You may have heard about Stephen Ministry and wondered whether it could help you. Perhaps you are grieving, facing an illness, feeling lonely, or carrying a burden that is difficult to explain. Still, you hesitate. Is my situation serious enough? What would we talk about? Who would know? What if I’m not comfortable with the person? Those questions deserve honest answers.

You care about people. You notice when someone is struggling, and you want them to know they are not alone. But when you hear an invitation to become a Stephen Minister, you may hesitate.

Would I know what to say? Could I make the time? What if someone’s problems were more than I could handle?

Those are reasonable questions. Becoming a Stephen Minister is a meaningful commitment, and you deserve a clear understanding of what it involves before deciding whether to apply.

Preaching should and must have a great impact on the welfare, present and future, of the human race. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the US struggles with mental illness in a given year.

It has been said that much of the world is in a mental health crisis, especially in this post-pandemic era. “At least one in five, and in some parts of the world perhaps as many as one in two, people experience mental ill health during the course of their lifetime.” This has serious implications.