Dr. Joe Yelton
Senior Pastor

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Dr. Joe Yelton has served as the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Sylva since December 2024.  Joe has served as senior pastor in churches across Virginia and North Carolina, including Cullowhee Baptist Church.  Joe graduated from Asheville High School and Western Carolina University. He earned a Master of Divinity with religious education from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary at Wake Forest, and he also earned his Doctor of Ministry from Drew University.

Joe is married to Corinne.  They have two children, Rosemary (Kevin) and Jacob (Kourtney), and one grandchild, Sophia.