Daniel Wilkerson was born Sept. 11, 1947, in Melrose, Ma. He spent his childhood in Charleston, W.Va., and moved to Brevard County in 1983. He met and married his wife, Nancy, in 1967 and the couple welcomed a son, Daniel Lee, two years later. The couple now resides in Palm Bay and are the proud grandparents of 11-year-old Haley.

Pastor Dan earned a master’s degree in religion and history from Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky., in 1975 and a master’s of divinity from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., in 1978. He began his pastoral career at Wolf Creek Baptist Church in Kentucky in 1972. After serving Baptist churches in Kentucky and West Virginia, he was called to First Baptist Church of Malabar in March of 1983.

His spiritual gifts include preaching, teaching, grace and mercy. He is a volunteer chaplain with Health First Hospital Systems, and when time allows he enjoys reading, walking and family activities.

John D. Selvage, Jr., was born Oct. 14, 1958. He is a native of rural Northwest Florida where he was born and raised in the small town of Crestview. He was saved in 1968 at age 10, made a public profession of faith in 1975 at Garden City Baptist Mission and was baptized at First Baptist Church of Crestview.

As a former Bulldog, Pastor John is a proud 1976 graduate of Crestview High School. With a goal of becoming a football coach, he graduated from the University of West Florida in Pensacola in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in sports science. Believing that winning the lost to Jesus was more important than winning football games, it was during Pastor John’s senior year of college that God called him into the ministry. In 1981, he moved to Ft. Worth, Texas, where he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After five years of study, he graduated in 1986 with master’s degrees in theology and religious education.

In January 1994, Pastor John joined FBC Malabar. In August 1997, he was called to serve as the church’s associate pastor on a part-time, bi-vocational basis. When Pastor Dan suffered a life-threatening heart attack in July 2001, Pastor John was called to serve on a full-time basis.

In his personal life and ministry, Pastor John has experienced failures that God has used to teach him painful, yet life-changing lessons. Today, Pastor John’s ministry is a product of God’s grace, mercy and restoration. In addition to his responsibilities at FBC Malabar, from 1997 to 2009, Pastor John served as the co-founder and co-facilitator of the “Men in Focus” group at Hope Ministries in Palm Bay, an accountability group for men who have struggled with addictions. Pastor John believes one of the best ways to make amends for the failures of the past is how you live out the rest of your life. Pastor John’s ministry at FBC Malabar reflects the lessons he has learned and his gratefulness for the second chance in ministry God has given him.

Bro. Joe is a Florida Cracker, born in Miami. He is married to Carol. She teaches the 4th grade at Calvary Chapel Academy. The couple have three daughters and two sons, three son-in-laws, and six grandchildren. They home-schooled four of their children for 20 years.

Joe is our part-time minister of music. At a young age Joe’s dad encouraged him to learn to play the guitar and he has been involved with church music, worship, and other ministries most of his adult life. He is an Independent Distributor with Xango (Xango Juice, other nutritional products, and meal packs to feed starving children). He also teaches guitar lessons at Marion Music in Palm Bay and home school classes for Brevard Heat Academics (Speech & Debate, Economics & Business, and Biblical Greek).

Erma Hartwell was born Aug. 3, 1947 in Philadelphia, Pa. She spent her childhood in Philadelphia as well as Valley Forge, Pa. She married her husband, George, in September 1967 and the couple welcomed their first of eight children two years later. The family now resides in Melbourne. Mrs. Erma is a mother of eight and grandmother of 11. As a former Navy wife, she is very proud that six of her children have enlisted in the military.

Mrs. Erma began attending First Baptist Church of Malabar in 1999 and became the church’s ministry assistant in 2004. She is also the Vacation Bible School coordinator. Her spiritual gifts include helping others and showing mercy.

When time allows, Mrs. Erma enjoys going to the beach and doing crafts such as scrapbooking, needlework and quilling.