Our Stephen Ministers have already completed substantial training to
equip them for their task. We now lay hands on them, pray for them, and
send them out to minister, asking for God’s blessing and the Spirit’s wisdom
and power.
This commissioning service offers an opportunity to show our support for
this ministry. Our Stephen Ministers will be depending on our support in
the time ahead as they assume the duties of their ministry. How can we
help?
First of all, we can pray for our Stephen Leaders, our Stephen Ministers,
and their care receivers. This ministry calls for both time and effort. At
times they may feel tired, discouraged, or convinced that they are not
accomplishing anything. The assurance of our prayers and appreciation
will help them keep moving forward.
We can also affirm and show our appreciation for this valuable ministry.
We can tell them how much their hard work means to us, tell others how
much we value our Stephen Ministry, and focus attention on our Stephen
Ministers to bless and affirm them in special ways—as we do with our
commissioning services.
We can become involved in this ministry in many ways. Some of us may
recognize a call to use our special gifts in this ministry and may apply to be
a Stephen Leader or Stephen Minister. Others may accept the care of a
Stephen Minister. We can be ministers of referral, watching for people in
need and suggesting a Stephen Minister’s care. We all can give our enthusiastic
support by keeping Stephen Ministry always before us and by
praying for and affirming those who have answered God’s call to serve in
this way.