Senior Pastor
Pastor Daniel Blackburn
Daniel Blackburn began serving as Pastor of Bailey Baptist Church in March 2020. He was born and raised just down the road in Johnston County, where he grew up attending the Clayton-area schools. As a child, Daniel came to faith in Christ following a Vacation Bible School at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Clayton. It was at Clayton High School that Daniel met his high school sweetheart and future wife, Lindsay.
After graduating from high school, Daniel attended NC State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Forest Management and Wildlife Management. Following his graduation, Daniel and Lindsay were married, and two years later they welcomed their son, William, who is now a student at NC State University. Daniel began his career with the North Carolina Forest Service as an Inventory Forester, a position he has held for more than 22 years.
Shortly after getting married, Daniel also began serving as a volunteer youth leader. After years of serving in youth ministry, he began to sense God's call to do more in ministry. In response to that calling, Daniel enrolled at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he pursued a Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry and graduated in 2017. Before becoming Pastor of Bailey Baptist Church, Daniel served for seven years as Youth Pastor at Selma Baptist Church.
Throughout his years in ministry, Daniel has developed a deep passion for faithfully teaching God's Word and helping people understand the richness and depth of Scripture. When he is not busy with the responsibilities of pastoral ministry or his work as an Inventory Forester, Daniel enjoys beekeeping, hiking with his dogs, and fishing. As a pastor, he is committed to expositional, verse-by-verse preaching through entire books of the Bible so that the church can better understand the full breadth of Scripture and faithfully apply it to their lives.