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The Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one caring ministry by trained, caring lay persons known as Stephen Ministers. It was founded by Dr. Kenneth C. Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1975 and is named after Stephen, the first deacon in the early church(Acts 6).

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Stephen Ministers are lay people with gifts for care-giving who receive 50 hours of training before providing confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals who are experiencing temporary difficulties or challenges. For example, individuals who are lonely, grieving, divorced or separated, new to their location, in a spiritual crisis, unemployed, aging, new parents, or experiencing other stresses in life. Although Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry, Stephen Ministers are not counselors. They are trained Christian caregivers. Their role is listen and care – not counsel and advise.

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Stephen Ministers Are Care-Givers, God Is the Cure-Giver. The role of a Stephen Minister is to give care. They listen, empathize, encourage, pray, and provide emotional and spiritual support on a weekly basis to hurting people for as long as the need persists. God works in and through them to bring hope and healing.
 

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