Dr. Jerry William Dailey was born on June 25, 1953 in Anderson, Indiana to the late Dr. C.B. and Martha Dailey. Dr. Dailey moved at an early age with his parents and older brother to Jacksonville, Florida and there he attended the public schools of Duval County, graduating in 1971 from Andrew Jackson High School. Dr. Dailey then accepted a basketball scholarship from Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach Florida. During his junior year he attended the University of California at Berkley representing Bethune Cookman as a recipient of the Crown Zellerbach Foundation Scholarship. In 1975, after returning from California, he graduated with honors (cum laude) from Bethune-Cookman with a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Psychology. Dr. Dailey acknowledged the call into ministry at an early age and was licensed by his father, Rev. Dr. Charles C.B. Dailey at his home church, the First Baptist Church of Oakland, Jacksonville, Florida in August of 1973. Upon graduation from College he was accepted into the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (EBTS), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While in seminary he was mentored and trained by the late Dr. Frank B. Mitchell of the Pinn Memorial Baptist Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and became Dr. Mitchell’s assistant. Dr. Dailey was the first member of his class called into the Pastorate while a student. Dr. Dailey was called and became the Pastor of the First African Baptist Church, Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania in August of 1977. He graduated from EBTS with a Master of Divinity Degree in May of 1979. Because of the magnitude of his ministry, Dr. Dailey received numerous honorary degrees inclusive of, the Doctor of Theology Degree – Guadalupe College, San Antonio, Texas, 1991; the Doctor of Divinity Degree – American International Bible Institute, Killeen, Texas, 1996; the Doctor of Divinity Degree from his Alma Mater, Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida, 2000. Prior to his coming to Macedonia in December of 1985, Dr. Dailey had two previous successful pastorates; First African Baptist Church, Sharon Hills, Pennsylvania from 1977-1982 and Greater St. James Baptist Church, Ft Worth, Texas from July 1982 – November 1985. Many accomplishments took place in both churches that remain at this time.