The story of Stephen's death is recorded in the Acts of the Apostle. Hence it is part of God's revealed truth, given for our salvation. Stephen's martyrdom occurred within the living memory of the early Christian, thus not so long after the coming of the Holy Spirit had brought new life, new understanding, new courage and new hope to Jesus' disciples. It must have been a great challenge for the community. But then, too, it seems to have been a great inspiration. Other early Christians followed Stephen in undergoing martyrdom for the sake of Jesus. Some communities or individuals followed Luke's example and began to record the stories of these martyrs, to keep their memory alive and to celebrate the sanctity of their martyrdom. These stories renewed and strengthened the Church's hope in face of persecution.

In God's providence Stephen's martyrdom, led to Paul's conversion, and he in turn took the Gospel to the wider world. Thus it came to be accepted that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.