What is Stephen Ministry?

Our congregation's Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

 

A Stephen Minister is...

• A child of God who walks beside a person who is hurting

• A congregation member with gifts for caregiving, who was carefully selected to serve in this role

• A lay person who has received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care

• A caring, Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages

• Someone who will "be there" for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long as there's a need

A Stephen Minister is not...

• A counselor or therapist

• A problem-solver

• A casual visitor

Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough times

We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from the support of a caring Christian friend.  Stephen Ministers are ready to 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 crises Unemployment or a job crisis A terminal illness

Aging Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility A chronic illness Relocation Recovery after an accident or disaster Incarceration And many more

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry:  The identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private.

 

WBC's Stephen Leaders are:

Jim Eller and John Warner.  To learn more call the WBC office & ask to speak to a Stephen Leader.