Rev. Toliver confessed Christ at an early age at Greater Saint Andrews A.M.E. Church in Virginia Beach, VA. While a member of Greater Saint Andrews, he served in numerous leadership capacities. He served as a trustee, steward, Sunday School Superintendent, Church Treasurer, and served in the choir.
In 1986, he entered the ministry and later joined New Oak Grove Baptist Church, in Chesapeake, VA where Dr. Olleo Cromwell was then pastor. In 1987, Rev. Toliver was installed as Pastor of First Baptist Church South Hill, Chesapeake, VA.
Rev. Toliver’s professional career includes a tour in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from 1975 to 1979 where he served honorably. He then worked as a Computer System Field Engineer at Unisys Corporation from 1980 to 1993 before returning to public service as a Computer Systems Engineer for the Federal Government from 1993 to 2004. In 2004, Rev. Toliver entered the ministry full-time after having already served as the bi-vocational pastor at First Baptist Church South Hill for more than 17 years.
Rev. Toliver is a 1971 graduate of Crestwood High School, Chesapeake, VA. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Leo College, Saint Petersburg, FL in 1987. He went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA in 1990. In 1992, Rev. Toliver earned his Master of Divinity from the Samuel D. Proctor School of Theology, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA.
Rev. Toliver is married to Bennette Winborne Toliver and they are the proud parents of two adult children; Miki Toliver King and Michael Jermaine Toliver, who are married to Kwayne King and Kristina Toliver respectively. The Toliver’s have four grandchildren; Andrew and Preston King, and Michael Ray II and Mia Toliver.
Rev. Toliver serves as the Vice President of the Chesapeake Coalition of Black Pastors. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the ForKids Organization. Rev. Toliver is also an active member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
