Our Story

Trinity Wesleyan Church had its beginning as the First Wesleyan Methodist Church of Cedar Falls located on the corner of 2nd and Walnut Streets. Under the leadership of its pastor, the Rev. Lowell Stoesz, the congregation outgrew the facility and purchased land and constructed a church at the corner of South Main Street and Orchard Drive, on what was then the south edge of Cedar Falls. When the new church building was completed in 1968, Pastor Stoesz and the congregation relocated to the new church and the original church was reorganized as Faith Wesleyan Church.
 
Pastor Lowell Stoesz, had a love for people, an understanding of our urgent need for Jesus, and a vision to do whatever it took to help this new church survive. At times Pastor Stoesz would forego his own paycheck so that the ministry of the church could continue. 
 
The church did survive, and after decades of effective ministry, new pastors, and building expansions, it has grown into a vibrant, gospel-centered, multi-generational church that is located in the heart of Cedar Falls. In 2005 the name was changed to Trinity Bible Church to reflect the historical passion of the church for teaching and living out biblical truth.

We have maintained our historical roots as a member of The Wesleyan Church. The name "Wesleyan" is in honor of John Wesley, a priest in the Church of England who was the inspiration and founder of the Methodist movement. Wesley was an outstanding Oxford scholar, yet regarded himself as "a man of one book," the Bible. It was while studying the Bible that he received assurance of his own salvation through faith. It was the Bible which motivated his vision for offering Christ to the common people of England in a way that led to that nation's greatest spiritual revival. It was biblical truth that inspired Wesley to develop a school for orphans, job programs, and medical assistance for the poor, efforts to reform inhumane prisons, and arguments for the abolition of slavery, a great evil of his time. Confidence in the Bible as "the only and sufficient rule for Christian faith and practice" (to use Wesley's own words) is still a hallmark of The Wesleyan Church today. For generations, The Wesleyan Church has held firm to the authority of the Bible and to the belief that the Bible impacts every aspect of human life.

You can find out more about the beliefs, values, history, and position statements of The Wesleyan Church here.