and
community. A Stephen Minister is
equipped to give one to one care
and support to individuals
who are currently experiencing
various needs and
situations.
BRIEF HISTORY
The name
Stephen refers to the first
individual to be commissioned
by the Apostles to provide a
caring ministry to people in
need. (Acts 6) Stephen
Ministry began in 1975
when
Rev Kenneth
Haugk, Ph.D., a minister and
clinical psychologist,
trained nine laypersons to be
Stephen Ministers. Over
the next few years Dr. Haugk
was encouraged to train other
lay persons to become Stephen
Ministers. As he was
limited on the number of
congregations he could help,
Dr. Haugk decided in 1978 to
conduct a Stephen Leaders
Workshop. This ongoing
workshop has enabled many
congregations to become
involved in the Stephen
Ministry Program. The
Stephen Series headquarters
is located in St. Louis,
Missouri where 50 staff are
employed.
CONGREGATIONS
Over 7,000
congregations
are enrolled
in the
Stephen
Series.
This
represents
more than 90
different
congregations
from the 50
U.S. states,
9 Canadian
provinces and
20 other
countries.
Over 37,000
individuals
have been
trained as
Stephen
Leaders.
At our
workshop in
June 2002,
352 people (4
from Canada)
were trained
to be Stephen
Leaders.
Almost
300,000
people have
been trained
to be Stephen
Ministers
through a 50
hour training
program.
TRAINING
PROGRAM
Trained
Stephen
Leaders
recruit
and
select
lay
persons
from
their
congregation
to
train
and
serve
as
Stephen
Ministers.
Some of
the
training
topics
include
listening,
confidentially,
feelings,
terminal
illness,
grief,
divorce.
Stephen
Ministers
support
people
who may
be
experiencing
a job
crisis,
spiritual
issues,
family
crisis,
aging
concerns
or a
need
for a
Christian
relationship.
Stephen
Ministers
are
taught
to
recognize
when
the
care
receiver
needs
to go
beyond
the
care
of a
Stephen
Minister,
and
where
and
how
to
refer
the
individual
for
additional
help.
A
lay
person
after
the
completion
of
his/her
training
is
commissioned
to
be
a
Stephen
Minister.
S/he
is
assigned
to
a
care
receiver
to
provide
one
to
one,
quality
Christian
care.
S/he
meets
at
least
one
hour
a
week
with
his/her
care
receiver's).
Stephen
Ministers
meet
once
a
month
for
supervision
and
continued
education.
A
commitment
of
two
years
of
service
is
requested
after
the
completion
of
the
Stephen
Minister’s
training
program.
Usually,
Stephen
Ministers
recommit
after
their
initial
two
years
to
serve
several
additional
years.
BENEFITS
FOR
THE
CONGREGATION
The
Stephen
Ministry
Program
enhances
the
congregation
by
offering
a
caring,
supportive
ministry
to
its
members,
adherents
and
community.
It
enables
the
congregation
to
grow
as
a
loving,
caring,
warm
community
where
individuals
are
uplifted
and
cherished
by
Jesus
Christ.
It
enables
people
to
offer
God’s
love
and
care
with
the
guidance
of
a
disciplined,
systematic
program.
It
enables
the
congregations
and
community
to
recognize
that
individuals
are
valued
and
listened
to,
and
that
the
Lord
is
our
personal
Savior.
STEPHEN
MINISTERS
They
are
not
counselors
but
trained
Christian
caregivers.
Stephen
Ministers
are
to
listen
and
to
care,
and
not
to
counsel
and
advise.
Stephen
Ministers
are
supervised
on
a
bi-weekly
basis
to
ensure
they
are
providing
the
best
quality
Christian
care.
Stephen
Ministers
are
assigned
to
individuals
who
agree
to
be
involved
with
a
Stephen
Minister.
CONFIDENTIALLY
What
is
told
a
Stephen
Minister
by
a
care
receiver
remains
confidential.
In
supervision
the
names
of
care
receivers
and
specific
details
are
not
discussed.
Confidentially
is
a
very
important
component
of
the
Stephen
Ministry.
Any
breach
by
the
Stephen
Minister
of
the
care
receiver’s
private
information
to
him/her
will
not
be
tolerated.
CONNECTING
WITH
A
STEPHEN
MINISTER
If
you
feel
that
you
would
like
to
be
involved
with
a
caring,
supportive,
trained
Stephen
Minister
who
will
listen
to
you,
who
will
allow
you
to
discuss
your
concerns
and
who
will
keep
your
information
confidential,
please
phone
Rev.
Jeff
Veenstra
at
658-2652
.
Prayer
and
much
consideration
will
be
given
to
assigning
a
Stephen
Minister
for
you.
The
Stephen
Leader
is
Diana
Veenstra.
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