Bud Stephens is a 5th generation Florida native.  Born and raised in the farmland of the Florida panhandle, he was fortunate to be born into a large family with strong, Godly parents. 

Bud was saved and called into the ministry as a teen-ager in West Florida Assemblies of God youth camp and began preaching when he was 16.  When he graduated from high school he began formal training for the ministry in 1975 at Southeastern Bible College, now Southeastern University. 

Coming from parents that loved music and having a mother who taught him to play guitar as a young boy, Bud gained a love and appreciation of music from the time he was a small child.  Not having a great deal of confidence in himself as a singer, he sought the Lord earnestly and promised God that if he would be blessed with a singing voice that he would always use his talent to glorify God.  He began singing solos in church at 19 and has done his best to bring glory to God through ministry in song ever since.  

Bud has served as a youth pastor, minister of music, associate pastor, senior pastor and concert vocalist.  He has recorded 3 CD albums since 1997 and although he no longer actively pursues concert opportunities he still sings often and always tries to glorify the Lord in every note. 

In 1994 Bud was blessed by God with the most important person in his life, his wife Tammie.  Tammie is also a Florida native having been born in Pahokee, Florida and growing up in Clewiston.  She is a uniquely beautiful person both inwardly and outwardly.  And while she will blush at this mention and vehemently disagree with this assessment, everyone who meets her instantly loves her.  Bud readily proclaims that she is indeed the better part of their team. 

In 2004, God impressed upon each of them that they should begin attending Victory Christian Center and see if they could be of value to the work that God was doing there through Senior Pastor, Dr. J. Rankin McGougan.  It was the right move and God has blessed Bud and Tammie tremendously.  They consider the opportunities for ministry here at Victory an honor and a privilege.  They are blessed with four wonderful children and with four beautiful grandchildren.