The Reverend Doctor Victor E. Gooden was born October 12, 1956 to the late Dr. R.N. Gooden and Mrs. Janet Davis Gooden in Milton Florida. He was educated in the public schools of Santa Rosa County, Milton, Florida and graduated from Milton High School in 1974. After two years at Florida State University he transferred to the University of West Florida and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications, March 1979. His other educational accomplishments include Bachelor and Master of Religious Education degrees from Faith Bible Theological Seminary, June 1987; Master of Divinity Degree, from Asbury Theological Seminary, August 2006; and the Honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity bestowed by St. Thomas Christian College, February 2004.

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He received his ministerial license on May 15, 1977, and ordination on September 10, 1978. He was called to his first church in October 1979. His pastoral career spans over 38 years as the pastor of four churches.

Through the leading of the Holy Spirit he organized New Life Missionary Baptist Church May 26, 1991 becoming the Founding Pastor, and he continues to serve as Senior Pastor. Under his leadership New Life purchased its own Church campus in their third year of existence located at 1625 Derbyshire Road, Holly Hill, Florida, moved in on October 1, 1994 and paid off the Mortgage twenty years later in 2014. On October 19, 2014, a Mortgage Burning Celebration was held to commemorate this historic endeavor.

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From August 2006 to November 2011, he served as Interim Chaplain & Director of Religious Life at Bethune-Cookman University. During his tenure at the University he held several positions including, Student Affairs Coordinator, Office of the President for Governmental Relations, in addition to his limited teaching responsibility as an Instructor, in the Department of Religion, Philosophy & Humanities.

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He has served an educator At Holly Hill Middle School, in the Volusia Public Schools, as an Exceptional Student Education instructor from November 1991 to June 1998. During his tenure at Holly Hill Middle School he was department chairperson for Exceptional Student Education for two years, as well as part-time choral teacher for four years. In September 1996, he was honored by his colleagues as Holly Hill Middle School’s “Teacher of Year.” He also has a background in Human Resources where he served as Personnel Technician for Escambia County Civil Service Board and the University of West Florida.

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He was elected by his peers to serve as President of the Daytona Beach Black Clergy Alliance for 2010-2012; serves on the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce Governmental Relations Committee; serves on the Nuisance & Abatement Board for the City of Daytona Beach; serves on International Speedway Coalition Group; serves as University advisor to the Midtown Redevelopment Board; life time member of the N.A.A.C.P.; member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; recognized by Bethune-Cookman University for Outstanding Community Involvement and Civic Participation on the Mary McLeod Bethune Community Round Table, September 2008; received the Recognition for Hometown Hero June 2005; Meritorious Service, 2003, Bethune-Cookman College; Pathfinder of Excellence Award, April 2000, Volusia Branch NAACP; Teacher of the Year, Holly Hill Middle School, March 1996; and Florida League of Middle Schools Recognition of Valuable Service, November 1996.

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He has been blessed to give the opening prayer at the Daytona 500, in 2007, the Daytona 300, in 2008 and the Daytona 400 in 2010. He is married to the former Charline Robinson of Daytona Beach and they have six daughters and fourteen grandchildren and two great grand children.