Stephen Bates

Stephen was born and raised in Columbia, SC but spent time in Texas visiting extended family in the DFW and Austin areas. He holds two music degrees, previously teaching middle and high school choir and also serving as church worship director for 8 years in Illinois. Most recently, he worked as a Genius for Apple, Inc. for 5 years.

Stephen and his husband Steven Janssen moved to Burleson in 2017 and have two school-age boys, Everett and Elijah. They all enjoy bike rides, hangout time with neighbors, gardening, cooking together as a family, and snuggles and cuddles with their dogs. Stephen has a love for language learning and currently speaks intermediate Spanish and beginning Japanese. He loves tinkering with, repairing, and restoring retro computers and video game systems.

Stephen's passion for church work is rooted in the values of the New Testament, which promotes welcoming, including, and engaging with all people, especially those who are marginalized or shunned by society and religious leaders. Stephen's job is to highlight church ministry happenings, design printed and digital ministry materials, help coordinate events, and expand the church's communication strategies. He is excited for the continued growth of FUMC Burleson, its ministries, and its impact in the Burleson community.