The Rev. Matthew Phillips, the Rev. Steve Phillips, the Rev. Dr. Wendell Estep, the Rev. Erik Estep
On Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Wendell Estep attends Village Church and listens to his son Erik preach. It has been six years since Wendell commanded his own pulpit at First Baptist Church of Columbia, but the seeds of his ministry are still blossoming; Erik is evidence of a seed faithfully sown.
Matthew Phillips is serving alongside Erik as associate pastor of Village Church, a partnership that is uncanny. Matthew’s father, Steve Phillips, served alongside Wendell at First Baptist Church as the minister of music for 31 years. Now, Erik and Matthew continue their fathers’ legacy together — delivering Gospel-centered messages and ministering to the people of Columbia.
When Wendell arrived at First Baptist in 1986, the church needed a full-time music minister. Wendell began an ardent search and quickly discovered Steve Phillips, who was serving at First Baptist Church of Pasadena, Texas. When Steve accepted the position, he moved to Columbia in January of 1988. Matthew was 2, and Erik was in college.
The Estep and Phillips families became fast friends, sharing life and ministry. “I could never have done what I did without Steve,” says Wendell. “We worked hand in glove together. Everything that we did, we did together.” Steve recalls this special bond that he shared with Wendell. “He trusted me. I trusted him,” Steve says. “He’s one of my dearest friends and will always be.”
Wendell and Steve oversaw astonishing growth at First Baptist, including a $19 million campus expansion with a 3,300-seat sanctuary in 1992. As First Baptist continued to grow, so did Wendell’s prominence among state and national Baptist leaders. Wendell was elected president of the S.C. Baptist Convention at the turn of the century.
In 2002, First Baptist sent out five church plants around the Midlands. Wendell’s son, Erik, and Emily, his wife, would establish one of those plants in Blythewood and name it Village Church. What began as a small home Bible study became a growing community. By 2008, Erik knew he needed a right-hand man, just as his father had with Steve. He specifically needed a partner passionate about ministering to the growing number of teens attending Village Church. As Erik considered his options, he thought of Matthew Phillips from their time together years ago at First Baptist. Providentially, Matthew felt a calling to youth ministry and was waiting for God to open the right door.
Erik remembers knowing that Matthew was the right fit for Village Church. “This is going to be somebody I can trust,” says Erik. “Matthew and I were talking about how blessed and fortunate we are that we have the examples of our fathers. We’ve watched their ministry and watched how they’ve lived their lives. That impacts you.”
In his 37th year at First Baptist Church of Columbia, Steve enjoys watching Erik and Matthew’s blossoming ministry. “I’m thrilled for them to be working together. To see your son serving the Lord and being obedient to Him, there’s nothing better.”
