Steve Trader

Steve grew up in a born again Christian home with both parents involved in church planting. He was a teenager who accepted Christ as his Savior at 21 and went to Widner University. He spent 23 years in the pharmaceutical field as a draftsman and also went to school at night in order to get his business management degree so he could move up within the company as a supervisor.

When it comes to leadership in the church, you need to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you and better than you in areas that you are not good at.

In church at Wilmington First Assembly, he did everything but missionettes. He went through Berean to take pastors classes because he had felt that he was called to plant churches.

"The difference between what you like doing or really good at and doing what you are called to do is big."

A few other couples along with Steve Trader and his wife prayed and fasted for three months and after three months he left his job at the pharmaceutical company to start a church in Hockessin, Delaware. 7 families went with them from Wilmington, but states that these were "high caliber" people that

"You cannot train your core team enough before the actual start."

"Be Our Guest" was also used in the training materials that they used.

They had to use outreach to gain attention. They mostly relied on people to be very intentional to bringing people to church. The also had luncheons twice a month for those that were new or visitors to the church.

He explained that hospitality was a huge part of a launch as well.

The last thing you need to do when people are coming from a Catholic background or leaving the Catholic church is guilt them. They feel enough guilt as it is.

They also have bought an old produce market that is turned into a church market and coffee house that even on Sunday their second service is broadcast live there for those that do not want to or are leery about coming to a church.

Steve says that ministering is far harder than working in the pharmaceutical field.

Steve Trader's story and journey is not like other stories. He was a supervisor in a pharmaceutical company who left that and started a church. I actually really like his story in that he was able to reach people because he knew how they lived because he lived where they lived and knew them personally already. This way all those around him could see the change in his life and knew that he was a trustworthy and true person that was genuine. I really enjoyed listening to Steve and hearing the words of wisdom that he had to offer.