Bishop Stephen L Wilson, Sr is married to Lady Irma R. Watkins-Wilson; they have one son, Stephen, Jr. (Angela), three granddaughters, and nine Godchildren.
  
After graduating high school, Bishop continued his education at Clark Business College where he received a B. A.  in Business Administration.  In August 1978, he accepted his call into the gospel ministry under the Pastorate of Rev. John F. Redmon, Jr.  He earned his B.Th.  from Central Baptist Theological Seminary and Indiana Christian University. He went on to receive a master’s degree from Christian Bible College and Seminary in Christian Counseling and is a licensed family therapist. He is presently a Seminar Director and Facilitator for Prepare-Enrich; a worldwide organization providing marriage/premarital services to marriage champions, engaged couples, and families with evidence-based skills and insights to foster healthy relationships.

Bishop Wilson served as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone of Hope Church, Indianapolis, Indiana until he transitioned to Market-place Ministry in 2012. He was consecrated and crowned a Bishop in 2003. He has licensed and ordained over 45 men and women into the gospel ministry, several of whom were sent to help in ministry development in other churches; 15 of whom became pastors. He has helped to pioneer the start of several church plants across the country. 

On June 30th, 2020, Bishop Wilson accepted the call to serve as the Interim Pastor of The Sanctuary Church of Indianapolis. Bishop Wilson provided leadership and spiritual growth to the congregation while Sanctuary Church was searching for its next Senior Pastor. Bishop Wilson had no desire to enter into the role and position as Senior Pastor, but the Lord had other plans. In January of 2021, after much prayer and conversation with God and his wife, Lady Irma, Bishop Wilson submitted his application for the position of Senior Pastor and became one of the two finalists.  In March 2020, Bishop Wilson was elected Senior Pastor and delivered his first sermon as Pastor-Elect on Resurrection Sunday 2021 and installed as Senior Pastor on May 8th, 2021.

Bishop Wilson served as the organizing moderator of the Progressive District Association of Missionary Baptist Churches. He served as an instructor/facilitator for the National Baptist Convention of America Home Mission Board and traveled across the country in aiding churches with church growth, ministerial development, and reaching the unchurched. While Vice-President of the Consolidated Baptist State Convention of Indiana he also served as Budget and Finance Chairman. Other appointments include advisory board member of Indianapolis Public Schools Even Start Adult Education-serving on the Marketing and Development Committee; board member of Citizen’s Health Corporation-serving on the Budget and Finance Committee; board member and treasurer of Urban Christian Schools Coalition; board member and secretary of Westside Community Ministries; and President of Cornerstone Community Development Corporation. 

Bishop and Lady Irma served as Program Developers and Administrators of Enriching Marriages in Indiana Project, a project funded by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, where over 600+ marriages have been strengthened and renewed.

Bishop Wilson loves to travel, having had the opportunity to tour Greece (where he was able to preach on Mars Hill), Italy, Switzerland, Amsterdam, The United Kingdom, Turkey, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

His motto: “If I can help somebody, as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.”               
          

Lady Irma R. Wilson,  was born on March 6, 1956 in Madison, Tennessee to Mary E. Watkins and Sherman R. Watkins, Sr. In 1977 she married Bishop Stephen L. Wilson, Sr., and to this union one son was born: Stephen L. Wilson, Jr. (Angela). She along with her husband are the proud grandparents of three girls, and Godparents of nine godchildren.

At an early age, her family moved to Plainfield, Indiana from Nashville, Tennessee where she graduated from Plainfield High School. After graduation she went on to study psychology at Indiana-Purdue University of Indianapolis.

She is presently employed in the Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning as a Program Coordinator for the State of Indiana.

Lady Irma before her husband was elected Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Church of Indianapolis, her and her husband were members of Puritan Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as Co-Ministry Leader of The Marriage Ministry alongside her husband. She also serves in an advisory capacity to the Ministers and Deacons’ Wives Ministry and is also a member of the choir.

Bishop and Lady Irma served as Program Developers and Administrators of Enriching Marriages in Indiana Project, a project funded by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, where over 600+ marriages have been strengthened and renewed. Lady Irma is a certified Facilitator for Prepare-Enrich, a worldwide organization providing marriage/premarital services to marriage champions, engaged couples, and families with evidence-based skills and insights to foster healthy relationships.

In the early years at Cornerstone of Hope, Lady Irma served as the Daycare Director, President of the Women’s Ministry, and Minister of Music for several years. Prior to serving at Cornerstone, she was a Deaconess at First Baptist Church of Bridgeport. As Music Director of the Consolidated Missionary Baptist State Convention of Indiana, along with Bishop Wilson she taught in the National Baptist Convention of America Home Mission Board Conferences on Designing Worship Services to Reach The Unchurched, and Church Growth; as well as serving as Praise and Worship Leader and Facilitator.
Her spiritual gifts are: the gift of shepherding, the gift of exhortation, gift of knowledge, gift of mercy, and gift of administration.  

Lady Irma loves to travel, and has traveled and cruised with her husband in Europe, United Kingdom, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. More than anything else, she loves the Lord – and loves to serve Him.

(Psalms 24), 3 “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord. Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.”