What is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a distinctively Christian caring ministry in which our pastors, elders, and laypeople work together to provide quality one-to-one care to meet the needs of people experiencing a wide range of life challenges or crises.
At Fellowship Bible, Stephen Ministry equips laypeople to provide this one-to-one Christian care to people in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. The identity of those receiving care and everything they discuss with a Stephen Minister remain private.
A Stephen Minister is…
- A child of God who walks beside someone who is hurting.
- A congregation member who is carefully selected to serve in this role because of his or her caregiving gifts.
- A layperson with 50 hours of training in providing high-quality, distinctively Christian care.
- A caring Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages.
- Someone who meets faithfully each week with his or her care receiver for as long as there’s a need.
Laypeople in our congregation, referred to as Stephen Ministers, are trained by Stephen Leaders to provide one-to-one, confidential, Christ-centered care to hurting people. These are people with a compassionate heart who have been equipped with skills to listen, encourage, and offer support to someone in need.
After their training, Stephen Ministers are able to provide support and encouragement to individuals who are experiencing grief, divorce, financial difficulties, unemployment, hospitalization, chronic illness, spiritual crisis, disabilities, or other life struggles.
If you desire to share Christ’s healing love by listening to, supporting, and encouraging those who are working through a life challenge or crisis, Stephen Ministry provides the opportunity to become trained and equipped to serve in this capacity.
Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough Times
We all experience challenges in life–times when we could benefit from care and support. Stephen Ministers can provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty such as–
- Loss of a loved one
- Hospitalization
- Divorce or separation
- Loneliness or discouragement
- Spiritual crisis
- Unemployment or a job crisis
- A terminal illness
- Incarceration
- Aging
- Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
- A chronic illness
- Relocation
- Recovery after an accident or disaster
- Many other of life’s challenges
If you could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, or if you know someone who might benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, contact Associate Pastor Ryan McCreery at: ryan.mccreery@fellowshipwaco.org.
Would you like to know more about Stephen Ministry? Watch the brief video below to hear from some of our current Stephen Ministers about how being a part of this ministry has impacted their lives and the lives of others.
Are you interested in being trained to serve as a Stephen Minister? Please contact Associate Pastor Ryan McCreery at ryan.mccreery@fellowshipwaco.org or click the link below to go to our SERVE page.
Volunteer Opportunities to Serve