Overseer Danelle M. Stephens was born on March 4, 1961 to the proud parents of the late Pastor E. H. Stephens Sr. and Bertha J. Stephens in Memphis, TN. Overseer Danelle Stephens has one sibling Bishop E. H. Stephens, Jr. In 1968, Overseer Stephens accepted Christ at Oak Grove Baptist Church under the leadership of his father. Due to the untimely death of his father in 1972, his mother persisted in keeping Overseer Stephens and his brother in church. Overseer Stephens gives credit to his mother for being a single parent and spiritually mentoring him in the things of God. In 1973, his family moved their membership to New Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church where his grandfather, the late Reverend Hugh Morris served as founder and pastor. He served as a junior deacon, ordained deacon, percussionist, and transportation specialist.                                                

Overseer Stephens graduated from Treadwell High School in 1979, and later attended Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, TN. During his formal years of education at Lemoyne-Owen, he served as president of the Student Government Association. Under his tenure, he was instrumental in changing the law to make Martin Luther King Day a national holiday. In 1982, Overseer Stephens relocated to Nashville because of his employment with FedEx. In 1983, he united with Temple Church. It was there that he announced his calling to the ministry under the tutelage of Bishop Michael Graves, thereby becoming a fourth generation preacher. Shortly after announcing his calling, Overseer Stephens united with Golden Gate Baptist Church under the direction of his brother, Bishop E. H. Stephens, Jr. During his membership at Golden Gate, he worked faithfully in the ministry. In 1996, he was pivotal in organizing Full Gospel in Nashville, TN. His dedication to the Fellowship has been noted through the various capacities in which he has served.

Overseer Stephens has owned two successful transportation and limousine companies. He is a member of the IMF (Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship) and served the AFL-CIO. He served under two Presidential administrations at Fisk University. Overseer Stephens has also pastored Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Smyrna, New Life Ministries in Murfreesboro and Columbia, and Mt. Sinai Presbyterian in Nashville. In 2001, he served as Youth Advisor at Temple Church. None has been as fulfilling as his current assignment as Pastor and Visionary of Ezra Emmanuel Ministries which commenced in March 2004. Under his leadership, Ezra Emmanuel Ministries has shown spiritual, financial, and numeric growth. In March 2007, he was appointed District Director of the Mid West Tennessee District in Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. In August of the same year, he was blessed to be elevated to District Overseer.  In September 2013, Overseer Stephens was led to resign his position as District Overseer, and devote his undivided attention to the vision of Ezra Emmanuel Ministries.

He is the proud father of a beautiful gift, Carmen.