Joe Leavell and The Temple Choir

The St. Stephen Temple Choir

Built on the legacies of great psalmists, leaders and directors who have gone before, the St. Stephen Baptist Church Music Ministry remains a fixture and musical trendsetter in the Greater Louisville area. Building upon a strong history of musical excellence dating back to 1926, St. Stephen Music Ministry has consistently and effectively evolved into one of the most innovative, influential and productive music ministries in the southeast.

In 1926 with few members, Sis. Cora Cosby (then Minister of Music) and Bro. Louis "Buddy" Miller (then church organist) formed a church choir. These visionaries, along with the pastoral leadership of Pastor BJ Miller, worked together to build and maintain a spiritually healthy, musically capable group of singers who set the tone for what would become one of the most recognized music ministries in the United States.

Many years later, in 1979, Dr. Kevin W. Cosby was appointed pastor of the St. Stephen Baptist Church. With such a strong musical legacy already existing in the church, Dr. Cosby was aware of the impact on the internal music ministry. Under his careful and God-ordained leadership, Dr. Cosby effectively fostered church growth and instinctively sought to create a stronger, larger music ministry. As the music ministry grew, several choirs were formed creating a variety of "Gospel Interpretations" during worship services. One of the several choirs formed is the St. Stephen Temple Choir.

In 2000 Dr. Cosby appointed "musical mastermind" Joe Leavell as the director of the TempleChoir. Under Mr. Leavell's leadership the TempleChoir has not only nearly tripled its size in numbers, it consistently presents music with absolute excellence. Mastering music that includes hymns, anthems, spirituals, traditional & contemporary Gospel and Christian, the TempleChoir is far from "typical". Not to mention the Temple Choir's history of introducing innovative approaches to worship services by implementing drama, orchestra, liturgical and mime performances to compliment musical presentations.

Through the years the TempleChoir has created a name for themselves both locally and nationally, affording them the opportunity to minister in several states and perform with artists such as BeBe and CeCe Winans, Rueben Studdard, Patrick Lundy, Dr. Bobby Jones, Joe Pace and most recently Pastor Donnie McClurkin

Most notably, the TempleChoir recorded their first "live" project in July 2006. The project, entitled "God is Able", features LaCresia Campbell, Patrick Lundy, SameSeed & Darrell Harris. Slated for a national release on February 24, 2009, this project is generating quite a buzz within the industry because it offers music with scriptural balance and is appropriate for Sunday morning.

Get to know the music ministry of the St. Stephen Temple Choir!! This ministry is fresh, anointed and definitely worth embracing!!!