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Dr. Donald W. Haynes is a retired United Methodist clergyman whose first pastorate began seventy-one years ago when he was just nineteen years old. Haynes is a graduate of High Point University and Duke Divinity School, and he holds an honorary doctorate from Pfeiffer University. He is a lifelong trustee of HPU and the 2018 recipient of their “Life Service Award.” His ministry spans thirty-four years as a parish minister, as well as roles as a seminary vice president, UMC District Superintendent, and Conference Director of Ministries, where he developed “Vision 2000” as a denominational model for church growth. After retirement, he served for sixteen years as “Director of Wesley Studies” at Hood Theological Seminary. For eight years, he contributed a bi-weekly column to The United Methodist Reporter. This is his eighth published book, focusing on themes of biblical scholarship, Methodism, and “hymn stories.” Haynes is the father of three married children, seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. He was married to his late wife for sixty-five years and now resides in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Religion is often ritual without relevance to where we are currently living. It can also be a dull recitation of words that fail to address our brokenness or pain. This book begins by drawing on the insights of academic writers, offering a synopsis of “Faith Basics.” The themes reflect Scripture, reason, tradition, and Haynes’ personal experience. In “Part II,” the book becomes a playbook for defining and embracing a Christian vision of life, guiding readers toward the “truth that sets us free,” rather than boredom or bondage. The book’s mission is to engage 21st-century cultural realities through the lens of a Christian vision of truth that is reflective, refreshing, relevant, and liberating.