Our Leadership
Senior Pastor -
Rev. Danny Hedgepeth
Danny has been a Baptist pastor for over 30 years, serving congregations from 75 to 1650 in membership. He has served as vice president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and president of the Pastor's Conference of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Danny currently serves on the Executive Board of the North Carolina Baptist Convention.
He states about ministry, "I want to lead our church to bring the unchanging message of Jesus Christ to a world that is constantly changing. We want to be relevant without surrendering the holiness and grace of a loving God."
Danny has a bachelor of arts from Charleston Southern University, a master of divinity with Biblical languages from Southeastern Baptist Seminary, and is completing his doctor of ministry degree at the Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Missions, and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Seminary.
He has been married to Sherry for 34 years. He states, "Next to becoming a Christ follower, she is the best thing that has ever happened to me." Sherry has taught school for 30 years, and is a special education teacher at Brevard Elementary School. They have one married daughter and one grandson.
Danny is an avid golfer, but with a busy schedule, he says, “I talk more about it than play it.” He enjoys living in the mountains and attending the Masters golf tournament every year. He calls himself a "history nerd" and movie buff; he likes the old and new classics as well as good comedies. His perfect day is “38 degrees with no wind, a fresh pot of good coffee, and place to walk and pray.”
His most unusual event in ministry was when he once visited a family with a 2-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old toy poodle and prayed with the family at the end of the visit asking for God's blessings. "To my embarrassment, I mixed up the name of the daughter with the poodle. The family informed me that I had just passionately asked for God's protection and direction for their pet.
But God answers prayer. I heard the poodle is a missionary in Africa!"
Danny says about First Baptist: "There is something about this church that you will notice immediately when you visit. You will not be impressed by our facilities or wowed by our programs. What you will "catch" in our church is the compassion of our people. When they see someone in need, our congregation will respond. Our community of believers genuinely cares about people. As we say in the South, that blesses my heart."
Associate Pastor for Students & Families -
Rev. Tommy Crocker
Tommy is a seasoned student minister with more than 30 years of experience in full-time ministry. He has served on staff in churches in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. His heart is to grow students that will be difference-makers for the Kingdom of God wherever they go.
Tommy has a BA in sacred music from Gardner-Webb University and has done work through Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary toward a master of divinity degree.
Tommy has been married to Renee' Mullinax Crocker for 27 years. They have a son, Christopher, a daughter, Kristen, and a grandson, Daeson.
In his spare time, Tommy enjoys hunting, fishing, and cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs!
Interim Director of Music -
Sammy Kicklighter
Sammy Kicklighter enjoys all brands of music from southern bluegrass gospel to great performances at Brevard Music Center to fun musicals at the Flat Rock Playhouse.
His music education began with early service in small churches as a teenager before going to college. He graduated from Tennessee Temple Schools in Chattanooga, Tenn., and did some graduate work at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga. Sammy has served in thirteen churches, full-time and part-time, and taught music education in two Christian schools since 1977. Sammy came to Brevard with his wife, Wendy, and son, Samuel, from Savannah, Ga. There Savannah roots are strong: Sammy grew up nearby, he met his wife Wendy there, and their son Samuel was born there.
Sammy has owned Brevard Piano, a local piano supply and tuning business, since 2004. He is a member and a past president of the Brevard Rotary Club, treasurer of the Transylvania Soccer Association, a member of the City of Brevard’s Corridor Committee, and an advocate member of a local tree planting group. Sammy enjoys hiking with Wendy and Samuel in our great Pisgah National Forest and likes taking Samuel hunting when possible.
Sammy says about First Baptist: “Serving at First Baptist has been a real blessing. The vision of my ministry here was set in motion months before I began. The people here have been truly a blessing to my family. Working through the goals and visions that God has placed on my heart has truly been rewarding.”
Church Pianist -
Christy Bryson
Church Secretary - Pat Pierce
Financial Secretary -
Gerenna Hubbard
Weekday Early Education Director -
Cindy Carter
Facilities Manager -
Marty Reid
Custodial Services -
Denise Wynn
