Our Pastor

Rev. Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, is a prophetic pastor, passionate leader, social activist, eloquent orator, and educator engaged in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and fighting against racial injustice. Dr. Haynes is also committed to and has devoted his life to economic justice and empowerment in under-served communities and touching and transforming the lives of the disenfranchised. For the past 40 years, Dr. Haynes has served as a visionary and innovative senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Under his servant leadership, the ministry and membership of the church has grown from less than 100 members in 1983 to over 13,000.

On November 10, 1960, Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III was born in Dallas, Texas to the late Rev. Frederick D. Haynes, Jr., and Lynetta Haynes-Oliver.  After experiencing racism in the segregated south, Dr. Haynes' father decided it was best to move his family to San Francisco where his father, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes Sr., pastored the historic Third Baptist Church. In San Francisco, California both Dr. Haynes' father and grandfather led ministries that were socially conscious and active in the community.  At the age of 14, Dr. Haynes' life took a drastic turn when his father passed away on his first day of high school. Following his father's death, Dr. Haynes encountered many difficulties but with the help of mentors, his family, and God, he was able to overcome every obstacle. Despite being discouraged by a teacher’s negative assessment of his academic ability, he was one of three valedictory speakers when he graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in San Francisco. Dr. Haynes continued his education at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas and graduated with honors in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion and English. While a student at Bishop College, he also became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. In 1996, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2005, Dr. Haynes received his Doctor of Ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation where he was afforded the opportunity to study at Christ Church, Oxford University in Oxford, England. His dissertation, "To Turn the World Upside Down: Church Growth in a Church Committed to Social Justice” reflects his commitment to faith based social activism. Currently, Dr. Haynes is a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate at the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana where he is studying African American preaching and sacred rhetoric.  

In 1983, Dr. Haynes accepted the call to become Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church. Since then the church has grown numerically and in ministry to the Dallas community and around the world. Under Dr. Haynes’ leadership, Friendship-West Baptist Church has moved three times to accommodate its growth. When Friendship-West Baptist Church moved to its Kiest location, it moved to a community characterized by crime and violence. Dr. Haynes led Friendship-West Baptist Church to work with local officials and neighborhood groups in such a way that the community experienced a decrease in the crime rate. In addition, the neighborhood association was organized and headquartered at Friendship-West Baptist Church. Many city services also moved to that area which had been historically neglected and underserved. As a result, the community was transformed.

Friendship-West Baptist Church outgrew the Kiest location and moved to its present site on Wheatland Road on January 1, 2006. After the move, the Kiest location was transformed into the Frederick Douglass Human Services and Justice Center. As the name suggests, the church continues to address and meet the needs of the local community. After trips to Zimbabwe and South Africa, Dr. Haynes led Friendship-West Baptist Church to adopt churches in both countries. As a result of support and assistance from Friendship-West Baptist Church, the Emmanuel Baptist Church has been able to build a worship facility, school, and health clinic. In 2010, Dr. Haynes went to Haiti in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake, and Friendship-West Baptist Church adopted a village that has since created fresh water resources through the construction of wells.  

A committed activist, Dr. Haynes has formed alliances with local and national community leaders and city, county, state, and federal officials to fight social injustice, domestic violence, and poverty. He also worked with the Center for Responsible Lending to fight economic predators in Texas and across the nation that engage in predatory lending. Under the Obama presidential administration, Dr. Haynes was frequently invited to the White House to address issues ranging from the state of the economy to voting and civil rights. Birthed from the vision of Dr. Haynes, Friendship-West Baptist Church founded the THR!VE Intern and Leadership Program. During the first year, the THR!VE Intern and Leadership Program employed nearly 100 young black males between the ages of 16-19. Since its inception, the program has expanded and now employs both young men and women. The young people intern with local businesses and the church and are paid a rate above minimum wage, while receiving mentoring and engaging in community service. Dr. Haynes was publicly applauded by President Barack Obama for the creation and success of the THR!VE Intern and Leadership Program.

A life-long learner, Dr. Haynes is committed to education and has led Friendship-West Baptist Church to donate over one million dollars to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In addition, Friendship-West Baptist Church has donated over two million in scholarship aid to students who are members of the church and the greater Dallas community.

As a reflection of his commitment to community transformation and social consciousness, Dr. Haynes serves in various leadership capacities in organizations that champion social change and education. In 2003, he founded the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference along with Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. and Dr. Iva E. Carruthers and currently serves as co-chairman of the board. The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference is a national organization of pastors, activists and community leaders committed to social justice by nurturing, sustaining, and mobilizing the African American faith community and working in collaboration with civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders to address critical needs of human and social injustice within local, national, and global communities. Dr. Haynes serves on the board of the Conference of National Black Churches, the National Action Network, and the IC3 Church and Development Conference. Dr. Haynes also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Paul Quinn College, a HBCU in Dallas, Texas where he has also served as an adjunct professor.

The community outreach of Dr. Haynes has created opportunities for him to address large audiences via radio. For many years, he hosted Freddy Haynes Unscripted on Radio One’s 94.5, KSOUL, a local radio station in Dallas. The show whose tag line was “edutainment for community empowerment” debuted at number one in its time slot in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Dr. Haynes also gave the “Inspirational Vitamin” as the concluding voice on K104’s Skip Murphy Morning Show for over 7 years. For the past 10 years, he has given the message during the Praise Break for the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show which reaches over 70 cities daily.

Dr. Haynes has received numerous awards and honors for his ministry and activism. In 2011, Dr. Haynes had the prestigious honor of being the featured speaker at The Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Prayer Breakfast. In 2012, Ebony Magazine named him to its Power 100 list of most influential African Americans. He has been inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2013, Dr. Haynes was honored to give remarks at the memorial service of one of the most respected world leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries, President Nelson Mandela. This privilege was even more special because it took place in the same sanctuary that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his very last sermon, the Washington National Cathedral. In 2016, Dr. Haynes was inducted into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame. The prestigious April 4th Foundation awarded Dr. Haynes the I am a Man Award in 2020 and he joined the ranks of past honorees that include Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Diane Nash, Congressman John Lewis, and Harry Belafonte’. In 2022, Dr, Haynes was awarded by President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Lifetime Achievement Leadership Award in Community Service. Over the years, the countless awards and honors he has received from numerous civic, political, educational, and philanthropic organizations has meant so much to him.  

A published author, in 2007 he released “Soul Fitness with Frederick D. Haynes, III,” an inspirational and motivational daily devotional. Dr. Haynes’ 2008 publication “Healing Our Broken Village,” addresses the issues that have contributed to broken communities and lives. In his most recent book, “Rockin’ the World with Your Words: An Essential Guide to Developing and Delivering a Life Changing Message (2019), Dr. Haynes shares his insight and the personal strategies he's used to deliver thousands of life changing messages.  

Prior to the most recent pandemic, annually Dr. Haynes and FDH Ministries presented Speaking Truth to Power. Speaking Truth to Power, a forum designed to create an open dialogue about social issues that plague the world we live in, also aimed to advance social justice by educating and preparing congregations, organizations, and community members and leaders to work for social justice. Dr. Haynes looks forward to the return of Speaking Truth to Power soon.

Dr. Haynes is married to Debra Peek-Haynes, Founder and President of Quorum Commercial, a commercial real estate firm. They are the proud parents of one adult daughter, Abeni Jewel Haynes.