Our Pastor

Deryk D. Hayes is first and foremost a child of God our Father in Heaven and a servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. By God’s grace he is the husband of Jeanine M. Hayes and together they are the parents of two brilliant and beautiful daughters, Leryk Mizani and Journey Mirage.

Deryk has served in many capacities such as a provider of Clinical Pastoral Care within the Behavior, Critical Care and Emergency units of Rockford Health System. He has functioned as a Program Director for a local community center, a Community Development and Human Services Manager for the Rockford Public Housing Authority and also as a Student Support Manager (Dean of Students) for a local elementary and middle charter school. Deryk has served on a number of different boards such as the Rockford Chief of Police Advisory Committee, Alignment Rockford Educational Improvement Council, and The My Brother’s Keeper White House Initiative.

For 14 years Deryk, by God’s grace and for God’s glory had the privilege of serving as an associate minister at the New Zion Baptist Church in Rockford, IL in which he was disciplined and discipled under the leadership of Rev. Dr. K. Edward Copeland.

Deryk is a faithful and maturing expositor of God’s Word, a gifted teacher and one who joyfully serves with a shepherds heart. On the first Sunday in December of 2017 on the 172 anniversary of the church, by the grace of God, Deryk was called to and became the first African American to serve the First Baptist Church of Freeport, Illinois as her pastor.

Most recently, Deryk submitted to the call and undeserved privilege to serve, shepherd, lead, love and partner with the caring and committed people who make up the St. Paul Baptist Church @ Shivley Heights following the path that Rev. Lincoln Bingham paved. Deryk’s aim is to please God in his calling as a husband, father, friend and faithful student of text-driven preaching. Deryk enjoys dating his wife, spending time with his family, reading and laughing with loved ones.