Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/91

Contributor - Chris Rynberk

Title - Stephen Mnistry ... is what caring is all about

Topic - Stephen Mnistry

Christ Community Church has fifteen ministers in its congregation since it recently adopted the Stephen Series Ministry. A new ministry boom, you say? It is, of sort§. It's a boom of lay ministers, everyday men and women who have received special training and do special ministry work at Christ Community Church. As the name implies, they are not ordained, but commissioned after fifty hours of intensive training in leadership and caring - to become lay ministers who help other people in a new and expanded way. They are primarily listeners.

As Christians, we are all called to extend the love and care of Christ. The Stephen Ministry program allows people to do that... Christ said that all of us are ministers, and that we are all called to care for other people. Our main purpose for being there is to help others. This approach is not self-centred. It is Christ-centred... the focus is not on what I'm doing for you as a person, but on what we together in the faith can do.

The STEPHEN MINISTRIES formula is credited to Dr. Kenneth Haughk, a Lutheran minister of St. Louis, Missouri, who put together the system in 1975. He did this because in churches where he ministered the people needing help were too many, and there was too little time to help them. Pastors cannot be expected to do all of the caring for people in a meaningful way in most congregations today. If they are expected to do this, they cannot do it well. Also, there are always people in congregations who would like to be involved in some kind of ministry if trained well. Thirdly, there are a lot of people out there who need help.

The Program that resulted from Dr. Haguhk's planning is a fitting together of the needs of the clergy, the needs of the lay people and the needs of the congregation into one program called Stephen Ministry.

In just a few years, this program has been brought to churches all over the United States, but is just beginning to be realized in Canada. It is now known in five countries worldwide. It has great potential.

To become a lay minister in the Stephen program, there is an initial screening, an intensive training program, monthly follow-up meetings and a commitment to remain as a lay minister for two years. At Christ Community Church the training is done by two Stephen Leaders who have spent twelve days in Baltimore, Maryland, being educated in the philosophy of this ministry by the Stephen Series Team under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Haughk.

People from all walks of life are interested in becoming trained to become caregivers, the informal name for Stephen Ministers. They include managers, homemakers, contractors, nurses, teachers, retirees and students. Presently, twelve individuals are receiving care from our caregivers. These individuals are referred to as care-receivers.

However, at Christ Community Church not all Stephen Ministers are presently involved with an individual. Some people, especially members of Consistory, took the training to become more aware of the unique methods of caring for others, especially when it comes to listening to their hurts. The training is particularly beneficial to elders who have a regular visitation program within the congregation.

A Stephen Minister might visit a person in the hospital, or someone who recently has returned home. He or she might help a family new to town adjust to life in a strange city; or be there to lend a shoulder when a family member has died. A Stephen Minister may visit and assist the lonely widow or widower in the congregation, or give help to someone experiencing a divorce.

There are some things they don't do. Problems with severe emotional disturbances are left to the pastor, or professional help is sought. Stephen ministers do not become involved in long-term psychotherapy.

Monthly supervision meetings are held to assist them in determining if the ministry with an individual is remaining meaningful, or if the time is right for a change in care-receiver. The time inevitably arrives when termination of the care giving/care- receiving relationship must occur. Some care-receivers may require only several weeks or months of help. Others may take longer. Generally, Stephen Ministers do not become involved in long-term relationships.

When Stephen Ministers are trained, they learn what things to say, as well as what things not to say. One thing they don't say is: Believe in God, and everything will be all right. This statement may be too simplistic, although it is all right in theory. It can be little comfort to someone who is hurting. It is usually best to leave the decision up to the care receiver. If someone asks the lay minister to pray with me, then he or she will. It may also be appropriate to read the Bible with others. The main thing is people helping people. We have an obligation to help people. The Ministry gives training in how to listen to people and how to help them.

Although sharing God's love is the ultimate goal of the Stephen Minister, the care-receiver must be at a point of being receptive to this sharing. A bond of trust and acceptance must first be built between individuals. The Ministry represents exactly what Christ did, and what he wants us to do. If you have Christ, this is what you do.

Of course, it's the people of the congregation who ultimately have to live with lay ministers. A person has to decide whether he or she wants to see the pastor once a month for fifteen minutes, or a Stephen Minister every week for an hour. Personal care is the advantage of this ministry. It does not replace the pastor. A person may decide in favour of receiving help from the pastor, and that's fine. But if the lay person can do things better, then the church member might opt for the lay minister.

At Christ Community Church, the congregation has been actively involved with the Stephen Ministry since January of 1991 when the first training course began. Since May, commissioned lay ministers have been actively engaged in working with individuals who have requested a Stephen Minister through the referral team, consisting of our pastor, Reverend John Kapteyn and our social worker, Mrs. Debi Logtenberg.

It has been vital to continually keep the congregation informed and up to date about this ministry and what it does. It has been well accepted in the congregation. This ministry is a process ministry. It is not built on immediate results. the philosophy of "we care - God cures" is closely followed. The ministry has enough depth that it can take a broken person and make this person whole through Jesus Christ.

Church members have been doing lay ministry work for years, but without the title. Now it is more formalized and structured. It is the unique structure that helps keep this ministry going, as well as the knowledge that at Christ Community Church people really care about one another. At a time when many people beyond the church feel that we do not really practice what we preach, and that churches don't really care for one another, Stephen Ministry is an essential ingredient for all congregations who want to make a difference in the community.

It is an outstanding program. It has the potential to allow the church to multiply its ministry to the community by as many people as can be recruited and trained.

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