Capitalizing on Common, Untapped Gifts

In involving gifted laypeople in caring ministry, pastors benefit, too, because they don’t have to bear the burden of caring ministry on their own. Pastors can continue to be involved in providing care in certain instances, but now they have a team of gifted, trained, passionate laypeople providing the largest slice of parish care.

Most important, these lay caregivers are very well trained. Pastors who lead Stephen Ministry often say that their Stephen Ministers receive much better training in care giving than the seminary ever provided. Training Stephen Ministers also is a very leveraged activity—for the Stephen Ministers and for the trainers. Stephen Ministers regularly describe their training as life-changing.

The pastors and other leaders who conduct the training are preparing a class of 10, 15, or more lay caregivers in much less time than it would take to personally mentor one person to the same level by bringing him or her along on pastoral visits. Lay leaders can conduct most or all of the training. Knowing that he or she can count on such effective lay caregivers frees the pastor to focus on other vital leadership functions. 20051023