Lou Schopfer

Stephen Ministries

Stephen Ministries (or Stephen Ministries St. Louis) is an independent, not-for-profit Christian educational organization, founded in 1975 and based in St. Louis, Missouri. We are a team of 40 dedicated people—pastors and laity—from a variety of denominational backgrounds, committed to serving God and equipping God's people for ministry. Our organization draws its name from St. Stephen. In the book of Acts, Chapter 6, Stephen was chosen to provide caring ministry to those in need. Since the days of the Apostles, caring ministry has been a hallmark of the Christian faith community—and is at the heart of all we do at Stephen Ministries. Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system. More than 13,000 congregations from 170 Christian denominations are now involved. In addition to the system of lay caring ministry, we produce training and resources known for their excellence, practicality, psychological integrity, and theological depth. These resources cover topics such as caring ministry, assertive relating, dealing with cancer, spiritual gifts discovery, grief support, spiritual growth, and more. Congregations and other organizations use these resources to strengthen and expand ministry. Individuals use them to improve their ability to relate to and care for others, grow in faith, and journey through life crises. For more information about Stephen Ministries, visit www.stephenministries.org or give us a call at (314) 428-2600.