Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Samuel enlisted in the United States Air Force at seventeen, serving honorably and retiring after twenty-five years of Honorable active Service as a decorated Combat Veteran in aircraft maintenance. He has received three highly prestigious USAF Meritorious Service Awards over his career and completed his academic endeavors while serving our nation at Southern Illinois University, earning a degree in Workforce Education. He further pursued university training, completing a master's degree in Divinity (MDiv) at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Samuel acknowledged his call into public ministry in 1995 and completed all institutional requirements of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for Itinerant Elder ordination in 2007. He has served as pastor of four churches across the State of New Jersey, renovating their infrastructure and challenging congregants to grow spiritually and to seek God first in all we do. He has served as a hospice chaplain for Samaritan and is an appointed chaplain for the Pemberton Township Police Department.  He is serving his fourth pastoral charge as the Pastor of Friendship AME Church in Browns Mills and has faithfully served in this post for 13 years. Pastor Hayes received his Doctoral Degree (D.Min.) from New Brunswick Theological Seminary in May 2023. He and his wife, Rev. Donna Hayes, are very proud of their wonderful adult children: Samuel III, KaiLoni, Arianna, bonus son Maurice Tyndell, and their loyal, devoted family pet canines, Rock & Simba.