Dywane H. Dawkins, Sr. was born and raised in New York. Influenced greatly by his great-grandparents, he was brought up in a Christian household. He was called to ministry at the age of fourteen. Since then, he has been ministering and bringing about a life transforming experience in lives around the world. He is a graduate of SUNY Old Westbury with a B.S. in Elementary Education and a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary with a Masters in Professional Studies in Urban Ministry. He taught in the New York Public School System for 8 years. He served as an advisor for college student organizations. He also was the President for the Eastern New York General Assembly of the Churches of God State Youth Organization, which consisted over 21 youth fellowships.
In 2006, he relocated to serve in full-time ministry as Senior Pastor of Praise Tabernacle International in the beautiful city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pastor Dawkins is currently being used by God to cultivate a thriving and relevant kingdom minded ministry that is Christ Centered and life transforming. Pastor Dawkins continues to be an itinerant preacher/teacher and committed pastor. He is under the covering of his spiritual father and apostolic covering, Bishop Timothy Clarke of Columbus, Ohio. Pastor Dawkins has been graced to be married to his anointed, graceful and beautiful wife, Lady Tamia Dawkins. They are the parents of Dywane H. Dawkins II.
Founded in 2005, D.H.Dawkins Ministries was inspired to promote and produce successful living on and by purpose, driven by passion and maintained by principles.
Vision:
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To facilitate outreach to communities around the world that will give access to resources that will maintain quality living.
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To establish network of organizations that provide holistic accountability, support, resources, training, fellowship and strength to each other in an ethical manner.
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To offer teaching and training through mentorships, life coaching, seminars etc that will promote life-transforming principles for wise, successful living.
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To establish financial stability and consistency that will create the ability to augment our organization’s reach and efficiency.
Q&A with Pastor D.H. Dawkins:
BS: When did you realize God’s calling for your life?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: As a child I always had a heart for God and people. I always had a desire to link the two together in a way that would impact the world.
BS: How did you respond to “the call”?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: I was 12 years old when I formally accepted Christ into my life and 14 years old when I received the empowerment and call to preach. I was raised in the church so responding to and implementing the call was easy to do once I verbalized to my family and church leaders that I was called to preach and lead.
BS: How would you describe your transition from being a Teacher in the public schools to ministering full time?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: I always felt like I was bi-vocational (working 2 full time jobs). The teaching job was always something that I was passionate about. However, I devoted just as much or more passion toward traveling and ministering. When I received the invitation to relocate to south Florida to pastor full time, I declined it several times because I wanted to stay in New York and do full time ministry there. However, I made a mistake, and I prayed and asked God to lead me to where He wanted me to go, and I ended up receiving the necessary confirmations that gave me that assurance to resign from the classroom in public education and become a full time pastor in south Florida. I still teach, but just a different curriculum and to a much wider audience.
BS: Does being a young Pastor influence your ministry?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Being a young pastor seems to have more of an impact on those who receive from my ministry than it does to me, the minister. I have no presuppositions or biases toward anyone that I have the opportunity to meet, mentor, teach, serve, etc. I see no age, gender, orientation, ethnicity, nationality, race, etc. what I see are God’s precious children who have different stregnths, weaknesses, needs and desires, questions and concerns, victories and losses. Funny enough, most people dont see me that way. As expected, the generation of my peers and younger tend to be more receptive to me. The older generations tend to receive but are more opinionated or analytical of me at times. I must say that not all in the older generation are that way, but it’s enough to be noticeable at times. I think some of them come off that way because they are so enamored with how God is using me to impact them that they feel a sense of parental protectiveness over me to preserve me from being tainted by things that they have seen others with potential become contaminated with. I love older people, and actually have spent more time with them than my own age group. That probably explains why I can come off so much older than I am at times. My ministry is definitely a multi-generational ministry, impacting and transforming people of all ages.
BS: What are some positives and negatives?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Being able to reach and impact my generation and younger through relational understanding will always be a positive. Posessing wisdom beyond my chronological years is a positive for the older. I can’t think of any negatives worth mentioning related to me being a young pastor.
BS: Do you mentor?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Yes
BS: What is your opinion regarding mentoring?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Having a mentor is essential to acheieving success in this day and age. There are different styles and durations of Mentorship. Some mentors are distant and impart for a short period of time, but what they impart has a long lasting effect on the mentee. Others may be like a parent or big sibling. I believe that everyone is being mentored by someone or something whether they have identified it or not.
BS: Have mentors helped to shape your career?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Mentors have definitely shaped my career. Bishop Timothy Clarke has been my formal mentor for over 6 years. I have had many others that were seasonal but impacting.
BS: How do you continue to develop yourself and your brand?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: Read, travel, network, remain a student of life. I’m always observing and open to learning new things, concepts, and ideas whether I agree with them or not. I have been quoted saying “The goldfish thought he was something, until someone told about oceans with many whales and other species of fish.” I never want to be limited to fishbowl of introversion or ignorance, so I travel, initiate meaningful conversation with other people & read. In so doing, I’ve learned over the years how to accept those things that are aligned with the purpose for my life, and reject those things I don’t need. This frees me to be myself,not with arrogance but with confidence. I live on purpose not by accident. I allow people to get to know me for who I am and make no apologies for that.
I’ve realized that every leader has an audience or people that are assigned to be led by them. The minute you stop trying to be someone else is the minute you begin living life abundantly; and that audience that has their destiny attached to you will finally have the opportunity to receive and celebrate what others may not understand or recognize as valuable.
Lastly, I’ve been consistent.
BS: What kind of programs or initiatives has your Ministry been a part of?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: We put on musicals/concerts to promote the arts and involve young people in displays of their talents and skills. We partner with WalMart during the Christmas season to promote the concept of family values, and black gospel music. We partner with local ministries and organizations to supply needs to the public (school supplies, gift cards for families in need of groceries, etc). Lastly, we do leadership training, Mentorship and seminars to impact and enhance leaders in the area of education,health and wellness, entrepreneurship, spiritual, finances, and much more.
BS: What are some of your goals for the near future?
Pastor D.H. Dawkins: To expand and advance the mission and vision for DHDawkins Ministries. To develop a larger and more diverse network, and continue to impact lives.
