One Sunday afternoon in the late 1980s, Charles and Terri Crosby took a drive around town. They decided to stop at a little church on Main St. In the middle of a gravel lot sat a small metal building. “It looked more like a warehouse than like a church,” said Terri. The parking lot wasn’t empty; a man sat in his blue VW eating Dairy Queen ice cream. The couple would soon find out that the man’s name was Danny Richerson, and the church behind him was Triad Baptist. He invited them to Sunday night service, and in the words of Terri, “The rest is history.”

Charles and Terri officially became members of TBC in 1986, making 2026 their 40th year at TBC. In those years, the church has grown and changed dramatically. From a small meeting of about 300 people to a church of more than 1500 members, Charles and Terri watched the church expand. When asked why they’ve stayed so long, Terri explained, “It’s the people. We love the people here.” The couple has been supported by the many friends they’ve made at TBC. Their three kids, Carrie, Stephanie, and Matthew, were each raised at the church through the children's church and youth programs. 

For most of Charles’s career, he served as a deputy in the local police department. He had a way with people and a mind for justice, so policing seemed a natural fit. He found many ways to minister and evangelize within the department. Despite such a demanding career, Charles still found the time to pour into his local church. He ran the men’s fellowship at TBC for years, bringing in a wide variety of speakers and cooking meals for the ministry. “We had a group of 80 to 90 guys coming on a consistent basis,” said Decker. Charles also helped run TBC’s Upward program, started the first English as a Second Language program at the church, and taught Sunday school as part of his service. 

When Rob Decker took the job of head pastor at TBC, Terri stepped in as his personal secretary. She did it for a while as a volunteer, but Decker saw that she was deeply invested. “She managed pretty much everything in the office and did it all for free,” he remarked.  “From the beginning, she was a person I could count on.” After a while serving in this way, TBC brought Terri on full-time as a pastoral secretary. Back then, the staff was only Terri, Decker, and Pastor Tim Gerber. She’s been at the church ever since, handling accounts receivable. “I don’t plan to retire anytime soon,” said Terri. “I’d like to stay here as long as I can.” From Vacation Bible School to the many hats and scarves she’s made for Hands to Heart, Terri’s had a significant impact on the church for Christ. 

In their four decades of membership the Crosby’s have had at TBC, the Crosbys have left an indelible mark. It takes faithfulness and patience to remain in a congregation that long, and we are thankful that God has blessed us with them. 

“Come on down, have a look around,
at rich folks living in a poor folks’ town!”

Triad Baptist Christian Academy invites you and your family to join us for our upcoming dinner show, Company’s Comin’!

Friday, March 6 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, March 7 at 4:00 PM

This high-spirited musical comedy is set in the Great Smoky Mountains during the 1950s. A long-standing rivalry between two landowners reaches its boiling point when a fast-talking, money-minded, self-absorbed Southern colonel and his sidekick arrive with big plans to turn Laurel Creek Valley into a tourist destination. Quick wit and foot-stomping music set the tone for this fast-paced and family-friendly dinner theatre experience.

The performance runs approximately 90 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Guests will enjoy a delicious three-course dinner and dessert served during the show.

Dinner & Show Ticket Pricing: Single Tickets – $15 ; Family Pass – $50 (includes up to five immediate family members in the same household)   FRIDAY NIGHT TICKETS CLICK HERE   SATURDAY AFTERNOON TICKETS CLICK HERE *Seating capacity is limited so the show may sell out; seating is first come, first served. Doors open 45 minutes prior to shows.

TBCA’s Dinner Theatre is a fundraising event, with all proceeds benefiting our Fine Arts Program.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Titan Nation for an unforgettable evening of food, laughter, music
and Smoky Mountain fun!

An Evening with Natalie Grant featuring Bernie Herms is an intimate, piano-vocal concert experience featuring the nine-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and her husband, a renowned songwriter and producer.

The show is described as an organic, “living room”–style experience, featuring only piano and vocals, with a focus on storytelling and intimate arrangements.

TICKETS
VIP (Center Front) – $80 - Includes pre-show banquet-style dinner in The Peak, swag bag, early entry, and premium center-front seating. (Full three-course Italian meal)
Gold Circle – $55 (Front section)
General Admission – $45 (Middle section)
Bleacher Seating – $30

“When we live the love of the Gospel out loud, a revolution will occur.” — Christian singer/songwriter Natalie Grant

How to Order Tickets for An Evening with Natalie Grant

Follow these simple steps:

1. Click the Presale Link (above)
TICKET PRESALE – Valentine’s Weekend Discount Code: LOVE
($5 off per ticket — active through 2/17/26)

This link will take you to Praisetickets.com.

2. Select Your Seats
- Choose your preferred Ticket Option (seating location)
- Select the quantity of tickets
- Click to add them to your cart

3. Review Your Cart
- Click the cart icon in the top right corner
- Confirm ticket quantity and pricing
- Enter the discount code: LOVE
- Click “Apply”

4.Check Out
- Click “Proceed to Checkout”
- Enter your payment information
- Complete your purchase

5. Check Your Email

Your ticket(s) will be emailed to you.
Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see them right away.

Concert Entry - You must show your ticket upon arrival — either:
Printed copy OR Digital ticket on your phone

The holidays are always a special time at TBC, and 2025 was certainly no different! One element of our Christmas lineup, however, came with an exciting new twist. Our annual Christmas play, in addition to being a free community event, served as a fundraiser for two ministries close to the heart of Triad Baptist Church. 

The show, an adaptation of The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, focused on the sacrificial love between Jim and Della Dillingham-Young. Each gave up what they treasured most to make Christmas special for their spouse. It was this spirit of giving that inspired directors Jeremy Chandler and Linsey Huffman to fundraise a financial gift for a few ministries dear to TBC . 

The show was preceded by a complementary dessert- a “gift” from the church to those in attendance. At the end of the show and gospel presentation, the audience was then given the opportunity to pass that gift along. On each night of the two-night show, a different ministry was featured. For the Saturday showing, the Winston Salem Rescue Mission, an organization which provides Christian support for men in crisis, received $575 toward their organization. Sunday evening, the community donated $1,443.83 to Tabitha Ministry, a transitional home for women rebuilding their lives after trauma. 

Vita Alligood, the ministry’s executive director, wrote to TBC, saying “That check did much more than provide financial support to our ministry. It was also an answer to prayer and confirmation to a graduate named Julie that God has called her into ministry! Because of that check, Tabitha Ministry was able to offer Julie a one-year contract to work as the Assistant Manager in our thrift store. The timing of this donation confirmed to Julie that she is squarely in God’s will, and she is willing to make whatever sacrifices he asks of her.”

It is always a joy to see how God can use the gift of willing givers to affect His will toward the world. As we walk into the new year, take heart that God can use your giving to do far more than you could imagine, and pray that God would continue to use TBC in any way He chooses. 

Thank you to our TBC family and community for your generous donations to these ministries. 

From a grandchild whose life is already radically different than we ever could have imagined to a friend put back in the hospital a second time and a seemingly impossible list of to-dos, 2025 felt like one long Whac-a-Mole game bringing one unexpected challenge after another.

I bopped quite a few of those popped-up heads but missed a ton too and often felt anything but rest and peace.

Is this your 2026 already?

If it is, friend, I have good news. The Bible offers countless examples of people facing exactly the same struggle who overcame it through the same, timeless solution. 

One of those people who cried “Enough!” was no less than the prophet Elijah. Literally fleeing for his life from an evil queen, he collapsed in despair under a broom tree.

“It is enough,” he said, “now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

God didn’t chide Elijah for feeling discouraged or, like the famous Star Trek line, wanting to be beamed up and away from his troubles. Instead, He sent food and rest delivered by an angel to Elijah and spoke encouragingly to him in a still, quiet voice.

Interestingly, our “Enough, already!” cries are not the common way the word is used most often in scripture. Instead, it’s that God is enough, His Son is enough and, if we put our faith and trust in Him, that we’ll have more than enough to face anything.

That is why even amid all his troubles — being beaten multiple times within an inch of his life, shipwrecked and imprisoned — the apostle Paul could keep moving forward and remain so upbeat and effective.

His faith — and the Lord who secured it — transcended trouble and gave him more than enough to lean on to satisfy the longing of His soul and maintain his joy.

Scripture is often misquoted that God will never give you more than you can bear. Elijah’s cry and the response is one of many examples of this false teaching.

While we ultimately can’t know the purpose of the pain and present circumstances we face, or the plan behind it, we can know the God who does and who has already secured our future and is with us always.

We just need to trust and obey and give our troubles over to Him. In our “Enough, already!” years, days and moments, let’s let this truth be more than enough to bring lasting hope and peace to our souls.

These folks have more of an impact on the average kid than anyone else during childhood. At various times, Kevin Peele has been all three. Between teaching Sunday school, raising his kids, and coaching basketball, he’s touched the lives of many people at TBC and beyond.                                                             

Few would deny, however, that Kevin’s greatest passion of the three is being a coach. “Most of all, he loves coaching,” said his wife Charlene Peele. “Being able to see the kids grow throughout the year, he loves that more than anything.”                             

Kevin recognizes that kids are shaped by the men and women who choose to coach them. It’s not just about working on shooting form or building stamina; a coach’s training lays the foundation for character. It is this passion that has driven Kevin to more than a decade of service in TBC’s Upward Sports Ministry.                                                                

For the few not already in the know, Upward is a nationwide youth sports ministry which aims to reach kids with the gospel. TBC hosts basketball, soccer, football, and cheerleading programs to get kids from the community plugged in and on a path toward Christ. Over 750 kids participate in Upward every year at TBC. According to TBC Recreation Director Aidan Brooks, any given Saturday over 1,000 people are on the church campus for games. This means Upward is one of the largest outreach ministries that TBC hosts.

It was here that Kevin found his niche. He was able to enjoy the game he loved while pouring himself into young people. He was content with the work of coaching, but God had plans to take him further into service.                                                                 

In 2015, God called Kevin to step up his service. After the previous Upward basketball director had to step down suddenly, the role was given to Kevin. After coaching with people like Steve Kluk for years, he was now responsible for leading the ministry that had meant so much to him. It was an abrupt shift, so several responsibilities were thrown his way. “The leaders before him would have a team of three or four adults to run the league with them, from coaching to refereeing, to running concessions,” said Kluk. “Kevin had all of it pretty much dumped in his lap.”                                                  

What to some would be a burden was, for Kevin, a calling. His wife wouldn’t have guessed that this is where God was taking her, but she followed where He led. “This isn’t my ministry, it's yours, but God called me to help you,” said Charlene. “So if this is what God’s called you to do, then I’m going to be right there beside you.”                       

For a decade, she handled the paperwork and he handled the people. They leaned on each other’s strengths to support one another. Thousands of kids moved through the ministry, being touched by the gospel as they played. God blessed them with complementary gifts so that they might bless their church and community with them.      

The fruit of their work wasn’t always obvious. When working with kids, impact can often be hard to measure. Commonly, the coach or mentor sowing gospel seeds is not the one who gets to see the spiritual harvest. Still, God gives glimpses into the effects of our holy work. The Peeles cherish such opportunities. Charlene recalls a young man at an Upward game approaching her husband. She had just gotten the man and his son signed in when he looked over at Kevin and yelled, “Coach Peele! Do you remember me?”                                              

It had been years since Kevin coached him, and he struggled at first to even recognize the man. As he began talking, his memory rushed back. He explained that he had once played on his team years prior, that his son was now old enough to play Upward basketball. “It’s really neat to see former players come back and have their kids play,” said Charlene.                                                         

For the past two years, Kevin has faithfully served as the Upward director over all sports in addition to directing basketball. Still, he makes time for what matters most to him. “Coach Peele” coaches several teams of kids across basketball and football. If this sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is. “Kevin’s there almost every day of the week of practices, and he’s there pretty much all of Saturday,” Kluk said.                                                 The dedication is a result of his passion for these kids and for the work God is doing in them. Upward continues to grow and thrive at TBC, in no small part due to Kevin’s time and effort.

On Baptism Sunday, Kevin and Charlene sit where they always do- on the left, just a few rows back from the front. They join in with the rest of the congregation in celebrating the public dedication of lives to Christ. For the Peeles, baptism Sunday is even more special. Upward doesn’t just teach basketball, it teaches Christ crucified. It is this message that God had promised will never return void. It is this promise that blessed the Peeles. It is why Charlene sees these services as such a blessing. “Sometimes, Kevin will lean over and nudge me during service and say, ‘that’s an Upward boy.’”

If you have a child aged two years or younger and would like to participate in this special time of prayer and commitment, please fill out and submit the Baby Dedication Form by March 8, 2026, in order to participate.

As part of our winter SNAC lineup, join us for Financial Peace University—a life-changing 9-week course designed to help you take control of your finances and discover true financial freedom. Through biblical principles and practical steps, you’ll learn how to budget, pay off debt, save wisely, and prepare for the future with confidence.

The cost for this class is $99 per person, which includes all study materials and a one-year membership in Ramsey+. Limited scholarships are available; to be considered, please contact robert.steele@tbcnow.org.

This in-person class meets weekly and childcare will be provided.
Sign up today using the QR code—space is limited, and registration is required.

Have a question for Jason Shuler about his future leadership of TBC? Submit it for our upcoming Q & A session - CLICK HERE

TBC active members will begin voting in November.