Stephen Ministry: God Gives the Growth

It’s very important for anyone facing personal difficulties to have a good understanding of exactly what a Stephen Minister is and how a Stephen Minister provides support and encouragement in the midst of troubling situations.  Please read the information on this page to learn the truth about Stephen Ministers.  You may discover that having a trained, caring Christian friend to walk with you through stressful, lonely, or confusing times is a pathway to the strength and peace you are searching for.

What is The Meaning of The Name "Stephen Ministry"?

Stephen Ministry was named in honor of Stephen who was one of the first lay church members called to help those in need.  According to Acts 6:1-6, the apostles commissioned seven people, one of whom was Stephen, to provide caring ministry for the church when needs for care arose beyond which the apostles were able to meet on their own.  In a sense, Stephen was one of the first Stephen Ministers, a layperson commissioned by church leaders to provide caring ministry.

 What is a Stephen Minister?

A Stephen Minister is a member of PUMC who is trained to give one-on-one, lay Christian care, i.e.,  being Christ to another individual, manifesting the Spirit of God at work in the world.

• Member:  A Stephen Minister has been called and commissioned by the authority of our congregation, to represent our congregation, and is held accountable to our congregation.
• Trained:  A SM has completed 50 hours of training covering topics such as listening skills, empathy, prayer, and confidentiality, as well as a number of specific skills such as dealing with grief, illness, and depression.  A SM participates in twice-monthly continuing education and peer supervision, to provide the best possible care to care receivers. A SM serves a minimum of two years. 
• One-on-one: Stephen Ministers meet privately with one care receiver of the same gender, typically once per week.
• Lay :  Stephen Ministers are supervised lay volunteers, not professional counselors, therapists, pastors, or physicians. 
• Christian: Stephen Ministers care in the name of Christ.  They strive to follow His example of servanthood.  They are eager and willing to talk about spiritual issues, but only by invitation and not by force.
• Care: Stephen Ministers care by listening, supporting, encouraging, and praying; by being dependable and trustworthy; and by maintaining confidentiality in their care-giving relationships.

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Confidentiality:  The Hallmark of the Program

Upon commissioning to serve, each Stephen Minister agrees to uphold a Covenant to Care which includes the commitment to ensure that all personal information regarding each care receiver and caring relationship is kept confidential at all times. You can share freely with your Stephen Minister without worrying that any other person will ever know what you have shared.  There are very rare occasions when a Stephen Minister must break confidentiality in order to save a life.  Those occasions are suicide, homicide, and abuse.

Stephen Ministers meet twice each month in small groups.  These peer supervisions sessions are necessary to help caregivers to grow in their abilities to provide the best possible Christian care for the care receivers.  In Peer Supervision sessions, Stephen Ministers talk about their caring relationships and their own feelings about care giving. They may share small, amounts of information about their care receivers, but they NEVER tell the care receiver’s name and they do not share detailed information that would reveal the care receiver's identity.  In rare situations, a Stephen Minister may receive individualized supervision and guidance from a Stephen Leader or pastor, but the same rules apply..

Referral to a Professional

Some care receivers may need professional care.   In such a case, a Stephen Minister or a Stephen Leader will work with the care receiver to help obtain the care that he or she needs.  The caring relationship with the Stephen Minister may have to be interrupted or terminated to allow for effective care by a professional.  The relationship with the Stephen Minister may resume only after the care receiver has met with the professional and has received permission from the professional for the Stephen Ministry relationship to continue.

Stephen Ministers:  An Expanding Group of Global Care Givers

Since the beginning of Stephen Ministry in 1975, more than 450,000 church members have been trained as Stephen Ministers to serve in the Christian caring ministry which is now active in more than 9,000 congregations from more than 100 Christian denominations, in all fifty states, in nine Canadian provinces, and in twenty-one other countries.  More than a million people have received care from Stephen Ministers in a formal one-on-one caring relationship.

An interview with a receiver of Stephen Ministries' care : 

Have Questions?

If you have specific questions or would like to know more about Stephen Ministry, please contact

Leigh Barth (434) 384-2955 or LInda Milam (434) 384-6914. 

These leaders are prepared to speak with you confidentially.

Plant the seed

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IS GOD CALLING YOU TO SERVE IN THIS WAY?

Through this ministry God will bring forth new life and renewed faith in both your care receiver and in you as a Stephen Minister.