This past week, our Director of Bookkeeping, Ashley Stegeman, and Project Bookkeeper, Daulton Hopkins, interviewed Table Church’s Phil Wiseman. Table Church launched October 2019. Daulton works closely with the Table Church team on their finances, and when Ashley noted how long they’d been working together, Phil shared, ‘He’s the only bookkeeper I’ve ever known!’ 

Stadia values relationships, and our project bookkeepers are some of the best examples of valuing relationships. Ashley shares that one of the reasons they wanted Phil to join their live interview was because of some great things God is doing through Table Church.

Check out the interview above, or read below for a summary.

Phil: Church isn’t just Sunday, it’s the other six days as well. What would it look like to have a space for the other six days of the week? Long story short, we were interested in a space and after making some calls received matching grants if we could raise $100,000.

We felt like God was opening a door for us, and the outpouring of support was incredible. Churches supported us. Friends I haven’t talked to since middle school. People stepped up and within a month we had that money raised.

The space will be a place to work with students and to bless the community throughout the week.

Ashley: I love how y’all have just been running, and doors are opening. Daulton, you’ve gotten to have a front row seat! What has that been like for you as the bookkeeper?

Daulton: Yeah, I’ve been with Table since the beginning. I was able to help with the set up and financial processes to make sure those are in place. It’s always encouraging to hear the stories of your church. Those stories make me so happy to get to serve you. I know bookkeeping isn’t the largest operation of a church, but it’s important, and I love to get to help you do what you do by supporting you with bookkeeping.

Phil: I wouldn’t minimize the role of bookkeeping at all! I’m a decent pastor…but the money stuff, I might as well be in kindergarten here! I’ve probably given Daulton a few early grey hairs. The experience has been phenomenal and we’re thankful. I’ve had to surround myself with people who know more in this area which is something a church planter needs to do.

Ashley: Obviously God is doing great things in your church – what do you think would’ve been different if you didn’t have the financial support you guys have had?

Phil: I would’ve had to figure out another option. I would’ve have been able to do it myself. Having the financial support has allowed me to dream. We can just run in this direction because we have capable people handling bookkeeping. I don’t have to say no when doors are opening because I have people handling those things.