OurPastorPastor and Founder
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Pastor Henry H. Batson, III, urban senior pastor, teacher, evangelist, inspirational figure, and advocate for youth and young adults. Known for his profound and dynamic Bible teaching, his insights into the Word of God both reverent and relevant which enables him to hold the attention of both young and the seasoned alike. He is able to articulate the Word of God to both the seeking individual and the believing saint.
Awakening
Henry H. Batson, III was raised at Holman Street Baptist Church in Houston, Texas under the leadership of Pastor Manson B. Johnson and saved at the age of thirteen. My conversion was more of a confirmation. At Holman Street, you were required to go down, sit in a chair and with a microphone in hand, and tell the WHOLE congregation of your decision and as a thirteen year old young boy, I was scared. The reason I said it was a confirmation is because I personally would have liked to believe that in my heart I loved Jesus. I loved going to church and spending time in the Word of God. I was very active in the youth ministry, in fact, I was a leader in the youth ministry. The only thing that kept me from baptism is my fear of that microphone and the whole church staring me. Later, the Youth Pastor at Holman Street started a church across town closer to our house and my family moved there because it was more convenient. Consequently, in the new church, I did not have to speak on the microphone to acknowledge my desire for baptism and salvation. On September 9, 1988, my life changed and I was saved and baptized.
Call to Ministry
Five years later on July 25, 1993, I accepted the call and preached my first sermon. My call to preach did not come without struggle. I remember going to talk to my Pastor to share my struggle about the call and seek his wisdom; I’ll never forget his words to me that day; his words suggested “if I could ignore that still small voice and be at peace, then I should do so”, but he further suggested to me, “that a calling is found in a place where no peace is found, unless you do what you are called to do” I felt relieved with the hope I could ignore the call, however, God did not give me any peace and 20 years later I am still standing behind God’s sacred desk preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through all the ups and downs of ministry I have learned more than ever to trust the One who called me even in the moments I can’t trace Him. Since He called me its Him who qualified me. I’ve been on this journey too long now to doubt the Master of the “raging seas”. The calling on my life to preach has been a great source of both strength and struggle. The good news is that strength has far outweighed the struggle and I’m thankful the Lord chose me, even in spite of me. Thank you Jesus.
Heart for Outreach
Pastor Batson is passionately devoted to outreach, and supports the local homeless shelters; supplying clothing, toiletries, giveaways and scholarships to well-deserved youth with financial challenges. Pastor Batson organized missions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina over a three year period overseeing 250 youth and adult volunteers to work in the most devastated areas. In the Dallas/Fort Worth area youth and adult volunteers renovated elderly homes, evangelized, and feed residents in homeless shelters, and provided warm clothing items to individuals on the streets of Dallas/Fort Worth areas supported by Friendship West Baptist Church.
Presently, Pastor Batson is at work with partners: Habitat for Humanity, schools, churches, nonprofit agencies, colleges/universities, juvenile detention facilities, and Dallas County Precinct #3 in rebuilding and re-establishing family connections, consulting/training other youth leaders, community service projects, sports and recreation activities which promotes healthy living, promoting healthy life choices, college readiness programs, voting campaigns and re-entry into social society. Pastor Batson offers ministerial training to local ministers, and financial training for small local agencies, families, and single parents. Pastor Batson’s twenty years of ministry experience, has provided him the ability to effectively manage the challenges he faces daily as the overseer of this ministry. His ministry goal is, excellence because his God is excellent. His ministry is multi-faceted, and provides hands-on, life-changing service coupled with uncompromising, anointed teaching and preaching. He is responsible for the holistic development and discipleship of leaders, equipping and shepherding ministry staff, and empowering families to fulfill their biblical roles and responsibilities.
Ministerial Journey
Pastor Henry H. Batson, III serves as the Senior Pastor of Red Oak Faith Fellowship in Red Oak, Texas. His ministry is magnetic, engaging, impactful, encouraging, and relatable to all levels of those walking a Christian walk, those seeking for more, and those lost, and absent from the church. Pastor Batson’s vision is to Love all, Disciple all, and Lead all to Live a life that honors our Sovereign God. His mission is to Reach Out into the Community, Nation, and World, Reach In through discipleship, and Reach Up through worship and prayer. He is called to serve the underserved, unfulfilled, the absent saint, and the lost soul. Pastor Batson’s twenty-four years of ministry experience, has provided him the ability to effectively manage the challenges he faces daily as the Senior Pastor of Faith Fellowship. His ministry goal is excellence, because his God is excellent. His ministry is multi-faceted, and provides one on one counseling, leadership training, life-changing experiences, blended family resolutions, and coupled with uncompromising, anointed teaching and preaching. He is responsible for the holistic development and discipleship of leaders, equipping and shepherding ministry staff, and empowering families to fulfil their biblical roles and responsibilities.
He also served as the youth and collegiate pastor of the Friendship-West Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas for 18 years under the tutelage of Senior Pastor, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III. He was responsible for a significant increase in the youth attendance and youth participation during weekly worship services and church activities.. Pastor Batson, witnessed the Power of God at work by simply teaching the Gospel and because of his commitment to God; youth attendance continued to increase. Under his leadership, his youth ministry became committed to reaching lost souls for Christ. He implemented regular opportunities to share Christ with others, and over 2000 souls received the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Having the gift of administration, Pastor Batson saw a great need to motivate his students to service and in doing so he created a variety of ministries in the youth and collegiate department. Another notable achievement to date, was the creation and development of C.A.M.P.U.S LIFE, now Generation N.E.X.T, the church’s collegiate ministry, for young adults aged 18-29.
Pastor Batson was born in San Antonio, Texas and raised in Houston, Texas. He holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration from Howard Payne University, and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Ft. Worth, Texas with a Masters of Divinity Degree. He is actively pursuing his Doctorate and involved in local community programs, lectures, teaches and preaches at high schools, colleges, youth retreats, conferences, and worship services throughout the United States. As God continued to expand his borders, Pastor Batson’s ministry took him to Hong Kong, China for the World Baptist Youth Conference where he taught youth leaders from all over the world.
Pastor Batson is married to Melonye Batson and they are the parents of three, Breonna, Tayler and Haleijah and they reside in the Dallas area and as a couple they continue to plow the ground until their work is done.
Awakening
Henry H. Batson, III was raised at Holman Street Baptist Church in Houston, Texas under the leadership of Pastor Manson B. Johnson and saved at the age of thirteen. My conversion was more of a confirmation. At Holman Street, you were required to go down, sit in a chair and with a microphone in hand, and tell the WHOLE congregation of your decision and as a thirteen year old young boy, I was scared. The reason I said it was a confirmation is because I personally would have liked to believe that in my heart I loved Jesus. I loved going to church and spending time in the Word of God. I was very active in the youth ministry, in fact, I was a leader in the youth ministry. The only thing that kept me from baptism is my fear of that microphone and the whole church staring me. Later, the Youth Pastor at Holman Street started a church across town closer to our house and my family moved there because it was more convenient. Consequently, in the new church, I did not have to speak on the microphone to acknowledge my desire for baptism and salvation. On September 9, 1988, my life changed and I was saved and baptized.
Call to Ministry
Five years later on July 25, 1993, I accepted the call and preached my first sermon. My call to preach did not come without struggle. I remember going to talk to my Pastor to share my struggle about the call and seek his wisdom; I’ll never forget his words to me that day; his words suggested “if I could ignore that still small voice and be at peace, then I should do so”, but he further suggested to me, “that a calling is found in a place where no peace is found, unless you do what you are called to do” I felt relieved with the hope I could ignore the call, however, God did not give me any peace and 20 years later I am still standing behind God’s sacred desk preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through all the ups and downs of ministry I have learned more than ever to trust the One who called me even in the moments I can’t trace Him. Since He called me its Him who qualified me. I’ve been on this journey too long now to doubt the Master of the “raging seas”. The calling on my life to preach has been a great source of both strength and struggle. The good news is that strength has far outweighed the struggle and I’m thankful the Lord chose me, even in spite of me. Thank you Jesus.
Heart for Outreach
Pastor Batson is passionately devoted to outreach, and supports the local homeless shelters; supplying clothing, toiletries, giveaways and scholarships to well-deserved youth with financial challenges. Pastor Batson organized missions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina over a three year period overseeing 250 youth and adult volunteers to work in the most devastated areas. In the Dallas/Fort Worth area youth and adult volunteers renovated elderly homes, evangelized, and feed residents in homeless shelters, and provided warm clothing items to individuals on the streets of Dallas/Fort Worth areas supported by Friendship West Baptist Church.
Presently, Pastor Batson is at work with partners: Habitat for Humanity, schools, churches, nonprofit agencies, colleges/universities, juvenile detention facilities, and Dallas County Precinct #3 in rebuilding and re-establishing family connections, consulting/training other youth leaders, community service projects, sports and recreation activities which promotes healthy living, promoting healthy life choices, college readiness programs, voting campaigns and re-entry into social society. Pastor Batson offers ministerial training to local ministers, and financial training for small local agencies, families, and single parents. Pastor Batson’s twenty years of ministry experience, has provided him the ability to effectively manage the challenges he faces daily as the overseer of this ministry. His ministry goal is, excellence because his God is excellent. His ministry is multi-faceted, and provides hands-on, life-changing service coupled with uncompromising, anointed teaching and preaching. He is responsible for the holistic development and discipleship of leaders, equipping and shepherding ministry staff, and empowering families to fulfill their biblical roles and responsibilities.
Ministerial Journey
Pastor Henry H. Batson, III serves as the Senior Pastor of Red Oak Faith Fellowship in Red Oak, Texas. His ministry is magnetic, engaging, impactful, encouraging, and relatable to all levels of those walking a Christian walk, those seeking for more, and those lost, and absent from the church. Pastor Batson’s vision is to Love all, Disciple all, and Lead all to Live a life that honors our Sovereign God. His mission is to Reach Out into the Community, Nation, and World, Reach In through discipleship, and Reach Up through worship and prayer. He is called to serve the underserved, unfulfilled, the absent saint, and the lost soul. Pastor Batson’s twenty-four years of ministry experience, has provided him the ability to effectively manage the challenges he faces daily as the Senior Pastor of Faith Fellowship. His ministry goal is excellence, because his God is excellent. His ministry is multi-faceted, and provides one on one counseling, leadership training, life-changing experiences, blended family resolutions, and coupled with uncompromising, anointed teaching and preaching. He is responsible for the holistic development and discipleship of leaders, equipping and shepherding ministry staff, and empowering families to fulfil their biblical roles and responsibilities.
He also served as the youth and collegiate pastor of the Friendship-West Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas for 18 years under the tutelage of Senior Pastor, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III. He was responsible for a significant increase in the youth attendance and youth participation during weekly worship services and church activities.. Pastor Batson, witnessed the Power of God at work by simply teaching the Gospel and because of his commitment to God; youth attendance continued to increase. Under his leadership, his youth ministry became committed to reaching lost souls for Christ. He implemented regular opportunities to share Christ with others, and over 2000 souls received the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ. Having the gift of administration, Pastor Batson saw a great need to motivate his students to service and in doing so he created a variety of ministries in the youth and collegiate department. Another notable achievement to date, was the creation and development of C.A.M.P.U.S LIFE, now Generation N.E.X.T, the church’s collegiate ministry, for young adults aged 18-29.
Pastor Batson was born in San Antonio, Texas and raised in Houston, Texas. He holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration from Howard Payne University, and a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Ft. Worth, Texas with a Masters of Divinity Degree. He is actively pursuing his Doctorate and involved in local community programs, lectures, teaches and preaches at high schools, colleges, youth retreats, conferences, and worship services throughout the United States. As God continued to expand his borders, Pastor Batson’s ministry took him to Hong Kong, China for the World Baptist Youth Conference where he taught youth leaders from all over the world.
Pastor Batson is married to Melonye Batson and they are the parents of three, Breonna, Tayler and Haleijah and they reside in the Dallas area and as a couple they continue to plow the ground until their work is done.