Dr. Oliver L. Trimiew, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mt., Georgia. He specializes in the areas of New Testament studies, American religious history, including African American history, and cultural studies. He has been teaching at Covenant for twenty-seven years. In addition to Dr. Trimiew’s academic work he serves as a long–time Ruling Elder and now pastor of Congregational Life at New City Fellowship. Dr. Trimiew has also served as a volunteer chaplain at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, and is a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains, and the American Association of Christian Counselors.
More importantly, Dr. Trimiew has been married to Anna Trimiew for forty years. They live in Rossville, Georgia. Together they have three adult children and their spouses, Jason (Danielle), Martin and Heather (Joshua), and two grandchildren, Jamison (2 years) and Olivia (17 months).
Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Oliver is the second of four children in his family of origin. His mother was a homemaker and maid, and after she obtained her college degree, she worked as a teacher’s aide. Oliver’s father was an auto body repairman who operated a shop of his own later in life.
Education and sports were important parts of Oliver’s childhood and adolescence. The first church he attended was Presbyterian, and when he was seventeen years old he committed his life to Jesus Christ through a high school ministry of an interdenominational church in Newark (Calvary Gospel). Participation in church activities resulted in his calling to ministry and Christian service.
Seeking to prepare for ministry while continuing participation in sports, Oliver entered Covenant College in 1968. While a student at Covenant he was active in a number of inner city ministries, including the Sunday school classes for children that eventually became New City Fellowship in Chattanooga. After completing his college studies Oliver enrolled in Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts where he majored in Biblical studies and Church History.
While at Gordon-Conwell Oliver met and married Anna, who was a fellow student at the school. After completing his seminary studies he entered graduate school at the University of Chicago. Oliver and Anna had their three children while in Chicago.
In 1980 Oliver was ordained in Chicago by Keystone Baptist Church. He also taught for North Park Theological Seminary and served as an urban trainer for urban Young Life during the late 1970s and 1980’s. During the latter part of that decade he desired to return to his Presbyterian roots, so he accepted the teaching position at Covenant College, and returned to New City Fellowship Church.
During his twenty-seven years as a professor at Covenant College, Oliver has continued to engage in urban ministry with a particular focus now on pastoral care and counseling. He is one of the original founders of Chattanooga Sports Ministries, and has served as a track and field coach and official with USATF.
With a long term commitment to various mission endeavors in Africa and Europe, and recently taking a team of Gospel music singers and musicians to Japan, Dr. Trimiew has been asked to stand as a candidate to the Board of Mission to the World (PCA).
Click below to hear Oliver’s conference presentations