Rev. Fred Douglas Young, III, grew up in the Mount Canaan Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of his great uncle, Dr. James S. Young.  He graduated from Pensacola High School in 1974 and attended the American Baptist Theological College Extension Unit, Pensacola, FL.

In 1981, he was called to preach the gospel and licensed as the first minister in the history of the church.  He was ordained, June 1982, and called to pastor the Evelenar Missionary Baptist Church, Crestview, FL (1982-1989).  He served as pastor of Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church (1991-1993).

In September 2013, Rev. Young was called to Mount Canaan Missionary Baptist Church as the second pastor in the history of the church.

Rev. Young has been happily married for 44 years to the former Cheryl Golson (his high school sweetheart) and they are the proud parents of two children: Pastor Michael Douglas Young (Orlando, FL) and Meresa L. Young (Orlando, FL); three grandsons: Malachi, Gabriel and Jordan and one great granddaughter, Cleo.

Rev. Young served as a board member for the Eastside Neighborhood Redevelopment and as Director of Finance for the First West Florida Baptist District Association.