MEET OUR PASTOR & FIRST LADY

Reverend Dr. Joe L. Stevenson is a noted theologian, academician and prognosticator of the gospel. For over 40
years, he has carried the mantle proclaiming the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

A native of Crawford, Mississippi, Dr. Stevenson first acknowledged God’s anointing at an early age. In 1980,
Stevenson accepted God’s calling into ministry and was ordained to preach by Reverend Joe A. Stevenson of St.
Joseph Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Stevenson first pastored the Temple of Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri for six years.
During this time, he hosted a full-time Gospel radio ministry. Subsequently, he would go on to serve as pastor of
New Liberty Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan for 16 years as God blessed the ministry to grow from 500 to 1000
disciples. In 2006, Dr. Stevenson was positioned to lead Macedonia New Life Church in Raleigh, North Carolina
where he proudly serves as senior pastor. He considers it to be his assignment to lead this great church in shaping the future for Christ’s church. As a church planter, Dr. Stevenson and Macedonia New Life Church are nurturing Iglesia Hispana Macedonia.

In addition to Dr. Stevenson’s full-time ministry at Macedonia New Life Church, he held administrative and teaching
positions at the first historically Black institution of higher education in the South, Shaw University. Stevenson
served as Director of Continuing Education and remains at Shaw University Divinity School as an adjunct associate
professor. Stevenson has also served as an adjunct professor at Myers Taylor School of Religion, Ashland University
and Ashland Theological Seminary. Academic courses taught by Dr. Stevenson include Pastoral Care, Church
Administration, Evangelism, Spiritual Formation and Social Activism, Person in Prayer and Spiritual Disciplines.
He is the 2021 recipient of the Gus Witherspoon Award in religion and a 2023 recipient of the Community Impact
Award from The Northeastern Region of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc and The Middle eastern Province of Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In March 2023, he was appointed to serve as Director of the Black Church Leadership
Academy at Shaw University and continues to serve in the newly formed Black Church Revitalization Consortium.

Dr. Stevenson is committed to professional, civic and social organizations. He is the former chairman of Friends of
Detroit City Airport and former Board Member of the Raleigh Urban League. He served as the Second Vice President
of the Baptist Missions and Education (B.M.&E.) State Congress of Christian Education, Director of Ushers and as
the Field Missionary for the Prospect District Association of Churches. Currently, Dr. Stevenson holds a seat on the
Board of Directors for LUCC ltd., and is a member of the Ecumenical Council, National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and his beloved fraternal organization, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Incorporated.

Dr. Joe Stevenson earned a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Counseling, Master of Arts and Doctor of Ministry in
Formational Counseling and Pastoral Care from Ashland University located in Ashland, Ohio. He cites the psalmist
David as a favorite biblical reference and adds, much like David, God’s light gave him clarity; clarity to seek
salvation and in turn, God gave him covering to sustain him throughout all facets of life. Since being selected as a
mentor for the Lilly Pastors of Excellence Program in 2003, he shared this mantra to mentor pastors in their
professional development for healthier congregations of Jesus Christ. Now, he continues to share the Gospel of Jesus
Christ internationally. He toured the Vatican City and Ancient Rome. He has lectured and preached in Lusaka,
Ndola, and Sioma all in Zambia; Johannesburg, South Africa; and serves on the advisory committee for the inception
of the Shikaru Leadership Academy.

Dr. Joe Stevenson and his wife, Brenda, a Wake County Public School educator, are blessed to be the proud parents
of five children--three sons LeVaughn, Joseph, and Brennan; and two daughters, Makiea & Briona. They have eleven grandchildren – Khloe, Londyn, Victoria, Nora, Michelle, Joey, Kaleb, Micah, William, Ezra and Aalaya.