 What
Does It Take To Be A Stephen Minister?
Becoming
a Stephen Minister may have crossed your mind a few times. You
might even have picked up a brochure or talked with one of the
Stephen Leaders about it. But now you want to take a closer look
at the idea of becoming a Stephen Minister. You’re wondering:
Is this right for me? Following are some guidelines that might
help you in your decision making.
Gifts
A Stephen Minister is a person with the gift of mercy, who shows
compassion and gives encouragement to and intercedes for those
he or she cares for. Many Stephen Ministers say that they receive
much more from the caring relationship with their care receiver
than they give.
Commitment
A Stephen Minister devotes time, energy, and resources to this
ministry. In return, a Stephen Minister has the chance to participate
in meaningful ministry, make a major difference in another person’s
life, and grow as a joyous child of God.
Training
A Stephen Minister completes 50 hours of training before ever
meeting with a care receiver. He or she learns about listening,
assertiveness, confidentiality, and many other aspects of caregiving.
After completing the initial training, there is continuing education.
Stephen Ministers find that their relationships become richer
and deeper at home, church, and work and with friends.
Dedicated
Service
A Stephen Minister serves wholeheartedly. This isn’t a casual
minister. It involves prayer, thought, consideration, study, and
commitment. In return, the Stephen Minister receives grateful
thanks from his or care receiver, our Stephen Leaders, Blessed
John XXIII University Parish, and our Lord.
Accountability
A Stephen Minister is accountable to God, to Blessed John XXIII
University Parish, the Stephen Leaders, the other Stephen Ministers,
and the care receiver. In return, he or she receives support,
encouragement, and guidance in Small Group Peer Supervision.
Continuous
Learning
A Stephen Minister is open to adjusting and adapting his or her
caregiving to fit the needs of the care receiver. He or she learns
more about caregiving at each meeting with a care receiver and
at each supervision session. Stephen Ministry is an experience
of continuous learning, growth, and joy.
A new training class for Stephen Ministers will begin in September,
2006. The Holy Spirit may be calling you to the joy, commitment,
growth, meaning, training, service, and care of being a Stephen
Minister. Pray for God’s guidance as you consider this opportunity.
For more information contact Bobbie Bonk, the Coordinator of Stephen
Ministry, by calling 484-3356 or confidential voice mail 530-7917.
Still
Saying "I Can't Be A Stephen Minister"?
Maybe you haven’t said this aloud
in a crowd, but you may have spoken it to yourself in the mirror—or
at least thought it. Anytime some new challenge shows up, the
“I can’t” phrase is bound to be nearby. You
may have heard about Stephen Ministry, realized that you do have
the gifts, the commitment, and the desire necessary to be a Stephen
Minister, and you even may have felt God’s tap on your shoulder.
But you still aren’t sure.
What are some of the reasons you’ve given yourself for not
becoming a Stephen Minister? Here are some likely candidates.
“I’m
not qualified to be a Stephen Minister.”
What
qualifications are necessary to be a Stephen Minister? You need
to be a caring person who is willing to learn, grow, and serve.
You must be willing and able to maintain confidentiality. You
need to make a commitment to training, ministry, and supervision.
If you meet these qualifications, your Stephen Leaders will equip
you with the rest of what you need: training, support, encouragement,
care, and prayers. They will make sure that you will succeed as
a Stephen Minister.
“I don’t know what to say or do in a ministry
situation.”
Stephen
Ministry training is thorough and practical. It includes listening,
dealing with feelings, assertiveness, confidentiality, maintaining
boundaries, how to begin and end caring relationships, and how
to care for people who are grieving, dying, aging, divorcing,
and experiencing other life crises. The goal of training is to
prepare Stephen Ministers fro whatever they might encounter when
working with care receivers. Through reading, lecture, questions
and answers, and skill practice you will learn what you need to
know to succeed as a Stephen Minister, After being assigned to
a care receiver, Stephen ministers participate in continuing education
and Peer Supervision Group sessions. This is where they care for
and support one another and sharpen their caregiving skills.
“I
have problems in my own life. How can I help other people with
their problems?”
Some
problems are so big that you need to address your own needs and
wait until later to be a Stephen Minister. After you have worked
through your problems, however, your experience of finding God’s
help and care in your struggles is some of the best preparation
you’ll ever receive for caring for others during their tough
times. Stephen Ministers aren’t problem solvers, they are
problem bearers. A Stephen Minister’s job is to walk beside
another person as that person works through his or her struggles.
The Stephen Minister brings stability, prayer, and Christ’s
love to the care receiver’s situation.
“I
don’t have enough time to be a Stephen Minister.”
There’s
a way in which that is true for everyone—time is a precious
commodity. As a matter of fact, time is so precious that it only
makes sense to use it on activities that make a real difference—in
others’ lives as well as in your own life. When you make
the commitment to be a Stephen Minister, you will find the hours
you need to devote to it. Stephen Ministry becomes a priority
among the many activities you’re involved in. The time investment
is significant, but so is the contribution you will be making
to building God’s kingdom.
Bobbie
Bonk, Coordinator of Stephen Ministry, will put you in touch with
Stephen Ministers who can share their personal stories with you—stories
of how God has poured blessings into their lives through their
service as Stephen Ministers. In another year, one of these blessing
stories may be your own.
Copyright
©2000 by Stephen Ministries, St. Louis.
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