Pastor Ronald D. Sterling Married  Kim Carrell in July 1973; two daughters, Shantel (Eric) and Kelli, one son Milton Carrell (Jonelle), four granddaughters, Jada Sheree,  Laila Erin-Marie, Nyah Nicole, and MaKaila Monae.

Educational Background
B.S. Management from Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana May 1986.

-  Ordained an Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in October 2000.

-  Master of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, December 2007.

 Work History
1974 – 1996, BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc.
During those years of employment, I worked as a directory assistance operator for 1 year; a service representative for 2 years and was later promoted into management.  I remained in management until I took an early retirement under their Career Alternative Program.  While in management, I supervised work groups of 5 – 15 employees.  I also served as the project management in the Consumer Services Department of BST for a nine state region. In 1996, my early retirement from the Consumer Services Department of BST, Inc. was after 22 1⁄2 years of service.

1997 – Current, Pastor of Saint Stephen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church

Ministry
I received and accepted my calling into ministry in November 1992.  As the Lord continued to lead me into this new direction in life, I sensed a strong urge to pursue ministry full-time.  I took early retirement from BellSouth and began to minister throughout the city of Birmingham and the surrounding area.  At that time, I had not completed my denominational ministry process but was asked to pastor a small church with only five active members. Over the course of ten years, through the grace of God, we were able to restructure a fallen church.  The church is very vibrant today with approximately 91 members, with 53 percent between the ages of 30-60. 

The ministry now has Bible study, four choirs, an active outreach ministry, a benevolent program for its members and community, a website, and a desire to grow in the Lord’s grace.

Personal Ministry Achievements
2005 – Voted as pastor of the year by the Women’s Missionary Society of the Ninth Episcopal District of the AME Church

2005 –  Recipient of the Pierce Freeman McGuire Scholarship award until completion of my academic studies at Beeson Divinity School

2006 – Served as assistant secretary of the North Alabama Conference Annual Conference

2007 - Served as Teacher’s Assistance to Dr. Patricia A. Outlaw, professor of Pastoral Counseling, Beeson Divinity School

2007 -  Assistant Dean for the B-FAME Christian Education Academy for 2007 – 2008 Conference Year

2008 – Appointed to Board of Examiners for ministry candidates to the Ninth Episcopal District of the AME Church

2008 - Recipient of the prestigious Pastoral Ministry Award for the graduating class of  2007 – 2008 of Beeson Divinity School by vote of the faculty. Read more