Stephen Ministry
"Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:2
Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by their Stephen Leaders to offer care to people who are hurting. A Stephen Minister typically has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person once a week for about an hour.
Do you have a heart for serving and caring for hurting people? Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by their Stephen Leaders to offer care to people who are hurting. Interested in serving?
Why Stephen?
In Acts 6, Stephen was among those chosen to provide caring ministry to those in need. Since Jesus’ time, caring ministry has been a hallmark of the Christian faith community.
Stephen Ministry offers a proven and effective way to organize, equip, and supervise a team of congregation members—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community experiencing life difficulties.
Who is involved?
Stephen Leaders at the Valley Chapel are lay leaders trained to provide ongoing leadership for our congregation’s Stephen Ministry. They are equipped for this key role through the Bridge Leader’s Training Course offered by Stephen Ministries in St. Louis.
Need Care From a Stephen Minister?
Stephen Ministers are men and women in our church family who are trained to provide one-to-one, Christ-centered care. They have compassionate hearts for those who are hurting, and they're trained and equipped by Stephen Ministry leaders with caring ministry skills.
Serve with Stephen Ministry
Has God wired you to serve him by loving on people one-on-one, face-to-face? Stephen Ministers are lay people trained to give one-on-one care to others when they need a listening ear and encouraging heart. That could be you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a Stephen Minister?
One way to put it is that Stephen Ministers are the After People. Stephen Ministers are there:
. . . after the phone call you hoped you’d never get.
. . . after the funeral, when everyone has left and the
emotions you’ve held at bay come crashing in on you.
. . . after the relationship falls apart and the bottom falls out of your life.
. . . after the doctor says, “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing more we can do.”
. . . after the nursing home director shakes your hand and says, “Welcome to
your new home.”
. . . after the last child honks the horn, waves, and drives away - and the house
suddenly seems empty.
. . . after the gavel comes down, the handcuffs go on, and your loved one is
led away.
. . . after the baby arrives, demanding more of you than you ever
dreamed possible.
. . . after you find a pink slip with your final paycheck.
. . . after your family and friends have heard your story one too many times, but you still need to talk it out.
Who should serve as a Stephen Minister?
If you sense that God might be calling you to serve as a Stephen Minister, the first step is to find out more about getting involved.
Care receivers are individuals in the congregation or community who are going through a crisis or life difficulty. Potential care receivers first meet with a pastor or Stephen Leader, who assesses their needs for care and matches them with a Stephen Minister. The caring relationship lasts for as long as the need persists.
After being matched with a person experiencing a life crisis, the Stephen Minister meets with that person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, and provide emotional and spiritual support. The caring relationship lasts as long as the need for care exists.