End of March saw Trent Martin ordained. 
Many of you may know him from his years working in the Youth Department. He has also served at Frankston and Dandenong Polish churches and currently is with Mernda Church and Gilson College Mernda.
Trent grew up in Lismore NSW, one if six boys raised by their mother, Julie. Julie occasionally attended church and would take Trent along. The church sponsored him and from grades three to six, he attended church school. But in high school, he got in with the wrong crowd. Without a solid male role model, he turned to his mates for guidance and was vulnerable to peer pressure. He identified himself as a Christian, but it was in name only – Jesus had no relevance in his life.
But God was calling. At sixteen, he found himself randomly recalling the worship songs he used to sing in primary school, feeling unusually drawn to them. He began pondering the deeper things of life, wondering what God thought of him. And he was aware of an increasing hopelessness about finding
happiness in his worldly pursuits.
Although angry and bitter, his friends and family relationships suffering as a result of his pain and addictions, he still wanted to be a better person. But even in this he felt he was failing.
Between a bitter relationship break up and a school fight, Trent found himself in hospital with time to think about how he was not succeeding at fixing his ow
n problems. In desperation he begged God to fix him.
Trent joined a Bible study group with some of his church friends, started attending church again and joined the local Pathfinder Club where he found amazing adult role models who showed what it meant to be a Christian man. His life was changing and people started noticing the difference.
Determined to live taking God with him wherever he went, Trent became aware God wanted more – He wanted him to be a pastor and this impression strengthened with time. For a time he resisted, eventually giving in, asking God to confirm this with three signs. In the following months, three people approached Trent saying they felt impressed to tell him he should become a pastor. Confirmation! But he still felt too young. While praying one night, he felt God’s silent voice telling him to start studying ministry at Avondale the next year. And so he did.
Trent’s core passion in ministry is to see local churches become vibrant evangelistic communities where members feel excited to bring their friends