WHAT IS STEPHEN MINISTRY?
Our congregations Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-
one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are
experiencing difficulties in their lives.
Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34
A STEPHEN MINISTER IS . . .
> A child of God who walks beside a person who is hurting
> A congregation member with gifts for caregiving who was carefully selected to
serve in this role
> A lay person who has received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and
spiritual care
> A caring Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages
> Someone who will be there for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for
about an hour each week, for as long as theres a need
STEPHEN MINISTRY IS YOUR MINISTRY
You play an important role in our Stephen Ministry. Heres what you can do:
Pray for God to bring hope and healing to hurting people through our Stephen
Ministry.
Accept care from a Stephen Minister during your time of need. God doesnt expect
you to bear your burdens alone.
Tell a friend, neighbor, coworker, or relative who is hurting about our Stephen Ministry.
If you are a good listener and a compassionate person, prayerfully consider becoming
a Stephen Minister.
To equip the saints for the work of ministry. Ephesians 4:12a
STEPHEN LEADERS ARE . . .
Trained leaders in our congregation who oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry.
> If you or someone you know could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister. .
> If you are interested in possibly becoming a Stephen Minister . . .
> If you have any other questions about Stephen Ministry . . .
. . . talk with one of our Stephen Leaders.
STEPHEN MINISTRY MULTIPLIES MINISTRY
Pastors will always be on the front lines of care, especially during times of crisis.
But there are always many more needs for ongoing, one-to-one care than pastors can
effectively meet by themselves.
Stephen Ministry provides a biblical solution equipping Gods people for ministry.
Gifted lay people are trained to support and extend the care that pastors continue to
provide.
Stephen Ministers reach out with Gods love to people who are hurting both
congregation members and nonmembers alike.
STEPHEN MINISTERS CARE FOR PEOPLE FACING TOUGH TIMES
Loss of a loved one Hospitalization
Divorce or separation Loneliness or discouragement
Spiritual crisis Unemployment or a job crisis
A terminal Illness Incarceration
Aging Birth, Adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
A chronic illness Relocation
Recovery after an accident or disaster And many more
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: The identity of those receiving care and
what takes place in each caring relationship remain private.
Why is it called Stephen Ministry?
Stephen was one of the first laypeople com-
missioned by the Apostles to provide caring
ministry (Acts 6). Series describes the sequence
of steps a congregation follows to implement
the caring ministry system, which is commonly
referred to as Stephen Ministry.
What size congregations are involved?
Stephen Ministry congregations range from
fewer than 100 members to more than 10,000.
No matter the size of a church, opportunities
abound to extend care to hurting people in the
congregation and community.
What are Stephen leaders?
Stephen Leaders are pastors and lay leaders
who direct Stephen Ministry in their congrega-
tion. They attend a one-week Leader's Training
Course (LTC) where they learn how to:
•build support for Stephen Ministry;
•recruit, select, and train Stephen Ministers;
•find people in need of care and link them with
Stephen Ministers; and
•provide Stephen Ministers with regular sup-
port and supervision.
Our organization provides ongoing support to
Stephen Leaders to help them have a successful,
long-lasting Stephen Ministry.
What are Stephen Ministers?
Stephen Ministers are laypeople who receive
50 hours of Christian care giving training in
their congregation-and then provide one-
to-one Christ-centered care to hurting people.
Each Stephen Minister typically has one care
receiver at a time and meets with that person
once a week for about an hour. They also meet
with their Stephen Leaders twice a month for
ongoing support and continuing education.
How many congregations are using
Stephen Ministry?
More than 10,000 congregations are enrolled,
with hundreds more enrolling each year. They
represent more than 150 denominations and
come from all 50 United States, 10 Canadian
provinces, and 24 other countries. Many con-
gregations have had Stephen Ministry going
strong for 20 or 30 years-or longer. Stephen
Ministry is built to last!
Who should attend an LTC?
The Leader's Training Course (LTC) trains
Stephen Leaders, the key individuals who will
lead your congregation's Stephen Ministry.
Stephen Leaders have gifts or skills in areas
such as leadership, teaching, and organizing
people-and a heart for caring ministry.
Most congregations begin with 2-4 Stephen
Leaders, and we strongly recommend that a pas-
tor be on this team. While lay Stephen Leaders
can provide much of the ongoing leadership,
we've found that Stephen Ministry works best
when a pastor has also attended an LTC and
truly understands the ministry inside out.
What types of caregiving situations
are Stephen Ministers used in?
Stephen Ministers are equipped to provide
high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to
individuals facing a variety of crises or life
challenges-people who are experiencing
grief, divorce, cancer, financial difficulties,
hospitalization, chronic illness, loss of a job,
disabilities, loneliness, a spiritual crisis, or
other life struggles.
In addition to caring for members of the con-
gregation, Stephen Ministers can provide
care to nonmembers, which means Stephen
Ministry can be a powerful outreach ministry
to unchurched people in crisis.
How does Stephen Ministry benefit
pastors?
Pastors tell us that Stephen Ministry deepens,
expands, and extends the caregiving capac-
ity of their congregations. A team of Stephen
Ministers can provide more care on an ongoing
basis to more people than a pastor ever could
alone. This lifts a tremendous load from pastors'
shoulders and frees them to invest more time in
other important ministry areas.
Pastors also experience deep satisfaction in
equipping laypeople for meaningful ministry
that helps them grow in Christian maturity.
Can you tell me a little about the
Stephen Ministries organization?
We are a not-for-profit, Christian edu-
cation organization founded in 1975.
Our staff of about 45-clergy and
lay-carry out our mission to help
congregations" equip God's people
for the work of ministry" (Ephesians
4:12). The Stephen Series is a major
way we accomplish this mission.
What is enrollment?
Enrollment begins a long-term relationship
between the Stephen Ministries organization
and the congregations we serve. Congregations
pay a one-time fee (there are no annual dues
after that) and receive many benefits. These
include:
•a step-by-step system for establishing a lay
caring ministry that works and lasts;
•continued access to high-quality training and
resources; and
•free ongoing consultation and support.
Enrollment is an investment in people and min-
istry that results in life-changing dividends.
Are Stephen Ministers trained
at an LTC?
No, LTCs are for Stephen Leaders. Stephen
Ministers-lay caregivers-are trained in the
congregation by their congregation'S Stephen
Leaders. (Some Stephen Ministers may later
attend an LTC to become Stephen Leaders.)
How many Stephen Ministers should
a congregation have?
This varies widely with a congregation's size
and situation. Some congregations may have as
few as six or seven Stephen Ministers. Others
may have 20, 30, or even more. Start by ask-
ing, "How many people in our congregation
and community need the kind of care Stephen
Ministers are trained to provide?"
Will people commit to training and
serving as Stephen Ministers?
The answer is a resounding YES! Well
over half a million people have joyfully
trained and served as Stephen Min-
isters since 1975. Why? Laypeople
with gifts for care giving jump at
the opportunity to use their gifts
in meaningful ministry to others-
and the majority continue to serve well
beyond their initial two-year commitment.
When should our congregation enroll?
We encourage congregations to enroll four or
more months before the LTC their leaders wish
to attend. That way you can begin building a
strong foundation for Stephen Ministry, and your
future Stephen Leaders have plenty of time to
register and plan for the LTC. However, you can
enroll anytime-even right up to the LTC. Space
at our LTC sometimes fills, so if your congrega-
tion is planning to enroll right before the LTC you
hope to attend, call us and let us know.
What is the meaning of the logo?
The Stephen Series logo symbolizes that we
are all broken people and it is only through
the cross of Jesus that we can be made whole.
Schedule of Stephen Ministry Classes
We look forward to experiencing Stephen Ministry Training with you. We thought you might want to know the dates of training and topics to be studied beforehand.
Stephen Minister Training Schedule, 2011-2012.docx
Stephen Ministry Leaders
Durango First United Methodist Church
Pastor Roger Haney
970-247-4213
roger_fumcdurango.org
Michelle Jungerberg
970-946-3705
mjberg2003_yahoo.com
Cathy Schadt
970-259-9293
gramcath_msn.com
Sherry Wilmoth
970-375-8417
wilmoth3.1_juno.com
Stephen Ministries St. Louis Supports our Congregations
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministries is a not-for-profit Christian educational organization based in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1975, Stephen Ministries provides training and resources to thousands of congregations and organizations worldwide.
Log on to www.stephenministries.org
or call (314) 428-2600 to learn more.
Click to Apply to apply to be a Stephen Minister
