Our Staff
Our Leadership Vision for Trinity Fellowship Church
Trinity Fellowship is a church with a community of servant leaders, not a church based on the leadership of only one or two people. The vision and direction are fleshed out by the Elder Team (elders and lead pastor), as they seek to follow the leadership of Jesus Christ. But the church has many servant leaders (small group leaders, children ministry volunteers, worship team, etc…) who work together to grow and guide the church. The body works together, each member serving out of their passions and gifts, in order to build a healthy, healing, alive church family.
The role of the elders and pastors is to ”equip and encourage each member to serve” (Ephesians 4:12) and lead as God has gifted them, so that our church body “grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16).
Lead Pastor, Dodd Drake
Our Lead Pastor is Dodd Drake. He works with the elder team to lead and shepherd the church. His greatest joy, besides Jesus Christ, is his wife of 20 years, Becky, and their three children; Aubrey (17), Austin (14), and Brennan (12).
Dodd has made North Carolina his home for 16 years, the past 12 in Hickory. He is originally from Texas, and a graduate of Texas A&M in 1984. He served on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ for 14 years (1984-1998), the majority of that time being a missionary and shepherd to college students.
He is a 1993 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, and became a pastor in 1998. Dodd and Becky, with the steering team, launched Trinity Fellowship in the summer of 2004.
Dodd’s heartbeat is to lead people into the presence of Jesus Christ, where they will never be the same. He is passionate about creating a place where people genuinely experience intimacy with God, and find Him as their all-satisfying, all-glorious treasure. All else that he and the church seeks to accomplish—building an authentic and loving community; equipping people to make a difference by releasing their gifts and passions; experiencing real life-change as we wholeheartedly follow Jesus; intentionally loving those outside faith in Christ and leading them to a growing relationship with Christ–he seeks to do out of an overflow of a love relationship with God.
His hobbies include hanging out with his family, fly fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, being in the mountains, and reading. His three favorite books are DESIRING GOD by John Piper, PURSUIT OF GOD by A.W. Tozer, and ABBA’S CHLD by Brennan Manning. His favorite authors, besides the previously mentioned, are Larry Crabb, Henri Nowen, Richard Foster, J.I. Packer, and Jan Karen (on the lighter side…enjoys the Mitford series). These are the ones he goes back to over and over.
Children’s Director & Administrative Assistant, Elizabeth Alexander
Our Children’s Director is Elizabeth Alexander. She and her husband Jeffery grew up in Charlotte. She is a 2000 graduate of Charlotte Christian School and a 2003 graduate of Lee University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in Religion. She and Jeffery relocated to Hickory in July of 2008 seeking a quieter, smaller town to raise their 3 children; Lily Grace (5) and Tripp (4) and Ava (8 months).
In addition to being the Children’s Director here at Trinity, Elizabeth also teaches preschool in a 2 year old class two days a week.
Her desire as a Mom and a Children’s Director is that “my children and any children around me would fall in love with the Lord as I have.” Elizabeth sees the role of the church as coming alongside, supporting, and encouraging the parents as the shepherds and disciple-makers of their kids. Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” She is looking forward to further developing Trinity’s time of ministry to our children in ways that turn their hearts toward God.
She firmly believes that the children are the most important aspect of the community and family of Trinity Fellowship and is so excited to see them grow as they encourage their family to grow as well.
Chuck Myers, Teen Minister
Chuck and Ruth have served the Lord in full-time ministry and through their local church for the past 26 years. Currently Chuck is also the Executive Director at Hickory Cove a Christian youth camp in the area. They have always had a heart for families and youth and love the opportunity to share the love of the Lord whenever they can.
While Chuck does not have a formal degree he has owned his own business and sat as CEO of The Just One Christian Ministries in Minneapolis, MN which focused on mentoring young men at risk. He has counseled and instructed many in family life as well as crisis intervention to families and individuals in need. He has also served as a church elder for 9 years, has been involved with Christian camping for nearly 30 years, served on the boards of a number of ministries and groups, and has enjoyed teaching God’s Word in many different settings.
Chuck and his lovely wife Ruth have been married for 25 years and have four children by birth along with a son who, though not a birth child, holds a special place in their hearts. Jason and his wife Julie have given them a beautiful granddaughter named Sophia. Kristina, who is married to Joe Presson, lives in Iowa, and works as a nurse. Caleb lives and works in Taylorsville, NC and is active in music, as well running the AV team at TFC. Bethany will be graduating high school and beginning her freshman year of college this year. Joel will be entering his Senior year of high school and is a great student and sports nut.