 Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question:
How much of my time will it really involve?
Answer: There are 50 hours of initial training, which will also
include two retreats. Assignments are given in preparation for
each of the classes. There are also three required books. As a
Stephen Minister you will visit about once a week (for about one
hour) with the person you are assigned to care for. You will also
attend two meetings per month for supervision and continuing education.
Question:
How much money will this cost?
Answer: There is a $50 cost for the books. Payments can be spread
over the course of initial training. Because understand the sense
of call, money should never be a factor in determining a response
to that call to Stephen Ministry.
Question:
Will I have to spend money on the person for whom I am caring?
Answer: No, you are not expected to spend any money whatsoever
on the care receiver. You are also not expected to personally
provide any other specific services for a care receiver, such
as transportation or baby-sitting, for example. As a Stephen Minister,
you may at times assist in arranging for such services.
Question:
Will my phone be ringing constantly?
Answer: No. You will care for one care receiver at a time. If
the care receiver were to begin calling too often, you will learn
to respond to too many phone calls or excessive demands in a loving,
assertive manner. It probably won’t arise, though.
Question:
Will our pastor still help and counsel people?
Answer: Most definitely! Stephen Ministers complement the pastor’s
ministry and provide even more care to those who need it.
Question:
What if I get in over my head, with people who need more care
than I can provide?
Answer: First of all, you will never be knowingly assigned to
people who might be in those situations. The Stephen Ministry
training also helps you to know exactly when and how to help your
care receiver get professional help when necessary. The Peer Supervision
Group, the Stephen Leaders, and the pastor are also there to help
you to make such decisions.
Question:
How will I personally benefit from this experience?
Answer: You will learn many skills that will be valuable in your
personal life as well as in your Stephen Ministry. Also, the satisfaction
of helping another person is a wonderful blessing.
Question:
Do I have to stop being a Stephen Minister after two years?
Answer: No. Many people decide to continue as Stephen Ministers
after two years. You and your Stephen Leaders will make that decision
when the time comes.
Question:
Who will be the care receivers?
Answer: Members of this congregation who are experiencing times
of special need and other people within our community who may
turn to us for help. Thus, Stephen Ministry is also a way to reach
out to others as well as to our own members.
Question:
Will the care receiver really want my care?
Answer: Yes. A Stephen Leader will meet first with the care receiver.
Only after the care receiver understands Stephen Ministry and
has agreed to meet with a Stephen Minister will you be contacted.
Question:
Are other people as scared as I seem to be about this undertaking?
Answer: Probably so! But the training will eliminate much of this
fear because you will not only learn what to say but also, and
more importantly, how to listen.
Question:
How do I apply?
Answer: Download an application at the link above or call Bobbie
484-3356 or her confidential voice mail 530-7917. You will be
given an application form to complete. Then you will have an opportunity
to meet with a Stephen Leader to ask any questions and to make
your final decision.
Question:
What Kind of Man Would Receive the Care of a Stephen Minister?
Answer:
A man like Adam
who was cut off from all that gave meaning to life and needed
someone to remind him of God’s promise.
A
man like Noah
who witnessed the destruction of everything around him and needed
someone to wait with him for a new day.
A
man like Abraham
who needed to leave everything he knew and loved behind him and
needed someone to journey with him to a new life.
A
man like Moses
who faced great opposition and needed a companion to support him
and speak on his behalf.
A
man like David
who grieved the death of a wayward child and needed a shepherd’s
care.
A
man like Elijah
who thought he was all alone and needed a still small voice to
encourage him.
A
man like Job
who lost everything and needed someone to silently endure his
pain with him.
A
man like Peter
who found himself in over his head and needed the strong hand
of a faithful friend.
A
man like Paul
who knew the unending distress of a thorn in the flesh and needed
someone to rejoice when he rejoiced and to weep when he wept.
A
man like Jesus
who knew intense disappointment, sorrow, grief, rejection, and
loneliness and needed an angel of God to minister to him.
A
man like you.
Question:
What Kind of Woman Would Receive the Care of a Stephen Minister?
Answer:
A woman like Sarah
who faced a major change in life at an advanced age and needed
someone to listen to both her joy and apprehension
A
woman like Hagar
who was abandoned along with her child and needed someone to offer
her hope and remind her of God’s promise.
A
woman like Hannah
who struggled with her inability to bear a child and needed someone
with whom to share her sadness and pain.
A
woman like Naomi
who had lost her loved ones and needed someone to hear her sorrow
and pain.
A
woman like Ruth
who left everything that was familiar to her and needed someone
to journey with her in her new life.
A
woman like Esther
who was faced with a major decision and needed someone who could
listen to her concerns and offer encouragement.
A
woman like Mary of Nazareth
who lived with both the joys and struggles of having an exceptional
child and needed someone to help her sort out the ponderings of
her heart.
A
woman like Martha
who was burdened by the demands of daily life and needed someone
to help her regain sight of what was most important.
A
woman like Mary Magdalene
who received healing from inner turmoil and needed someone to
walk with her as she built a new life.
A woman like you.
If
you would like to know more about how a Stephen Minister could
care for you,
please see or call Bobbie Bonk 970-484-3356 or confidential voice
mail 970.530.7917.
Copyright
©2000 by Stephen Ministries, St. Louis.
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