Stephen Series
Downloadable Resources

You have permission to download these resources and photocopy them to build support for Stephen Ministry in your congregation or organization. (These items are all in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.)

Build Awareness

Stephen Ministers: The After People--Stephen Ministers come into a person's life immediately after a crisis has hit and then provide emotional and spiritual care for as long after as needed. Download this very vivid description of a Stephen Minister and use it to help people see the value of Stephen Ministry in a congregation.

Stephen Ministry in Action--Insights about the value of Stephen Ministry from people who have received care from a Stephen Minister.

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant--A moving story about the relationship between a Stephen Minister and his first care receiver, providing a personal and powerful testimony to what Stephen Ministry is all about.

The Blessings of Serving as a Stephen Minister--For more than a half-million Christian men and women since 1975, serving as a Stephen Minister has been a life-changing experience. Read what Stephen Ministers have to say about serving in this special ministry.

The Stephen Series: Caregiving for the Church of the Future--Shows how Stephen Ministry helps congregations strengthen and expand caregiving in the midst of significant shifts occurring in ministry today.

Tools

Q & A: Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions about the Stephen Series--Two easy-to-read pages that will answer most of the basic questions people have about Stephen Ministry.

Stephen Ministry Implementation Timeline for New Congregations--Will help you develop a preliminary timeline for beginning Stephen Ministry in your congregation--from the time your congregation enrolls to when your first Stephen Ministers are ready to provide care.

Stephen Ministry: Meeting Needs, Changing Lives--A presentation to help people in the congregation see the need for Stephen Ministry and catch a vision for getting it started.

Ways Congregations Have Funded the Stephen Series--Some congregations include the costs for beginning Stephen Ministry in their annual budget. Other congregations find alternative ways to finance all or part of the costs for beginning Stephen Ministry. This document provides a wealth of ideas from people who recognized the value of Stephen Ministry and developed creative ways to fund it in their congregations.

Smaller Congregations and Stephen Ministry--Explores care needs in the smaller congregation and describes how intentional caregiving ministry can bring growth and vitality to smaller congregations.

Information for Pastors

How Stephen Ministry Benefits Pastors--This document describes the many benefits pastors say that Stephen Ministry has brought to them personally and to their pastoral ministry.

What Pastors Are Saying about Stephen Ministry--Insights from pastors who share how Stephen Ministry has strengthened their own ministry and benefited their congregation.

Helping the Church Be the Church--An interview with Dr. John Ortberg, pastor and noted author, who speaks about the dynamic effect Stephen Ministry has had on his congregation in the areas of caregiving, community, outreach, and spiritual growth.

A Small Church with a Big Heart--The pastor of a small congregation in a farming community talks about the many blessings and increased care that Stephen Ministry brings to his congregation and community.

How Does Caregiving Fit Into Your Congregation's Mission?--Learn how providing Christian care to individuals can strengthen your entire congregation and help accomplish its mission.

Articles

Stephen Ministry Marks 25 Years in Tioga County Parish--Read about how Stephen Ministry has been going strong in one Catholic parish--helping people receive care in times of need--for a quarter century. (Reprint from the Catholic Courier)

Stephen Ministers Serve as a "Leaning Post"--In this newspaper article from Durham, North Carolina, several Stephen Leaders and Stephen Ministers describe their ministry as an opportunity to listen, build trust, bear burdens, and walk alongside those who are suffering.

Stephen Ministers Helping People Get Back on Track--We often hear about Stephen Ministers providing care after disasters. Learn how one congregation's Stephen Ministers were able to mobilize and minister to community members in Joplin, Missouri, following the devastating tornado in May 2011--and how they are still providing ongoing care and support today.

Stephen Ministry: Helping Dad Hang on during a Personal Earthquake--A story from the UPC Times about a Stephen Minister caring for a father grieving the death of his infant son.

On the Front Lines of Care--Read this story about Army Captain David Rozelle, who lost his foot in an explosion in Iraq in 2003. During his rehabilitation he trained as a Stephen Minister. He has since returned to Iraq to command another unit, and minister to those who need it.

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