While in the Boston area, he served at the Park Street Church where he met Sharol Rhodes, whom he later married in June 1973.
While at Harvard Divinity School, Hayner experienced God's call to full-time ministry in the church.
After eleven years he then took the position of Vice President of Student Affairs at Seattle Pacific University.
Throughout his time in Seattle he was also very involved with Fuller Theological Seminary extension sites and served as an adjunct professor of Old Testament.
In 1988 he was called as President of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a non-denominational discipleship ministry to students on campuses across the country.
Known by many throughout the world with love, affection, and gratitude, Steve was a person of many honors and degrees who refused to categorize others or himself by achievements.
The entries include health updates and personal reflections on faith, hope, mortality, suffering and joy from Steve, Sharol and their grown son and daughter.
These reflections have been published as a book called Joy in the Journey by InterVarsity Press, also including comments and prayers from friends and other family members.