A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Pastor Dwayne Hawkins accepted the call to ministry at the age of 28. He was licensed to preach at the Morning Star Baptist Church in 1996 and ordained by the Baptist Pastors and Ministers Conference of Omaha in 2000.  In 2005 Rev. Hawkins joined the Antioch Baptist Church as an Associate Minister. He served as Interim Pastor from September 2011 until November 2012 and accepted the call to lead the Antioch Baptist Church on November 7, 2012 after 16 years of Christian service.  
Pastor Hawkins earned a Double Major Bachelor of Science Degree in Biblical Studies and Management and Organizational Leadership in 2000 and a Master of Arts Degree in Biblical Studies with a Concentration in Educational Ministry in 2003 both from Grace University in Omaha, Nebraska. Pastor Hawkins also holds a Graduate Teacher Diploma from the Evangelical Training Association. He is the current two-term president of New Era Baptist State Convention of Nebraska, Inc. and a Board Member of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. and the West Region Vice President of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education and a Board Member of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. He is the Founder and President of DAH Consulting LLC where he graduated from the George Washington University College of Professional Studies with a certificate in the Strategic Management Performance System, is certified through the Association for Strategic Planning as a Strategic Planning Professional (the only person holding this prestigious certification in Nebraska), Workeffects Strategy Culture Certified, and a certified Church Consultant through the Society for Church Consulting (also the only person holding this certification in Nebraska). He has served as a Christian educator, adjunct college instructor, State Convention bible instructor and other civic and professional affiliations. He is married to Sonya Hawkins and together they have 4 adult children.