Laying a Foundation for a Lifetime of Ministry

Unlike most other alumni, Danika Hamilton was only 21 years old when she graduated from Trinity earlier this year. While she acknowledges that her story is unusual, she’s grateful to God for the opportunity to build a firm foundation for a lifetime of ministry.

Danika had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home and attending a Christian school, though she says it wasn’t until she attended a particular Bible study group during high school in Bunbury that she realised her own need for Jesus. It was while she was attending a Christian conference during Year 11 that Danika decided to head to Bible College post-high school.

Initially, Danika’s plan was to undertake Year 13 (a Christian gap year for school leavers) in Sydney, however the arrival of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns led Danika to opt for something closer to home. After hearing about Trinity, she decided to apply—and three months after finishing Year 12, Danika moved to Perth to begin a Diploma of Theology at Trinity.

Growing in Knowledge and Love for God

Danika’s original plan was to study for just one year in 2022, but she loved it so much that she ended up staying for an additional two years. As it turned out, Danika spent much of that first year in particular laying a strong foundation for everything to come.

“In my first year, every single lecture I walked out of, I was just like, ‘Whoa, this is cool—the Bible’s so cool,’” Danika recalls, laughing. “I think I realised that you can’t love what you don’t know. I was big on feelings, and I loved God, but I didn’t know him very well. So I recognised that I can’t love him more if I don’t know him more.”

Danika says there were “so many things” she loved about her time at Trinity. One thing in particular that encouraged her greatly was simply seeing people at Trinity dedicating their lives to serve Jesus and doing it faithfully. It blew her away to meet people who had given up their full-time jobs and a steady income to learn how to handle God’s Word well. 

She says she would recommend Trinity to anyone who wants to grow in their knowledge and love of God, regardless of whether they plan to serve in full-time ministry.

“It gives you time to actually think about things in a way that you can’t when you’re working full-time,” she says. “At College you’re just immersed in it, and you’re given the space to think about things deeply. You’re pushed on what you believe, and why.”

Putting Knowledge into Practice

Danika says she was also grateful for the opportunity to get involved with CRU West shortly after she moved to Perth, because it gave her a chance to start putting her theological study into practice.

“I hadn’t really ever led a Bible study before, so God was kind in getting me involved in CRU to grow my practical skills,” Danika explains. 

Trusting God for the Future

As for the future, Danika is looking forward to seeing how God uses her in the months and years to come. She’s still actively involved at her church, St Matthews Unichurch, and is considering her next steps. Danika looks forward to a lifetime of serving in full-time ministry, so she would love to undertake a ministry apprenticeship through her church, but is also considering the possibility of first gaining some experience working in a secular role for a few years. 

Please ask God to give Danika wisdom as she plans her next steps. Ask him to guide her as she seeks to make decisions, and ask him to grant her patience as she waits. Please ask God to keep growing Danika spiritually, and to keep her heart humble.