|
Mae Lee and I attended the Stephen Ministries ( https://www.stephenministry.org/stephenministry/default.cfm/931 ) Workshop held at the Methodist Church in Alamo, this Saturday morning, March 13th. The Stephen Ministers is a confidential support and care system that would help our pastor in providing care for members of our congregation. The comprehensive training of more than 50 hours would enable a Stephen Minister to help the pastor in caring for our congregation in the following:
| Loss of a loved one |
Hospitalization |
| Divorce or separation |
Loneliness or discouragement |
| Spiritual crisis |
Unemployment or job crisis |
| Terminal illness |
Chronic illness |
| Incarceration |
Aging and other critical needs |
The Stephen Ministries were founded on New Testament principals. Jesus instructed us to “…love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:12, Paul, in Galatians 6:2, exhorts us to “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” and in Ephesians 4:32 he says “..be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” In first Thessalonians 5:15, Paul instructs us to “see that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. And finally, James 5:16 states “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”
Stephen Ministries are non-denominational. Some other churches who have implemented the Stephen Ministries are Mary, Mother of the Church, Minneapolis, MN http://www.mmotc.org/index.php?page=82 , the Lookout Mountain Community Church (has trained over 500 people) http://www.lomcc.org/c/serve/stephen-ministry/ , and the Westside Missionary Baptist Church (17 years) https://www.stephenleader.org/PDFs/WestSideMissionaryBaptist.pdf .
Mae Lee and I were very impressed by this program and would encourage ideas and feedback from other members of our congregation about implementing this program at our church.
|
