Stephen Ministry

What is Stephen Ministry and a Stephen Minister?

Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus' command to love one another. Through one-to-one caring relationships, those who are hurting receive the love and care they need to support them. Everyone goes through difficult times. Having someone to care, to listen, to share God's love with them can help them get through the confusion, stress, or lonliness they may be experiencing.

A trained Stephen Minister is assigned one same gender person to listen, to care, and pray with during times of hardship such as

• Serious illness
• Bereavement
• Job crisis
• Loneliness
• Change in marital status
• Struggles with relationships

A Stephen Minister is

• A child of God who walks beside a hurting person
• A caring Christian friend who really listens
• A lay person who has received 50 hours of training in how to provide distinctively Christian care

A Stephen Minister is not

• A counselor or therapist
• A problem-solver
• A casual visitor

How do I get connected to a Stephen Minister?

Contact Kim Kaul at 236-6483 or the Salem church office at 237-6094.

How do I become a Stephen Minister?

Obtain a Stephen Minister application form from Deb Kaul or one of the other Stephen Ministry leaders. After completing and returning the form, a confidential interview is held with a Stephen Ministry leader. If the applicant is accepted, he or she will attend 50 hours of skills training. After training, the Stephen Minister attends semi-monthly supervision education to fulfill a 2-year commitment to the ministry. Training topics include

• The Art of Listening
• Distinctively Christian Caring
• Assertiveness: Relating Gently and Firmly
• Maintaining Boundaries in Caregiving
• Crisis Theory and Practice
• Confidentiality
• Ministering to Those Experiencing Grief
• Dealing with Depression
• Helping Suicidal Persons Get the Help They Need
• Telecare: The Next best Thing to Being There
• Supervision: A Key to Quality Christian Care
• Process Versus Results in Caregiving

Where can I get more information?

• The official Stephen Ministry web site
• Salem's Stephen Ministry Leaders:
  Deb Kaul ...........236-6483.
  Kim Kaul ...........236-6483
  Monty Mertz.......237-0360

Last Update: 25 Sept 2003
Copyright 2001-2003 by Salem Evangelical Free Church of Fargo, North Dakota, USA