The Rev. Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks is the pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church, but the Plant City native began his career in ministry as a chaplain for the United States Army.
Inside his church office off South County Road 39, the shelves are decorated with memorabilia from his military days: his Army green chaplain kit, a neatly folded American flag.
Middlebrooks doesn’t look at himself as a hometown hero — just a hometown boy who has come home.
AROUND THE WORLD
As a teenager, Middlebrooks followed in the footsteps of his father and brother, who served with the National Guard Armory, in Plant City.
“Heroes need heroes,” Middlebrooks said. “My heroes are my dad and my brother.”
Middlebrooks began to feel a pull toward a life in ministry as he was growing up, but decided to become a physical therapist technician. In 1987, he entered active duty and worked as a physical therapist technician for four years at Fort Jackson, in South Carolina.
Still, he felt that same pull toward a faith-driven career. In 1991, Middlebrooks earned his master’s of divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and then entered the chaplaincy program in the National Guard. He re-entered active duty in 1997.
“It’s been 1,000 miles an hour since then,” Middlebrooks said.
As a chaplain, Middlebrooks traveled with his wife, Arienne, and his two daughters, Erica and Allison, all over the world. His position allowed him to minister to soldiers of all denominations in Egypt, Israel, Iraq, Kosovo, Macedonia and Kuwait. He was also stationed in Germany for three years.
The family moved every three years, and Middlebrooks has moved 19 times since 1988.
“God always kept me in a place that was above my head,” Middlebrooks said. “God’s family is a lot bigger than us.”
A CALL HOME
Now at home in Plant City, the Middlebrooks are back for good. The decision to return to the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World happened during a trip to Plant City on Memorial Day 2011, when Middlebrooks realized that God wanted him to leave the military and serve in other ways. He turned down a position for lieutenant colonel to retire.
“I knew I would continue to minister,” Middlebrooks said. “Just in what form, I wasn’t sure. God has a way of opening eyes. He brought me home for His reason, not mine.”
Following his return home, Middlebrooks decided he wanted to start a company that followed similar work to what he had done as a chaplain.
At that time, he was serving as interim pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church. He was offered the full-time position but was not interested.
Though his plan for a new business was well laid, he said, God had a different plan.
When a position opened up for a senior ROTC instructor at East Bay High School, Middlebrooks got an interview for the job. As he drove to the interview, he went past Hopewell Baptist Church. He felt as though he was driving out from under God’s hands — something that went against his belief of staying under God’s will and blessing.
“I felt literally like I was driving on God’s fingertips,” he said.
On the way home, Middlebrooks prayed to God that if he was meant to take the full-time minister position at Hopewell, one of the church members needed to call him that day.
An hour and one half later, Larry Peeples contacted Middlebrooks. Peeples served on the church’s personnel committee and called to check in.
May 1, 2013, Middlebrooks was brought before the church and named the new pastor, just a few months after his Feb. 2013 retirement from the military.
“I’ve had a ball ever since,” Middlebrooks said. “The church is getting used to a military pastor, and I am getting used to a civilian church. We have a big God.”
COUNTRY AND CHURCH
Just as he brought hope and healing to Baghdad, Middlebrooks wants to continue to be a bearer of hope for Hopewell Baptist Church.
“A military chapel loves you, but only a country church can love you deeply,” he said. “It’s a church where you find friends. God has me in this season of my life right here, at Hopewell Baptist. Plant City is my home.”
As a chaplain, Middlebrooks was used to seeking out soldiers. Commands caused soldiers to leap into action, but touching hearts through sermons at a civilian church causes the Hopewell Baptist congregation to act.
One of the main differences, he said, is the understanding of sacrifice. While civilians know it in one sense, soldiers know it completely.
“It’s one thing to say you love this country,” Middlebrooks said. “It’s another to be willing to die for it.”
Though his way of approaching people and bringing them closer to God has shifted, Middlebrooks has realized that the way people treat one another is what resonates.
“I have found that it doesn’t matter what you do … what matters is how we treat people around us,” he said. “When you value people … you become a wealthy man because you have friends for life.”
As valued as Middlebrooks felt bringing soldiers closer to God across the globe, there is nothing quite as memorable as the way his hometown church greeted him when he arrived home.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
SALUTE TO VETERANS
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Dr. Daniel Middlebrooks will be speaking at Walden Lake Elementary School as part of its annual Veterans Day program. On Veterans Day, he will be going to multiple speaking engagements.