Dr. Benjamin Mack Hayes (aka Bro. Ben) Born August 31, 1962
Married to Sonya DeFoe Hayes January 29, 1982
Father of Jennifer (married to Rob Carr) and Ashley (married to Jon Andrews) Grandfather of Hayes Paten Carr, Lucy Elanor Andrews, and Lily Éowyn Andrews. Since beginning his pastoral ministry in 1983, Bro. Ben has served as the pastor of churches in Alabama and Louisiana. He has served First Baptist Church of Dadeville, Alabama since February 2018.
Bro. Ben was born and raised in Fernandina Beach, Florida. At the age of 18, he left Florida to attend Mobile College. It was there that he met Sonya, fell in love, married, and was blessed with his first child, Jennifer. Secondary to that fact, Ben and Sonya earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1984: Ben in Religion and English and Sonya in Psychology and Sociology. From there, they went to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he not only received his Master of Divinity degree but also was blessed by the birth of his second daughter, Ashley.
In 2007, Bro. Ben completed his Doctor of Ministry degree with a focus on Leadership and Administration at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Hayes has served in multiple leadership positions in his local associations, two terms on the Alabama Board of Ministerial Education and is currently on the Resolutions Committee for the Alabama Baptist Convention.
