Wiley Vickers of South Georgia was a bi-vocational pastor who passed away when Jeremiah was just 6 years old. Shortly after that, Jeremiah surrendered his life to God in accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His father, Mark Mercer, has been a full-time pastor for nearly 40 years and is currently serving at Isabella Baptist Church in Sylvester, Georgia. Mark has always been Jeremiah’s greatest cheerleader, mentor, and pastor throughout his life as he has grown up within his father’s ministry.  After witnessing the challenges of the pastorate at a young age, Jeremiah believed that “there’s no way God made me to be a pastor.”

Pastor Jeremiah first surrendered to the call of foster care after a deep calling to serve children within the community in 2018. After Jeremiah and his wife Lindsey adopted their first child, the Lord then blessed their family with three biological children, resulting in a family of 6.  Jeremiah and Lindsey are now the proud parents of Emmalyn (17 yrs), Nora (3 yrs), Branan (1 yr), and Eleanor (4 months).

After surrendering to the call of Foster Parenting,  Pastor Jeremiah still felt a deeper calling to serve more in the church. He then surrendered to deaconship at Celebration Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, later in 2018.

At his original home church of Immanuel Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, Pastor Jeremiah surrendered to the call of the pastorate in 2023. He was ordained and has been the Pastor of Southside Baptist Church since December 2024.