Dr. Dan Wheeler is the youngest of five boys born to Bill and Margaret Wheeler in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Raised in the Central church of Christ and encouraged by the elders throughout his childhood, he made the commitment in 1978 to serve full-time in the ministry. He and Grace (Wright) met at Alabama Christian College and married in 1979. Both being children of preachers, Dan considers Grace to be his best friend and his biggest asset in the Lord's work. She is a Bible teacher, elementary education coordinator, counselor to women and helper to him in visitation to hospitals, homes and funerals, and homemaker. They have three children: Nathan (married to Cheryl), Bobby and Janna (married to Logan Bethel). Nathan and Cheryl met at Freed-Hardeman University, served as missionaries in Cambodia, and they currently work with the Central Church of Christ in Winter Haven, Florida, where Nathan is the youth minister. They have a daughter, Lydia. Bobby has taught English in Korea and is now teaching English in Iraq. Janna and Logan are members of Concord Street, where Logan is one of the song leaders.
Dan has preached full-time since 1982, serving churches in Missouri, Alabama and Florida. The Wheelers have been with Concord Street since 1999.
After Bible training at Alabama Christian College (receiving the V.P. Black Bible Award) and later at Faulkner University (studying under Wendell Winkler and Rex Turner, Sr.), Dan earned his Bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University. He received his Master's Degree in Speech Communication at the University of Alabama, and a doctorate in education from the University of Central Florida. He contributed a chapter on Satanism in the book "Dispelling the Darkness" along with such authors as Thomas Holland, William Woodson and Denny Petrillo. He teaches communication and education courses part-time and sees this activity as an outreach to college students. His doctorate dissertation focused on media literacy and hopes to help Christian parents and their children make better choices about the media. As an evangelist and educator, his goal is to prepare everyone for THE final exam (2 Corinthians 5:10).
Besides his desire to continue preaching for the rest of his life, Dan's personal long-term goals include writing books and teaching at a Christian college. In the immediate future, he hopes to establish a think-tank and website that feature gospel preachers with doctorate degrees responding to modern issues in our society. Dan and Grace are thankful to be at Concord Street and hope the congregation will continue becoming more aggressive in local evangelism while being a place "where your heart has a home."
Sara and I have 2 sons, Gabriel Anthony, Samuel Eli, and a daughter, Ariel Elizabeth. Sara also assists in the nursery work, the ladies' prayer breakfasts for the Hispanic ladies, and is involved in several other things in the church. I do many jobs in the church myself, besides trying to develop maturity, leadership, and reaching the souls of Orlando with my brothers and sisters.
Dan attended F.T.U., now known as the University of Central Florida, for nearly three years. He later worked as a grocery store manager and then went into the food sales business. In 1995, Dan became acquainted with Wade Brown and shared his interest in helping start an Inner City Ministry at Concord Street in August of that year. Dan first served as a volunteer and later filled a part-time, paid position in the Inner City Ministry. For the past three years, he has served as the full time Inner City Minister at Concord Street. This ministry, which works with children, their families and others who live in Orlandos inner city neighborhoods, also started an inner city church in 2002 at Midtown Church of Christ.
Kenny has attended the Concord Street Church of Christ for his entire life, and has recently served as the youth ministry intern. Since his graduation from Florida Christian College, Kenny has moved into full-time ministry, serving as the youth minister at Concord Street.