“As a Stephen Minister we are caregivers, God is the cure giver.”
— J.L. Martin,
Stephen Ministry
leader in Iola

By JENELLE JOHNSON
Family Living Editor

First Christian Church’s youth pastor J.L. Martin said during his three years at the church he had been searching for a unique way to reach out to community members.
Through discussions with congregational members he learned about Stephen Ministry.
Stephen Ministry trains lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in the congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
Martin spent a week last fall in St. Louis, Mo., at the Stephen Ministries headquarters to train to become a Stephen Ministry leader. Ten members of First Christian recently completed 50 hours of Stephen training and are ready to be paired with those in need.

Register/Jenelle Johnson First Christian Church’s youth pastor J.L. Martin has began a Stephen Ministry at the church to help area residents through troubled times in their lives.

Stephen ministers are not counselors. “They are lay people providing emotional and spiritual care,” Martin said.
Martin visits with the person requesting a Stephen minister and then matches him or her with a same-sex person. Volunteers filled out questioners stating situations they would not feel comfortable talking about with another person.
Stephen ministers are trained to provide emotional care to people facing the loss of a loved one, hospitalization, divorce or separation, loneliness, spiritual crisis, job crisis, aging, birth or infertility and many other life challenges.
“All meetings are confidential. No one knows, except the caregiver and I, who the people are requesting help,” Martin said.
There is no 10-step plan for a Stephen minister’s visits. Stephen ministers meet with their matched person at least once a week for an hour and continue for as long as needed.
During training sessions Stephen ministers become familiar with area agencies such as hospice, Social and Rehabilitation Services and Alcoholics Anonymous so they can refer their charge for professional services if necessary.
“Our caregivers will help people by giving ideas on how to find solutions to their problems. Our purpose is not to give advice or to counsel, we will be there to lend a caring ear to listen to the person’s problems,” Martin said.
Anyone with emotional needs in the community may call Martin about the ministry. There is no obligation on the person’s part to attend First Christian Church.
“We aren’t trying to recruit people to join our church. We just want to help people in need,” Martin said.

STEPHEN MINISTRY is a not-for-profit Christian education organization based in St. Louis. It was founded in 1975 to provide training and resources to lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people. Visit www.stephenministries.org for more information about the program or call Martin at (620) 365-3436.