By Amber Mabe

Worship. Connect. Reach. Serve. For nearly four decades, Triad Baptist Church has embodied these four core values through authentic, accessible worship services and a growing list of over 28 outreach ministries serving people of all ages and walks of life in the surrounding community, with Triad Baptist Christian Academy being the largest of these ministries. This faithfulness and dedication has led to exponential growth in both the church and school. 

With any healthy growth comes change, and for TBC and TBCA this change brought with it the construction of a beautiful new facility. The 32-thousand square foot educational wing, opening this month, will serve multiple purposes for both the church and the academy, with the addition of state-of-the-art nurseries convenient to the main sanctuary, a large multifunction gathering room, middle school science labs, a workout room, a music room, and additional classrooms. The addition will allow for expanded fine arts activities, and further development of the school’s technology and engineering department. 

The building is equipped with modern security features in order to create a safe space for both students and the church family that will set parents’ minds at ease. The new building will enable the school to continue to grow without taking away from space needed for other vital church ministries. “The secret to our growth is really not a secret,” says Lead Pastor Rob Decker, “we put Jesus Christ first in our worship, service, the way we connect with each other and reach out to the community and move forward in faith to take hold of what He’s provided. This new building is the latest way we’re doing that, and the result will be further equipping Triad Baptist Christian Academy and all other Triad Baptist Church ministries to ‘worship, connect, serve, and reach’ in Kernersville and beyond.” 

The construction of the new “NextGen” building follows a year of change and tremendous growth under the school’s new headmaster, Dr. Soloman Patrick, and the addition of high school principal Mark Baker and elementary principal Audra Locklear. “The spreading of the gospel and the influence of kingdom education is the responsibility of the church. This mission will be carried out by children and youth for generations to come,” says Dr. Patrick. “Adults have the responsibility to share values and standards with the younger generations that will stick with them throughout their lives. It is also important to provide a safe place where children and youth know that people care for them and are available to help them. With all the non-traditional teaching being provided, it is essential for them to be able to understand the world from a biblical worldview.”

The school has come a long way since its founding in 2004. Though originally intended to be a small church preschool, it was not long before parents requested that the school be expanded to include first through sixth grades. In 2012, the decision was made to further expand the thriving school to include high school grades, adding one grade per year. Completed in 2017 as a full K-12 academy with a graduating class of three, today TCBA enrolls more than 350 students per year, and has made its mark as a competitive private school in the Triad. 

This fall, the Triad Titans will enter the 2023-2024 school year not only with a new building, but with a new look to their mascot and logo. “The academy is represented by a Titan bearing the armor as described in Ephesians chapter six,” says Communications Director Jeremy Chandler.  “The full armor is meant to bring strength, stability, and encouragement so we can receive all that God has planned for us.” In a world increasing in distractions, perils, fears, and uncertainty, there has never been a more important time to invest in the lives of young people. This means equipping students both mentally and spiritually and is the heart behind the ministry of both TBC and TBCA. “The building, the logo, everything we do, we have done for the next generation,” says Jeremy. “We want to be in a position where the next generation can move in and continue spreading the gospel and teaching others about Jesus.” 

This passion for investing in young lives takes the form of Biblically sound, top-tier academics, a wide selection of enriching student activities, and a cohesive youth ministry that spans both the school and the church itself. Pastor Kyle Cox serves as both the campus pastor for TBCA and youth pastor for TBC, bridging the gap between church and school for both the students already under his ministry and those who might not have a church home. Combined with the on-staff guidance counselors, personal counselors, and the open-door policy of school staff for students in need, young people attending TBCA have a strong support network for whatever challenges they may face. A shift in focus from solely discipleship to student evangelism has opened the doors for young people of all backgrounds to find Christ at TBCA. Many new families have joined the Triad Baptist family as a result of their children being reached for the Lord under the academy’s ministry.

In addition to the academy’s growth and new logo, an updated TBC logo has also been unveiled. The new logo maintains the same important four-faceted cross but features clean lines and a more simplified font. “The new TBC logo uses four quadrants encircling the cross. The quadrants represent our four core values: worship, connect, serve, and reach,” explains Jeremy. “As Triad Baptist Church moves forward, together as a body of believers, let us be encouraged through our worship to God, let us connect through a deep bond of fellowship with each other, let us humbly serve one another, and let us reach out into the world with the message of hope and love found only through the gospel of Christ.”

Triad Baptist Church welcomes anyone seeking a life-changing experience with God and seeks to connect believers through worship and fellowship. Traditional worship services are held Sunday mornings at 9:00am and contemporary services at 10:30am. With ministries for every age and interest ranging from sports to quilting to coffee, there is something for everyone at Triad Baptist Church. To learn more about the church, visit tbcnow.org. For Triad Baptist Christian Academy enrollment information, or to set up a school tour, visit tbcanow.org.