Although I first heard of this ministry twenty years ago when a family friend was visited by a Stephen Minister, I have personal knowledge of this caring ministry as my mother was a care receiver for many months before she passed away. Now, I am honored to be a Stephen Minister at Lord of Life along with 8 other caring ministers.
Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one care giving ministry, which is a part of a nation-wide ministry made up of over 12,000 congregations and 170 different denominations. Through its ministry, congregations equip and empower caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting. They are trained to be a non-anxious, non-judgmental ear to hear whatever is on your heart.
The mission of Stephen Ministries is found in Ephesians 4:12-13, “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ."
When I first mentioned to my mother that I thought she might benefit from having a Stephen Minister from her church, she was very defensive, thinking that I thought she needed help. Since I worked full time, and lived two and a half hours from her, I was not able to visit her as often as either of us would have liked. When I explained the reasons I thought she might enjoy regular visits from a Stephen Minister, she did allow the Stephen Leader to meet with her to discuss the concept.
Once her Stephen Minister was assigned, my mother could not wait for her visits, as they allowed her to express her concerns about her failing health, and her anxiety and sadness at having to sell her home of fifty-six years. She was able to pray about her fears and her readiness to join my father in Heaven. These were topics that she could not discuss with me, as I believe she was afraid it would hurt me.
I will be forever grateful for her Stephen Minister, and hope that I can be a caring minister to others struggling with crises in their lives. I know that God has put people in my life at just the time I needed them, to help me through periods of sadness and grief. I look forward to the intensive training I will take later this year to become a Stephen Leader, helping other lay members with training to be commissioned as I have been.
Please give prayerful consideration to reaching out to request a Stephen Minister for yourself or a loved one as needed. We are here to walk beside you through those difficult times during your journey through life.
If you are, or know someone who is experiencing difficult times, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis, you can be in touch with the Pastor or the Stephen Ministry team by contacting Ava Fiebig at
Wishing you Peace,
Cindy Campbell, Stephen Minister