New Stephen Ministers needed; training starts in January
What is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministries is an independent Christian organization founded in 1975 and based in St. Louis, Missouri. It draws its name from the book of Acts, where in chapter 6 Stephen is chosen to provide caring ministry to those in need.
The mission of Stephen Ministry is summed up in Ephesians 4:12–13: “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.”
Stephen Ministry is found in congregations from more than 190 Christian denominations across the U.S., Canada and 30 other countries.
What is a Stephen Minister?
Stephen Ministers are lay members trained to offer one-to-one care to people experiencing a difficulty such as grief, divorce, job loss, illness, aging, financial worries, issues with children or elderly parents or questions about spirituality. A Stephen Minister has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person, ideally once a week, to listen, care, pray, encourage and offer emotional and spiritual support.
New Stephen Ministers are well prepared through 20 weekly training sessions over five months. A few examples of the 25 training topics are: Distinctively Christian Caring, Listening, Feelings, Assertiveness, Boundaries, Crisis Theory and Practice, and Confidentiality. The communication skills learned are valuable for relationships in general, and the friendships that develop with other Stephen Ministers are priceless.
How does it work?
Potential care receivers first meet with our outreach coordinator, who assesses their needs and matches them with a Stephen Minister. Care receivers must be 18 or older. If there is concern that the life difficulty falls outside our mission or ability to help, referrals to counseling or other resources are given. Once a relationship is established, it lasts as long as the need persists. ALL communication between care receivers and care givers is confidential.
Another benefit of Stephen Ministry is that it supports our pastors by deepening and extending the caring capacity of our church. Stephen Ministers can provide ongoing care for more people than the pastors could provide alone.
Become a care receiver
We currently have capacity to assist more care receivers. We hope you’ll remember Stephen Ministry as a resource for yourself or people you know. To inquire about receiving care, email stephenministry@wilshirebc.org or call our dedicated line, 214-452-3176.
Become a Stephen Minister
A training class for new Stephen Ministers begins in January. If you are looking for an opportunity to serve in a meaningful way, this could be the experience you are seeking.
To learn more, contact Linda Garner at 214-452-3151. You can also fill out our Stephen Minister application form, found at wilshirebc.org/stephen-ministry, and return it by mail to Linda’s attention at Wilshire or by email.