Building long-term pastoral sustainability through lay caregiving teams : the impact of Stephen Ministry on pastors, congregants, and the community

Schlueter, Justin M.

Mobius Work

Building long-term pastoral sustainability through lay caregiving teams : the impact of Stephen Ministry on pastors, congregants, and the community

Pubblico Deposited

Analytics

1 online resource (xi, 205 leaves)

Includes abstract.

D. Min. Covenant Theological Seminary 2025

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 194-205)

Titolo

Building long-term pastoral sustainability through lay caregiving teams : the impact of Stephen Ministry on pastors, congregants, and the community

Ultima modifica

08/04/2025

Creatore

Schlueter, Justin M.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how solo pastors describe the benefits to their ministry sustainability of having lay caregiving teams in their congregations. Solo pastors from a variety of settings face similar challenges including the expectation to meet more caregiving needs than they could handle. These challenges lead pastors feeling pressure and stress with maintaining the demands of the ministry, overwhelmed by the workload, and exhaustion and burnout, which contribute to them leaving the ministry. This study utilized a qualitative design using semi-structured interviews with ten solo pastors from various denominations and geographic regions who were able to communicate in-depth about the benefits they received from expanding pastoral care through a Stephen Ministry team of well-equipped lay caregivers. The interviews focused on gaining data with four research questions: what challenges to ministry sustainability do pastors face before establishing a caregiving team, what benefits to ministry sustainability do pastors experience after establishing a caregiving team, what theological beliefs help motivate pastors to establish a caregiving team, and how do pastors describe the benefits that a caregiving team has on the congregation, including those on the team, those who receive care, and the congregation and community? The literature review focused on three key areas to explore how solo pastors describe the benefits to their ministry sustainability of having lay caregiving teams in their congregation: an exploration of Ephesians 4:11–13, which provides the theological foundation for the role of laity in the work of the ministry, the use of empathy in client-centered approaches to pastoral care, and forming and maintaining teams. This study concluded that there are four principles that churches and pastors can embrace that will promote long-term ministry sustainability: pastors should not be the only ones who do the work of the ministry, there needs to be an effective team established to expand pastoral care, the team can provide high-quality ministry when they are equipped to offer empathy and client-centered care, and pastors will experience several benefits to long-term ministry sustainability when this team is sharing ministry responsibilities. To address these challenges, this study identified recommended practices for denominational leaders, congregation members, and pastors to establish caregiving teams.

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