Rev. Stephen Epps

​Meet Our Pastor: Rev. Stephen Epps

Reverend Epps was born on July 7, 1976, in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert and L. Beatrice Epps. From an early age, he demonstrated a passion for justice and community empowerment, organizing protests and advocating for improved health and education services for marginalized communities.

Rev. Epps is a proud graduate of Morehouse College, where he earned a B.A. in International Studies with honors. While at Morehouse, he won the school’s prestigious oratorical contest and became known for his powerful speeches on African-American history, political empowerment, and social justice. He went on to study International Business at American University and was the first Morehouse student to receive a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies. During this time, he worked at TransAfrica with activist Randall Robinson, researching global issues affecting the African diaspora.

In 2003, Rev. Epps answered his call to ministry under the mentorship of Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Jr. at the historic Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He later served in the Christian Education ministry at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem and played a key role in national voter outreach efforts targeting African-American communities in over a dozen states during the 2004 election.

Rev. Epps moved to Brooklyn in 2005, where he immediately began addressing the needs of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community—raising over $500,000 in just six months to expand food and clothing access for local families. He later enrolled at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, studying under renowned theologian Dr. James Cone. Throughout his ministry, Rev. Epps has spoken nationally and internationally on issues such as systemic racism, education reform, and economic inequality, always through a theological lens.

A passionate educator, Rev. Epps has served as an adjunct instructor and academic advisor at Medgar Evers College and currently works with the City University of New York to support and empower African-American male students. He also serves as Chairman of the Robateau-Epps Fund, which provides scholarships to students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Rev. Epps is a member of numerous civic and cultural organizations, including the Morehouse National Alumni Association, Brooklyn NAACP, American Jewish Committee, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He lives in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, with his wife, Lisa Robateau.

Rev. Epps serves as the Pastor of St. Philip’s Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),a living, learning, and loving congregation located in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.