ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH
(The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod)
Alma, Kansas
A family united by faith in Christ gathering around God's Word and Sacraments.
To reach out in Christ-like concern and Christ-borne love to each other and to those without Christ!
In This Month's
St. John Witness
JULY WITNESS
Theology for the Day / Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry
What is Stephen Ministry? Congregations equip lay caregivers to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting or are experiencing grief, divorce, cancer, job loss, loneliness, disability, relocation, and other life difficulties. Stephen Ministers serve in a one to one relationship of trust, care, and Christ-like concern. If you think you might benefit from having a Stephen Minister, please call Pastor Grimm, or talk with one of these servants of God. - Don Frank, Charlie Gann, Judy Peddicord, Junior Stuewe, Carol White.
If you would be interested in becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact Pastor Grimm.
Below is more information about the Stephen Series & Stephen MInistry.
- Why is it called the Stephen Series?
Stephen was one of the first laypeople commissioned by the Apostles to provide caring ministry (Acts 6). Series describes the steps a congregation follows to implement the caring ministry system, which is commonly called Stephen Ministry.
- How many congregations are using Stephen Ministry?
More than 11,000 congregations are enrolled, with hundreds more enrolling each year. They represent more than 150 denominations and come from all 50 United States, 10 Canadian provinces, and 24 other countries. Many congregations have had Stephen Ministry going strong for 20 or 30 years—or longer.
- What size congregations are involved?
Stephen Ministry congregations range from fewer than 100 members to more than 10,000. Churches of any size have opportunities to care for hurting people in the congregation and community.
- What are Stephen Ministers?
Stephen Ministers are laypeople who commit to two years of learning, growing, and caring. They receive Christian caregiving training in their congregation and then provide one-to-one Christ-centered care to hurting people. Each Stephen Minister typically has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person once a week.
- What types of caregiving situations are Stephen Ministers used in?
Stephen Ministers provide high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing a variety of crises or life challenges—people who are experiencing grief, divorce, cancer, financial difficulties, hospitalization, chronic illness, job loss, disabilities, loneliness, a spiritual crisis, or other life struggles.
In addition to caring for members within the congregation, Stephen Ministers can provide care to nonmembers, reaching out to unchurched people in crisis.
- What are Stephen Leaders?
Stephen Leaders are pastors and lay leaders who direct Stephen Ministry in their congregation. They attend a one-week Leader’s Training Course (LTC) where they learn how to effectively lead their congregation’s Stephen Ministry.
- What is the meaning of the logo?
The Stephen Series logo symbolizes that we are all broken people and that we are only made whole through the cross of Jesus.
Since 1975 nearly a half million Christian men and women from all walks of life have trained and served as Stephen Ministers in their congregations. Most decide to become Stephen Ministers as a way to help hurting people in their congregation and community—but very quickly discover that God gives them amazing blessings in return.
- What do people say about Stephen Ministry?
“My faith has grown, my prayer life has doubled, and I know how to really make a difference in people’s lives. I’d encourage anyone who has the chance to become a Stephen Minister.”
George Lund, Architect Prairie Village, Kansas“Being a Stephen Minister has taught me to rely on God instead of always trying to fix things myself. I’ve learned what to say, how to listen, and what to do during a crisis. It’s a great feeling to provide people with the spiritual care and support they need.”
John Eichelberger, Physician Greenwood, South Carolina“The assertiveness skills I learned through Stephen Ministry gave me the courage and confidence I needed to be a more effective supervisor in my secular job—and to be more assertive in my personal relationships. Thank you for helping me develop these vital skills.”
Elizabeth McMillion, Rehabilitation Counselor Madison, Wisconsin
Theology for Today
Online Technology in the Church
The Commission on Theology and Church Relations submitted a report to the congregations of the LCMS. This is a study document and therefore does not proppose an "official" posiiton the Synod should take on these matters. In fact, in most cases of rapidly evolving technologies and their application in church life, it would be difficult, of not impossible, for the Synod to take a firm position (the practice of virtual Communion being a notable exception - see 2023 Resolution 5-08A). The CTCR wishes to make this document available for Synod wide study and use.
Over the next few monthe, St. John will repring these stady materials. This month we look at part four:
4. Online-Only Membership
With the expanded use of online technology by congregations, specifically in the form of
livestreamed services, there is a greater possibility of members joining a congregation and
participating solely online. The most obvious and potentially controversial or divisive form of
this might occur if an LCMS parishioner in one locality were to watch the online services of a
congregation located somewhere geographically that would prevent them from attending
worship in person, then ask to join that congregation. Should LCMS congregations accept
into their membership those who do not reside in a proximate geographical area and cannot
(or do not intend to) join the new congregation for in-person worship or to actively participate
in the life of that local congregation?
Missouri Synod congregations have often dealt with this dilemma when it comes to members of
a congregation that do not reside locally. It may be a college student, an elderly person who has
moved to a care facility or a member who has simply moved to another town. For any number of
reasons, the person has chosen to retain membership at the home congregation. If it is a
temporary — or potentially temporary — move, congregations will ordinarily keep them on the
rolls but urge them to attend worship or procure pastoral care in the interim. In the event of a
more permanent situation, pastors will advise them to visit a local congregation and speak to a
pastor there about transferring their membership. However, there are closer similarities to holding membership in a congregation that one does not or cannot attend. For instance, many LCMS congregations have a practice of “guest membership,” especially in the case of those who may live part of the year in one locale and part of the year in another, for reasons of weather or family. In these cases, the parishioner wishes to be an active member of an additional congregation, possibly with voting rights in both congregational assemblies. 13 Similarly, the homebound who lack the physical ability to attend services without great assistance retain membership in that congregation, despite the likelihood of never stepping foot inside the church building again for corporate worship.
In the case of online-only membership, there are some important differences to bear in mind.
One is the availability of pastoral care. The homebound may be unable to attend worship at a
local congregation, but pastors will routinely visit them to share the Word, pray and offer the
Lord’s Supper. If a parishioner from Baltimore were to join a congregation in Chicago, for
instance, that would not be possible. The Chicago pastor could not reasonably visit the Baltimore
parishioner. Likewise, there will be a limit to the pastor’s ability to get to know the parishioner,
to be with the parishioner in the event of a spiritual or personal crisis, or to be available to
officiate the parishioner’s funeral. Caring for the souls of one’s flock is a fundamental part of
Lutheran pastoral ministry and a reason why that pastoral ministry has long been referred to as
“soul-care” (from the German Seelsorge). To simply be unable to provide that care for reasons of
geographical proximity would unnecessarily detract from the very calling and responsibility of
the pastoral office — all the more unnecessarily if there is a pastor in that locality who can
provide such pastoral care.
The same is true for other elements of the local congregation’s life. If one were to be a non-local
member of a congregation who only participates online, there would be precious little
opportunity to establish and build relationships. As noted above, the congregation does not exist
solely to conduct worship services. The members of the church who gather together offer mutual
instruction, encouragement, consolation and admonition. The ability to develop relationships
where that might happen — in conjunction with a worship service or apart from it — would be
severely hampered, and any resulting fellowship limited to digital communication itself.
Moreover, since our churches reject the practice of online Communion as inconsistent with our
Lord’s institution of the Supper and its intended use, online members would be unable to receive
the Lord’s Supper at their congregation of membership, or from the pastor of that congregation.
One wonders how, in this event, we can even speak of the communion or fellowship (koinonia)
expressed at the table by virtue of our shared reception of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 10:14–22; 1
Cor. 11:17–34). There would be no shared participation at the Lord’s table or shared partaking of
Christ’s body and blood with the fellow members of one’s own congregation.
While there may conceivably be exceptional circumstances under which one participates in a
ministry of a local congregation, despite only being able to do so online, the Commission urges
against online membership. Pastors who receive queries about online membership would do well
to inquire about the reasons for interest in such membership and, if not local, direct the interested
individuals to a congregation close to them where they might attend and potentially join.
13 1989 Resolution 5-19 ("To Provide for Guest Membership") urged gongregations to allow for guest memberships that may entail, among other things, "attendance and participation in voters' assemblies as advisory or associate members" (1989 Proceedings, 139).
https://files.lcms.org/file/preview/ctce-report-online-technology-in-the-church-
