Anthony’s Story

I first heard about STEP from my local church. The culture was focused heavily on discipleship and mentoring. I was completing an independent 12-month discipleship program, and one of my graduation tasks was to identify a method for me to launch into discipleship. Prayer revealed what was in front of me the whole time, STEP combined discipleship, mentoring, and outreach to my local community. So I jumped into the very next mentoring group. 

Over the years, I have connected deeply with my mentee and his family. Through ups and downs, we’ve navigated through life together. I spent years wondering if the Bible stories, studies, and principles connected with my mentee. 

One afternoon, we were talking about how a person becomes a Christian. My mentee explained the process of salvation and Christ’s role as a savior with a level of detail that caught me completely off guard.

Then he said, “It may not seem like I’m paying attention but I am listening and I understand. We don’t always make it to church at my house so STEP is my church and that makes you my preacher.”

It was right then that the weight and the importance of this work resonated deeply in my heart. STEP matters in ways we may not consider.