stephen ministry

What is Stephen Ministry?

Stephen Ministry is a practical, Christ-centered way for regular folks in the church to care for each other. It trains everyday believers called Stephen Ministers to walk alongside people going through tough stuff: grief, divorce, job loss, illness, whatever life throws at them. The whole goal is to give real, one-on-one emotional and spiritual support in a confidential way, and it helps the pastors by spreading the load of caring for the congregation and even folks in the community.

Here's the heart of it:

• How it works: A leader matches someone hurting with a trained Stephen Minister of the same gender. They usually meet once a week for prayer, honest listening, and steady, gentle support.

• The Ministers: These aren’t professionals, just committed church members who go through solid training on really listening, keeping good boundaries, and offering caring companionship.

• Total confidentiality: Whatever’s shared stays between the two of them. No gossip, no exceptions.

• Not therapy: We’re not counselors or therapists. We’re just there to be a faithful, Christ-like presence. We’re trained to spot when someone needs a professional and help them get there.

• It’s free: No charge at all. It’s an act of love offered to our church family and anyone in the community who needs it.

Our ministry has been active at Living Waters since 2020. We’re asking YOU to be a lookout for others in church or within “your circle” who might by grieving silently with no one with whom to talk.