Overseer Danelle Morris Stephens

Overseer Danelle Morris Stephens has served faithfully as the Senior Pastor of the Ezra Emmanuel Ministries located in Clarksville, Tennessee since March 2004. Overseer Stephens’s prophetic teachings and community outreach has attracted the un-churched homeless, former gang members, and soldiers from Ft. Campbell Base to the church. This factor, alone, underscores the spiritual growth of the church. Under his efficacious leadership, he has implemented an impactful community outreach ministry which includes initiatives such as serving dinner to the youth in the community on Tuesdays and purchasing the property surrounding the church to implement the outreach programs for youth, single mothers, the elderly, and ex-convicts.

A fourth generation preacher, Overseer Stephens was born in Memphis, Tennessee to the late Pastor Edward Houston Stephens, Sr. and Mrs. Bertha Morris Stephens. Overseer Stephens confessed his belief in Christ in May 1968 under the leadership of his late father at the Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. After the untimely death of his father, his mother vowed to keep her sons rooted in the Word of God and moved their membership from Oak Grove to New Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of her late father, Pastor Hugh Carruthers Morris. While at New Fellowship, Overseer Stephens served as the lead percussionist for the music ministry, maintenance technician, transportation driver, a junior deacon, and was ordained as a deacon by his late grandfather.

Overseer Stephens received his high school education from Treadwell High School and attended Le-Moyne Owen College, both located in Memphis. While at Le-Moyne Owen, he enhanced his leadership skills when he was elected as President of the Student Government Association. He worked diligently with school officials and local and national politicians to establish the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a national holiday. He was employed by the Federal Express Corporation. In 1982, Overseer Stephens moved to Nashville, Tennessee to enhance his career with Federal Express. He united his membership with the Temple Church, then under the leadership of Bishop Michael Graves. While at Temple, Overseer Stephens served as the lead percussionist until he accepted his calling into the ministry in 1986. At the feet of Bishop Graves Overseer Stephens received his biblical tutelage. He eventually united his membership with the Golden Gate Cathedral Full Gospel Baptist Church in Memphis under the leadership of his older brother, Bishop Edward Houston Stephens, Jr. and played a very integral role in introducing the Full Gospel Fellowship to the Greater Metropolitan Nashville and surrounding areas.

On October 13, 1987, Overseer Stephens was blessed with the gift of fatherhood. His beautiful and talented daughter, Carmen Maria Stephens, is an educator in the Nashville Charter School System. Enjoying his time with Carmen and his precious grandson Robert “RJ” Flippen Jr. Carmen and “RJ” are the breath of fresh air to his day. RJ affectionately calls Overseer Stephens Pa Pa and he is Pa Pa’s boy.