Human interest always stimulates concentration and captures the imagination.  We perk up when we see or hear how someone else manages their life.  This is especially true when their life circumstances are similar to what we are facing at the time.  Anything we learn from others the less we need to learn through the hard knocks of experience. 

To do a biographical study of the life of Stephen take three simple steps: collect all references in the Bible referring or  relating to the character you’re studying and record what you find.  If you have a concordance it will help in this process.  Then correlate the material into either a character analysis or an historical portrait of the person you’re studying.  The historical portrait emphasizes events in the person’s life while the character analysis emphasizes the qualities of the person.  After you’ve built the outline, crystallize what you’ve learned into some applications you can make to your own life. 

      You’ll find information about Stephen in the book of Acts 6:1 – 8:2; and 22:20.  Read and               reflect on what you find there about Stephen’s life and write down your observations.  From           all indications Stephen was a layman in the relatively new congregation in Jerusalem, yet he           manifest a significant maturity.