Stephen Ministry
What is Stephen Ministry?
It is, Christ Caring for People Through People.
Stephen Ministry is a Lay Caring Ministry. The training prepares lay persons to provide one-to-one Christian care in and around the congregation. This ministry is founded upon Scripture, specifically Acts 6, where Stephen was the most notable of seven people set aside by the apostles to provide care to the widows and orphans in the Christian congregation in Jerusalem. Stephen's acts of care and mercy are reflected in the care-giving of those who provide Stephen Ministry to people in need in the congregation today.
Stephen Ministry began in 1975 under the direction of Rev. Dr. Kenneth Haugk, a pastor and psychologist. It is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 100 denominations, has surpassed 10,000 congregations and is in 50 States, 9 Provinces and 20 countries. Stephen Ministry is in almost every size of congregation. No matter the congregation's size or location, two key things are the same everywhere: first, hurting people need care; and second, God has gifted people so that they can effectively care for hurting people.
Some of the people who could benefit from one-to-one Christian care:
- those who are grieving the loss of a loved one
- people who are hospitalized for a long time
- individuals who are terminally ill, and their families
- persons who are experiencing divorce (before, during and after)
- parents who have children leaving home for the military, college, marriage or work in another geographical area
- people who are lonely
- new members of the congregation and/or community
- family members who have someone in a nursing home
- inactive members
- parents and families of people with disabilities
- people convalescing at home or in an institution
- those who are homebound or in a nursing home
- people facing birth-related issues
- people who have suffered a significant financial setback
- people who have lost their job
- single parents (for whatever reason)
- people who have unplanned retirement
- people in the process of moving out of town
- persons affected by disasters, natural and human caused
The need for trained workers is likened to the record of Matthew 9. The needs of the church community can be many and many partners sharing with the pastor(s) and church professionals help reach people with the love of Jesus. God has a design for how people's needs can be fulfilled as taught in Ephesians 4:11-13.
We are blessed to have trained Stephen Ministers at St. Andrew's and we hope that they will be a blessing to the membership as they take up their tasks. Their work is confidential, so you may not know all that they do. Their tasks are assigned through the staff. Please remember them in your prayers.
The Meaning of the Stephen Series Logo
The logo's most dominant feature is the cross of Jesus. It reminds us that Christ is at the centre of Stephen Ministry and all Stephen Ministry relationships.
The broken person behind the cross symbolizes how we are all broken people, broken by our own sin and imperfections.
The Stephen Series logo tells the story of a care receiver's journey from brokenness to wholeness through the transforming power of the cross of Jesus Christ. It serves as a simple reminder that it is not the Stephen Minister who restores a person to wholeness. Rather, it is only through the cross of Jesus that a person can be made whole.
The whole person in front of the cross signifies the transforming power of the cross of Jesus. It is only through Jesus and his life, death on the cross, and resurrection that we, who are broken people, are made whole.
The circle is a symbol of God's eternal and never-ending love for us. God's love surrounds us, holds us, heals us, with the cross of Jesus at the centre of that love. For it was Jesus, God's Son, who allowed Himself to be broken on the cross to save us from our sin and give us the opportunity to be restored to wholeness through Him.
