Last month, Theological Book Network had the privilege of partnering with Trinity International University as the university prepared to close its Deerfield, Illinois, campus. For decades, Trinity faithfully educated and equipped countless students for Christian ministry and service. As the university worked through the logistics of closing its campus, an important question arose: “What will we do with all of these books?” While the closing of a campus is never easy, it also created an opportunity for these valuable resources to serve God’s kingdom in a new way.
Theological Book Network’s staff traveled to Deerfield for an ambitious four-day project to carefully and intentionally pack the university’s library. With the help of dedicated volunteers, every book was boxed and prepared for its next journey. Together, they packed more than 30,000 books, filling 23 pallets that will soon be loaded into a shipping container and sent to seminaries, Bible colleges, and Christian universities throughout the Majority World.
While an empty library can seem like a symbol of loss, Theological Book Network sees something different. Rather than sitting in storage or being discarded, these books will become treasured resources for students and faculty who often have little access to quality theological materials. Each book represents an opportunity to equip future pastors, teachers, missionaries, and church leaders with the tools they need to faithfully serve their communities.
One especially meaningful part of this project was meeting a volunteer who had once received books from Theological Book Network while studying in Kerala and Bangalore, India, respectively. Years later, this Trinity PhD student had the opportunity to help pack the very books that will now bless another generation of students, just as he had once been blessed by TBN’s work. It was a beautiful reminder of how God continues to multiply the impact of every book that is shared.
We are grateful to Trinity International University for its vision to faithfully steward these theological resources for God’s kingdom. We are also thankful for the Trinity volunteers who generously gave their time and energy to make this project possible. What could have been simply a story of a campus closing has become a story of hope and renewal. Through this partnership with Theological Book Network, a library that has faithfully served generations of students will now equip countless others around the world.
