What Can God do with Your "Yes"?
By Miranda Hendricks
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Stephane Clerge of Sons N Daughters about his experience in starting a ministry using StartCHURCH and his dreams for his ministry. My prayer for you, reader, is that you would be encouraged by Stephane's faith and drive to live out the mission that God put on his heart and see bits of yourself in his story.
Humble Beginnings
Stephane Clerge started Sons N Daughters in 2017 with the mission to call young people into the identity of who God made them to be. In his own words, "the world is in need of an encounter with God through his children. When we come into our identity as children of God, we can release and reveal the heart of our Father everywhere we go."
Stephane grew up in Haiti and moved to the United States at the age of 6. He would go on to live in New York, Nebraska, California, and made his way back to New York in 2017. Growing up in the church lit a desire in his heart to know God and help people. This led him to choose education and theology as his college majors to live out the passions God put on his heart.
When he moved back to New York in 2017, Sons N Daughters was a call that God planted on his life. His dream for this organization was to call those who are lost to come back home to the Father and see young men and women come to know Jesus.
Level 0 to Level 1
In the beginning stages, Stephane struggled with where to even begin in setting up his organization. He expressed to me, "the hardest part is getting situated and getting from level 0 to level 1." He felt an enormous amount of pressure to take on all the work that goes into properly establishing a ministry. The initial burden of starting, a lack of information and knowledge, and funding were factors in Stephane seeking an organization to partner with.
After some google searches, he found StartCHURCH. He filled out a form on our website and heard back from us quickly, and started his journey of establishing Sons N Daughters. One thing he told me was he felt an overwhelming sense of peace, and like a ton of weight had been taken off his shoulders. There was no longer the pressure to go through the process of launching a ministry alone.
At StartCHURCH, we believe no one should launch their church or ministry on their own. We are here to come alongside you as you establish and protect your ministry. We know the process can seem overwhelming, so let us ease your stress and help you get started. Our podcast, Beyond the Call, was created to help you in your journey of protecting what God has called you to lead! Click the link below to listen to the latest episode!
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As soon as Stephane said "yes" to starting his ministry, God began to provide. He had a friend who believed in the mission for Sons N Daughters so much that he donated $600 to the cause of starting the ministry.
Of course, there were moments of doubt. Stephane wondered if enough people would notice and participate in what Sons N Daughters was doing. He questioned if there would be enough money and staff to fully carry out his vision for how the ministry would serve their audience.
Time and time again, Stephane and his team were reassured that there would be more than enough. There would be more than enough people, money, and resources to meet their needs and serve God and His people.
Hearing this from Stephane brought to mind Ephesians 3:20 and 21, which says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations."
God met Stephane where he was and showed him the same sentiment in the above scripture. He can do immeasurably more with our dreams, passions, and lives than we could imagine, and that's what He did for Sons N Daughters. How beautiful that we serve a God like Him!
We know that starting a ministry can come with many challenges. How do you raise all of the funds you need? How do you grow your launch team? How do you take care of your family in a busy and new season? We know because we've been there! Created for church planters by church planters, our Launch to Lead video course will guide you along your journey. You'll gain all of the practical tips you need to prepare for starting your dream. To learn more, click the link below!
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Where Are They Now?
Three years ago, Sons N Daughters began by hosting revival conferences to encourage young people to live out a Gospel-centered life. They would create themes and bring in speakers for the meetings to tie in their mission of building community and calling young people into their identity as sons and daughters of Christ.
As time passed, the vision of Sons N Daughters grew into a ministry to train and equip a young generation of leaders through gatherings. They would hold yearly dinners with food and games to create community. The goal of these gatherings was to reflect on what it means to authentically love one another and call others into that same community.
The Dreams of Sons N Daughters
The core value of Sons N Daughters is to recognize and live in the identity of being a son or daughter of Christ. They are carrying out this vision in multiple avenues now, but the dreams for the ministry have them in a position of greater influence and expansion.
Since the pandemic started, the team has encouraged people online through social media and planning virtual conferences to serve their community. They also are in the process of opening an online program for individuals aged 18-35 to pour into them and help them spiritually thrive. A 40-day devotional book is also in the works to continue to minister to young people across the country.
When it comes to advice Stephane would give to those who want to start their own ministry, he had two main points to get you started and keep your vision rooted.
First, remember the vision. Reflect on the mission and why God has called you to do what He wants you to do. When things get hard and confusing, remembering the vision keeps you grounded and gives you the heart and drive to keep moving forward through the fog.
Secondly, partner with a company like StartCHURCH to help your vision come to pass. Doing ministry alone can be stressful. Letting someone walk that journey with you will bring more peace to your life and streamline the process so you can focus on doing what God has called you to do.
I hope you are encouraged today by Stephane's journey and know that StartCHURCH is here to support you and empower your vision for your church or ministry every step of the way.
Start Your Dream Today
As 2020 comes to a close, know that it isn't over just yet. If God has put a dream in your heart to start your own ministry or church, let StartCHURCH help you make that dream a reality. We are here to help you get started and protect what God is calling you to say yes to with our StartRIGHT Service. Give us a call at 877-494-4655 to get your dream started and protected!
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If you'd like to connect with Sons N Daughters online, you can find them here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonsndaughtersww