Don Davidson is a native of Suffolk, Virginia. He received his BA degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and then his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.

He preached his first sermon at age 16 and was pastor of his first church, Worsham Baptist of Farmville, VA., at age 19. He later served churches in North Carolina and Florida, coming back to Virginia in 1989 to pastor Mount Hermon Church in Danville. He came to First Baptist Alexandria in November, 2005.

Don has served as president of the Baptist General Association of Virginia (2004), and as a trustee for the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1995-2005). He is currently on the boards of Hopetree Family Services of Virginia, the John Leland Center for Theological Studies, and Guidestone Financial Resources (the Annuity Board of the SBC).

His wife, Audrey, is from Keysville, Virginia, and has been involved in education all of her career. In 1999 she was appointed by the Governor to serve a term on Virginia’s State Board of Education.

Don and Audrey’s son, John Mark, is a graduate of UNC – Wilmington. He lives and works now in Alexandria.

As the Associate Pastor for the largest Baptist median and senior adult ministry in Northern Virginia, John Michael leads ministries in spiritual growth, Sunday School, local and long-distance mission service, discipleship and leadership training, evangelism, stewardship, and fellowship and recreation for pre-retired adults in their 50s as well as for retired adults. A native of Oklahoma, John is a 1982 graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University. From 1982-1984 he was a Missionary Journeyman in the Cayman Islands for the International Mission Board. In 1988 he graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as Associate Pastor for Youth and Senior Adults at the Second Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Arkansas, for 13 years prior to coming to FBCA. He and his wife Margaret, a registered nurse, have one daughter, Kara.

Mikel has served as a youth pastor for more than thirteen years, and is passionate about wanting “to see youth come into a relationship with Jesus that is meaningful and healthy.” He has earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, LA. He has also completed an additional 12 hours in Hebrew, Greek, and Hermeneutics at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

When asked about his vision for our students, Mikel stated “My calling is to disciple youth through personal relationships, and to build a youth ministry team consisting of volunteers and parents that ministers to youth through creative means. This involves being the church to its own members, as well as engaging youth where they are in their cultural setting.” Join with us in prayer as we look forward to all that God has in store for our student ministry under Mikel’s leadership.

Kim Eskridge is our Minister to Children and our Pastor Liaison for Women’s Ministries. From 2003–2006, Kim served as the Director of the Weekday Preschool Ministry at our church. She is a 1986 graduate of Radford University with a Bachelor’s degree in English, and earned her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Old Dominion in 2002. Pastor Kim completed her Certification in Children’s Ministry through the Virginia Baptist Mission Board in 2009 and is currently taking courses towards a Masters of Arts in Church Leadership at the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. God has given Kim a passion for helping children to connect to Christ and supporting parents in their roles as Christ-followers and faith mentors of their children.

Kim grew up in Richmond, Virginia, but has lived in several places since marrying Paul in 1986. She taught at Hayfield Elementary School for several years before accepting the position of Weekday Preschool Director in 2003, here at First Baptist Church. She has served in many volunteer positions at First Baptist including children’s choir coordinator and leader, children’s Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School teacher, Property Committee member, and mission team member to Cayman Brac and Central Asia. One of Kim’s more unusual volunteer positions was mayor of the Aschaffenburg Military Community when her husband, Paul, was stationed at that base in Germany in 1992. Kim is currently serving on the Virginia Baptist Preschool Resource Team.

Kim and Paul have three children: Caryne, Cole, and Kyle, who are all in college.

Joel Harder is a native Texan who came to Northern Virginia in 2008. After earning a B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Texas, he attended Baylor University’s George. W. Truett Theological Seminary and the School of Social Work, earning a MSW with a specialization in Church-based practice. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Christian Leadership through the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Before entering vocational ministry, Joel sought to expand his experience to the marketplace and has worked at various levels in faith-based non-profit organizations across the country. After moving to the DC area, Joel worked for the Government Relations and Public Policy Office of the YMCA of the USA, one of the nation’s largest faith-based community organizations. In this role, he served as the Y’s chief organizational liaison to the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service during the President’s United We Serve, 2009 Summer of Service, coordinating the efforts of Y’s organizing service opportunities across the nation. During much of this time, Joel served FBCA bi-vocationally as the director of the Single Adult Ministries.

Joel has served in several ministry roles in churches throughout Texas and in Virginia. While at Baylor, he gained an appreciation for what Christ is doing throughout the community of faith and developed a desire to sharpen pastoral and clinical counseling skills. Having completed a MSW with a specialization in Church Based Social Work, Joel now holds a license to practice social work in the State of Virginia.

After moving to DC, Joel met Donelle, and they were married in the fall of 2009. Donelle has worked in corporate and non-profit communications and public relations since college. She has worked on Capitol Hill for a member of the Texas delegation and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work from CUA.

Together, the LORD again confirmed His call on Joel and Donelle to serve in the local church. At FBCA, they are thankful God has launched them into a life of vocational ministry and are part of a missional congregation that is making a difference locally and globally for the Kingdom of God.

Bryan grew up in Northern Virginia and at First Baptist Church. He holds an Associate of Science Degree in Business Administration from Northern Virginia Community College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from George Mason University. He also graduated from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky with a Masters of Divinity Degree in Christian Education in 1996 and then he received a Doctorate of Education in Leadership Degree from Southern Seminary in 2001.

Bryan has served as Associate Pastor and Senior Pastor at several different churches in Virginia and Kentucky and returned back to First Baptist in January of 2007.

Bryan is also an adjunct professor at The John Leland Theological Seminary. He is married to Toni and they have 3 children, Brent, Austin, and Brianna. In Bryan’s spare time he enjoys carpentry and woodworking, weightlifting, and hiking.

Roger was born in Germany on October 25, 1956 and grew up in Selma, Alabama. He was Valedictorian of his high school class in 1975 and graduated Cum Laude in Music Education from Samford University, Birmingham Al. in 1979. He received his Masters of Church Music Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville Ky. in 1981. During seminary he met his wife Suzanne and they were married August 29, 1981. Roger served 5 years at Forest Hill Baptist Church in Anderson, SC as Pastor for Music and Youth, and 9 years at Ashley River Baptist Church in Charleston, as Minister of Music. He has been Pastor for Music and Worship at First Baptist Church of Alexandria since October of 1995. He directs and coordinates worship and music ministry for all ages. Suzanne, a private piano teacher, and Roger have two sons; Corey, a Clemson graduate who is at University of Chicago in the Master's program, and Casey, a senior at East Carolina University. Roger’s desire is that we worship in spirit and truth with all our hearts, mind and soul, lifting up Jesus, so that all will be drawn to Him.

The Bio of Bob Rhoads

I was born deaf and I grew up in a Christian home in Lancaster, PA. I came from a long family line of the Mennonites since 1719 under the name of Mosemann and Herr. I graduated from Model Secondary School for the Deaf on Gallaudet campus in Washington, DC in 1984. I was the valedictorian. Then I went to East Carolina University, majoring in Therapeutic Recreation and graduated in 1989. During my time there, I was involved with Campus Crusade for Christ, now known as CRU. I received a lot of training in evangelism and discipleship. I went on two summer projects: Daytona Beach 1986 and Thailand 1988. I had a summer internship as an assistant to the Pastor for Praising Hands Deaf Church at Lakewood Baptist Church in Long Beach, CA in 1987. It was my first experience leading the Deaf ministry. I gave my first sermon there.

I married a wonderful deaf Christian lady named Karen. Together, we have 5 wonderful children. They are hearing and quite fluent in sign language. And they love the Lord.

Karen and I have been missionaries for 18 years. The Lord put us on a VISION journey to pave the way in the Deaf world. We have been reaching out to Deaf college students for Christ and training them for ministry opportunities at Gallaudet University. We were on staff with Campus Crusade the first 13 years. Then we launched a new ministry called Deaf Leadership Ministries to raise Deaf leaders in the ministry and church for 3 years until I brought our ministry under Youth For Christ. I launched a new high school club with Deaf Teen Quest at Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, MD. This is my 4th year there. I still do the campus ministry at Gallaudet, so those college students help me to minister among the high school kids.

Recently, the Lord led me to a pastor position with the First Baptist Deaf Congregation. The VISION journey has been long but God is making the path clearer and brighter than before. The goal through prayer is to provide training in evangelism and discipleship as well as leadership with the Deaf Congregation so that we can reach out into the local Deaf community for Jesus and one day, across the USA and around the world. There is only 1% of Deaf Christians who actually serve the Lord wholeheartedly. Please join us in prayer and help us reach out to the Deaf and show them God’s love and plan for their lives.