Sample Bulletin Announcements for Building Awareness and Ownership for Stephen Ministry

[Insert name of church] has recently enrolled in the Stephen Series. The Stephen Series system trains and organizes laypeople to do caring ministry. [Insert names of people attending, if you know at this time] will be attending an intensive seven-day Leader’s Training Course in [insert location and date] and will then return to train some of our members to be Stephen Ministers here at [insert name of church]. [If you like, put in a word inviting people to talk to you about attending the Leader’s Training Course.]

[Insert name of church] recently decided to enroll in the Stephen Series. The Stephen Series is a system for training laypeople to do caring ministry. Those training for Stephen Ministry will learn skills and develop their talents for bringing Christ’s healing love to people who are grieving, hurting, or experiencing other stresses in life.

The Stephen Series, in which [insert name of church] recently enrolled, is designed to train laypeople for caring ministry. Loving others in Jesus’ name is a challenge and an opportunity for all God’s children. Likewise, the joy of helping others is the privilege of all Christians, for the Holy Spirit has given gifts to each Christian to use in service to others and to build up the church (1 Corinthians 12:7–11). Stephen Ministry will rely on the gifts the Holy Spirit has given to our lay members so that, as more people are equipped to care, Christ’s love for us will be able to go out from us in ever greater and more effective ways.

[Insert name of church] has begun participating in the Stephen Series, a program that equips laypeople to do caring ministry. Why the Stephen Series? The Stephen Series trains people in the basic skills necessary for helping others. Through lecture, discussion, and experiential learning, people learn everything they need for this caring ministry—how to be an effective listener, specific techniques for ministering to grieving people, and more. Our congregation will reap many blessings through our involvement in this ministry of care.

The Stephen Series, for which [insert name of church] will soon begin training, benefits many others besides those who receive the care of their Stephen Ministers. The Stephen Ministers grow greatly as they learn about helping others—and they learn about themselves. As the hurting members of our congregation grow stronger through this caring ministry, the whole church is built up and made stronger. And, of course, we all can have the knowledge that when the pains of life come our way, someone will always be there, ready to care for us, to bring God’s love to us in a special, personal way. Perhaps God is calling you to be one of these caring, committed servants who offer Christ’s love to those who are hurting.

[Insert names of people attending] will be leaving for [insert location] on [insert date] to participate in the seven-day Leader’s Training Course for the Stephen Series. At the training course, [they/he/she] will learn to train people here at [insert name of church] to be Stephen Ministers. Watch for further information about how you can become a Stephen Minister.

Next Sunday, [insert date], [insert names of people attending] will be leaving for the Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course in [insert location] for seven days. Soon after returning, [they/he/she] will begin a class for people from [insert name of church], training them to be Stephen Ministers. These Stephen Ministers will be a part of the caring ministry here at [insert name of church], providing one-to-one care for those who are in need. Pray for safe travel and a safe return for all who are attending the Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course.

Today [insert names of people attending] will begin the process of bringing the lay caring ministry of the Stephen Series to [insert name of church]. [They/he/she] [will be/are/is] traveling to [insert location] to begin seven days of intensive training in the techniques of teaching others to do caring ministry. Please keep [them/him/her] in your prayers so that [they have/he has/she has] safe travel to and from the conference and a spirit-filled learning experience while [they are/he is/she is] there. We eagerly look forward to the blessings the Stephen Series will bring our church.

The Stephen Leader(s) from [insert name of church] just returned from the Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course in [insert location]. We will soon begin benefiting from the skills and knowledge [these people have/this person has] gained during the past seven days. Before long, [insert name of church] will begin training members to be Stephen Ministers for our congregation. If you are interested in being a Stephen Minister, talk to [insert name].

[Insert name of church] recently became involved in Stephen Ministry. This one-to-one lay caregiving ministry is named for Stephen, one of the first seven laypeople called by the church to assist the apostles in caring for others. (You can read Stephen’s story in Acts 6 and 7.) Stephen Ministry is truly ministry—that is, service to others, caring for others in Jesus’ name, doing the work that God has both called and gifted his children to do. Do you feel a calling to care for others who are hurting? Do you desire the personal joy that comes from sharing Christ’s love with people? In the next few months, our Stephen Leader Team will begin training some of the members of our congregation to serve as Stephen Ministers. To learn more about Stephen Ministry, speak to [insert name].