Pastor Don F. Harris is the Senior Pastor of Antioch Progressive Church in Sacramento, California. The son of the late Dr. Curtis J. Mitchell and the late Sister Kay T. Mitchell. Pastor Harris responded to God’s call as a teenager, preaching his first sermon at age 13 at Christ Missionary Baptist Church in his hometown of Marion, Ohio. He was ordained at age 25 by Antioch Progressive Church.

A 1987 graduate of Wittenberg University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Pastor Harris was named a Harry S. Truman Presidential Scholar, one of the nation’s highest honors for students pursuing careers in public service. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Davis — Martin Luther King, Jr. School of Law in 1991, which later recognized him as its Distinguished Alumni of the Class of 1991.

Pastor Harris has served as Associate and Youth Minister at Christ Missionary Baptist Church (Marion, OH) and as Youth Minister at St. John Missionary Baptist Church (Springfield, OH). At Antioch, he became both the church’s first Assistant Pastor and later its first Executive Pastor, leading worship, teaching, and pastoral care while overseeing church operations and community outreach under the leadership of his late father, Dr. Mitchell.

Beyond the pulpit, Pastor Harris is recognized nationally as a pioneering faith-based social entrepreneur. He founded the Nehemiah Corporation of America, which gained national recognition from Fast Company magazine and Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network. Through the Nehemiah Down Payment Assistance Program, more than 300,000 families across the United States achieved homeownership. He also established the Nehemiah Community Reinvestment Fund, supporting projects such as the Antioch Family Life Center, the 40 Acres Project in Oak Park, and Township 9 in Downtown Sacramento. In addition, he founded Nehemiah Urban Ministries, Inc. (NUMI) and the Spencer Perkins, Jr. Scholarship Program, advancing education and urban ministry opportunities for youth.

Pastor Harris also founded and led Safehaven Ministries of Sacramento, a church for the homeless located on North C Street in downtown Sacramento, which served as an extension of Calvary Christian Center until the COVID-19 pandemic forced its closure.

In addition to his pastoral work, Pastor Harris is a licensed California attorney (since 1992) and principal of DFH Law, specializing in nonprofit and church law. He also serves as CEO of Northern California Community Housing Corporation and Executive Director of Solano Affordable Housing Foundation, both dedicated to affordable housing development and community revitalization. His past board service includes the UC Davis Community Advisory Board, the Greater Sacramento Urban League, Goodwill Industries of Northern California, the Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA), and the Christian Community Development Association. He is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum.

Pastor Harris is married to Letty Harris and is the proud father of Brittany Golden and Judah Harris. His life and ministry continue to reflect his conviction that “the work I’ve done speak for me".