Arnold W. Eaves, Jr. is a native of Walker County, Georgia and received a BA degree from Carson-Newman College in Tennessee in 1969. Eaves earned his M.R.E. [Master of Religious Education] and M.A. degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1971. He was ordained in February 1974 at Flintstone Baptist Church in Flintstone, Ga.

Eaves worked at Rutledge Avenue Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C. 1971-1973 as the Minister of Education, Music, and Youth before he was ordained. He continued as Minister of Education at every church that he served, including Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C. from 1974 to 1977, Charleston First Baptist Church from 1977 to 1989, and then North River Baptist Church in Roswell, Ga. from 1989 to 1997. At various times he served as an officer in the South Carolina Baptist Religious Education Association. He also served as Second Vice President of the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 1983.