more each year.

One of his favorite verses of scripture is Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”