Bishop Steve Yates
Bishop Yates was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from high school to attend Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. Once there, he met his wife Chineta. They married after graduating from the University and are the parents of four wonderful children.
Chineta achieved the distinction of a Doctor of Pharmacy and the Worship Leader, while Steve, graduating with a degree in Public Management served as minister of Evangelism at the Family Worship and Praise Center. Steve was licensed and ordained under Senior Pastor Cyrus Flanagan and in 2003 was blessed and released and began to do itinerate ministry for a year and a half.
In 2005, the Lord called Bishop Yates and Chineta to Leesburg to prepare their hearts in planting a church in Central Florida. Steve worked as a Child Abuse Investigator ( Leon and Lake counties), Finance Director for a level 2 children’s treatment center (Associated Marine Institute), Family Care manager for Lifestream, Guardian Ad Litum Coordinator for Lake and Sumter Counties, and eventually Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kids Central. As a family, they joined in fellowship at The Father’s House Christian Center; and in just one year, Steve was asked to come on staff as Life Development Pastor. As Life Development Pastor, Steve managed the church’s growth tracks, small group, volunteer and educational ministries. During his position as Life Development Pastor, the membership grew from 550 to 1200 members in two years. While leading the small group ministry, it grew from 40 people to 650 people (76% of the Sunday morning attendance) and the growth track classes experienced the highest numbers since the outset of the ministry.
After serving for six years as a Staff Pastor, Steve and Chineta’s heart began to grow a new burden and vision for the city of Leesburg and all of Lake County. After submitting this vision to leadership, it was agreed to model the standard for sister churches in the same city, a city of 22,000 people. Steve and Chineta were anointed and blessed by the church to pioneer their new work in Leesburg, Florida. Thus Frontier Church was founded.
The vision of Frontier Church is to establish the largest, multicultural church, that reaches the lost, serves their community and experiences the presence of God together in unity.
As Senior Pastor of Frontier Church for six years, Bishop Yates believes in making Jesus a reality in the lives of the people. He believes in Reaching, Raising and Releasing people into the Kingdom of God. With his dynamic “line upon line”, teaching style, down to earth love of all people and biblical approach to life’s questions, his sincere desire is see people reach their full potential. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of United Way of Lake and Sumter.
