Stephen Ministers are Vine congregation members trained by our Vine Stephen Leaders to offer care to people who are hurting. A Stephen Minister typically has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person once a week for about an hour.
Care receivers are individuals in the Vine congregation or local community who are going through a crisis or life difficulty. Potential care receivers first meet with a pastor or Stephen Leader, who assesses their needs for care and matches them with a Stephen Minister. The caring relationship lasts for as long as the need persists.
Stephen Minister training is an engaging, energizing experience that features a mixture of presentation, video, group discussion, skill practice, and spiritual growth activities.
Stephen Minister training . . .
- teaches principles and skills that equip you to provide high-quality, Christ-centered emotional and spiritual care to others.
- gives you new insight into the thoughts, feelings, and actions of people who are hurting.
- equips you with relational and caring skills you can apply to all aspects of your life.
- helps deepen your faith as the Holy Spirit fashions you into a Christ-centered caregiver.
- builds a special bond of Christian community and camaraderie among all those in your class.
- is highly interactive, engaging, and a lot of fun!
How and Where the Training Happens
Stephen Minister training takes place at The Vine and is led by our congregation’s trained Stephen Leaders.
Training:
- is typically taught in 20 weekly sessions, possibly including one or more retreats
- combines Pre-Class Reading, devotions, presentation, discussion, skill practice, and video
Training will begin the first week in August 2026.
