Financial Assistance

Tens of thousands of dollars are required to birth a new church. Stepping Stones provides financial support.

Specialized and Specific Support

New churches face unique foundational issues such as the adoption of bylaws, negotiating leases, and purchasing land. Church planting is only one of many mission efforts of local associations and state conventions. Stepping Stones has one focus only - church planting - equipping it to provide specialized and specific support. Ongoing personal encouragement is provided to the church planting pastor and his family, which in turn allows them to be more effective and their churches stronger.

Provides Personal Enrichment to Pastors

Church planting is not for the faint-hearted. It is tough assignment. Many new church starts die before getting out of infancy. Stepping Stones provides ongoing personal enouragement to the church planting pastor and his wife. This in turn allows them to be more effective and make their churches stronger.

Provides People Resources

Stepping Stones not only helps churches cooperate so they can pool their financial resources to plant more churches, it also helps them cooperate and provide needed people resources. Once a quarter, all the churches come together for a large outreach event that benefits one specific church. An army of over 100 people can cover a lot of gorund in a half-day - much more than 20 core believers of a new church start. What a shot in the arm such an outreach event can be!

How it Works

Church planting is part of the DNA of churches within the Stepping Stones Fellowship. New church plants set goals for reproducing and funnel mission dollars back through Stepping Stones to fund the planting of other new churches. Established churches join the fellowship realizing 100% of mission monies received from churches goes directly to new church plants. Funds are raised from individuals and other sources to cover administrative costs. Additional people resources are often needed such as when a new church has a major outreach campaign or holds a founding service. Stepping Stones helps organize support between the churches.

Stepping Stones operates efficiently under a lean budget. Since 100 percent of the mission monies goes directly to new church plants, monthly mission support is needed from individuals to cover administrative costs of running the ministry. Being a 501(c)(3) organization, all gifts are tax deductible. All personnel working in the Stepping Stones office are required to raise their own support.