The mission of Stephen Ministries is to help congregations equip God's people for spiritual growth and Christ-centered, practical ministry in today's world.
What is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a ministry we are bringing to our congregation in which trained and supervised lay persons will provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties.
Who is Involved?
Stephen Leaders oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry. We have two Stephen Leaders. They are Gary and Tina Rodden. They are currently recruiting, selecting members of our congregation who will become members of our first class of Stephen Ministers. Our Stephen Leaders will train, organize and supervise our Stephen Ministers, identify people in need of care, and assign a Stephen Minister to each care giver. Our Stephen Ministers will complete 50 hours of training in Christian care giving. The training will include topics such as active listening, setting boundaries, assertiveness training, and using Christian resources in care giving. In addition the training will cover specialized topics such as ministering to the divorced, hospitalized, bereaved, and aging.
Care receivers are the recipients of Stephen Ministers' care. They are people from our church and community who are experiencing extended hospitalization, chronic illness, terminal illness, grief, loss of a job, loneliness, or any of a number of difficult life situations. Stephen Ministers usually meet with their care receivers once a week for about an hour for as long as the care receiver will benefit from the relationship.
What do Stephen Ministers do?
Stephen Ministers are not counselors; they are trained lay care givers. Their role is to listen and care - not to give advice or counsel. Stephen Ministers are trained to recognize when a care receiver's need exceeds what they can provide. When that happens they work with care receivers to help them receive the level of care they need through referral.
Can I trust a Stephen Minister?
Trust is essential to a caring relationship, and Stephen Ministers are people you can trust. Confidentiality is one of the most important principles of Stephen Ministry, and what a care receiver tells his or her Stephen Minister is kept in strictest confidence.
Why the name Stephen?
The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was one of the first lay people in the early Christian church commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need. "...and they chose Stephen, a man of faith and of the Holy Ghost..." Acts 6:5 |
