Pastor Darrell L. Ward Sr, ESPBC Pastor

Darrell L. Ward, Sr. Confessed his faith in Christ at an early age and was baptized under the pastorate of the late, Reverend J. D. Hill, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Muncie, Indiana.  He entered the US Army, which ultimately led him to Fort Worth, Texas in 1991 where he united with Greater St. Stephens Baptist Church under the auspices of the late Dr. R. B. Gray.  There he was called into the ministry in June 1992.  Rev. D. L. Ward delivered his first sermon on July 5, 1992, in Killeen, Texas under Pastor H. E. Debose, Simmonsville Missionary Baptist Church. He served as an assistant minister and member of the choir from 1992 through 2001.  He was ordained on September 28, 1998 under the late Dr. R. B. Gray, Greater St. Stephen’s Missionary Baptist Church.

In January 1999, Rev. Ward attended the Trinity Valley Baptist Seminary College receiving several degrees. He received an Associate Degree in 2000, Bachelors Degree in 2002, Masters Degree in 2004, and on May 5, 2006, he received a Doctorate Degree in Theology.

Rev. Ward united with Community Missionary Baptist Church under the jurisdiction of Pastor R. J. McGinty, where he served as an Associate Minister from 2003 to July 2006 until he was called to Pastor the Original Greater Saint Stephen Missionary Baptist Church. In 2008, he resigned as the Pastor of the Original Greater Saint Stephen’s Missionary Baptist Church, and went on to organize the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church until 2013; which he considered the worst year of his life, after tragically losing his son.

From 2013 to 2017, Reverend Ward traveled across the country preaching and teaching at various churches, and ministered through evangelism and church leadership workshops. In February 2018, he united with the late Rev. R. L. Rogers at Harvey Avenue Baptist Church. He resigned from Harvey Avenue in December 2018.

From January 2020 to December 2020, Rev. Ward assisted Pastor Howard McLean of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, Hillsboro Texas, until he was called to East St. Paul Baptist Church on January 1, 2021.

Dr. D. L. Ward, is truly a man of God who comes to lead God’s people. He has retired with 29 years of government service, and three years state service. He married in July 2017 to Alysa Ward and has three children. He is a very faithful and dependable servant of God. Overall, he has 29 years of ministerial experience for all ages and he has a significant background in nearly every aspect of church ministry, i.e., Pastor, preacher, teacher, evangelist, choir, youth, education, and administration.