What is Peer Ministry?
What is the National Peer Ministry Center?
What do Peer Ministers do?
Who is Barbara Varenhorst, Ph. D.?
Associates

What is Peer Ministry?

Peer Ministry?

It is about...

...making a friend

...being a friend

...helping a friend

Peer Ministry?

It is the Good Samaritan story.

Instead of preaching and teaching it,

You get the skills necessary to live it.

Peer Ministry?

Is about intentional acts of kindness.

Peer Ministry?

Kids ministering to kids.

Peer Ministry?

They are either leading

or they are leaving.

Peer Ministry?

There is a big difference between

a youth group and youth ministry.

Peer Ministry?

You aren’t doing youth ministry,

until youth are doing ministry.

Peer Ministry?

It is not a job,

It is an attitude.

Peer Ministry?

It is taking what concerns youth the most…

Friendships!

 …and lets them discover relationships are ministry.

Peer Ministry?

While others talk about ministry in committees,

While others equate ministry with microphones,

Peer Ministers learn to live ministry

in quiet caring and welcoming ways.

Peer Ministry?

It is a way of life.

It is a habitual practice of doing onto the least of these,

to the glory of God

and service to the people met in every circumstance.

Peer Ministry?

It is not a program.

It is the vital relational core that energizes all other ministry

with peers, families, programs, and communities.

Peer Ministry?

It is mutual ministry in that the minister expects to learn as well as teach, expects to receive as well as give, expects to be loved and cared for

as well as to be loving and caring.

Peer Ministry?

 Participants grow in the midst of mutual sharing of both life's strengths and weaknesses – regardless of age, wisdom, knowledge, authority, or expertise.

 

Two Key Words

1. Welcoming

Peer Ministers develop a sensitivity to others who are not adapting or fitting in, making everyeffort to welcome and include others in all situations promoting diversity and acceptance.

 

2. Caring

Peer Ministers become aware of the hurts and needs of those around them living out the Good Samaritan story. They are available as caring listeners, guiding healthy and purposeful decisions, assisting others to learn the social skills, and referring to appropriate resources when needed.

 

Peer Ministry consists of four elements:

1. Quality training in caring skills.

2. Commitment to growth in faith and values.

3. Christian Service to other people.

4. A life long attitude of ministry

A Peer Minister...

• Loves God.
• Loves their neighbor as him or her self.
• Is warm, genuine and empathetic.
• Helps clarify concerns and values.
• Listens for meaning behind the words.
• Explores alternatives and consequences.
• Asks open and feeling level questions.
• Makes observations and checks assumptions.
• Realizes not all problems can be solved.
• Realizes that not all people want to be helped.
• Know when and how to refer someone.
• Welcomes outsiders into their groups.
• Prays for others and their needs.

A Peer Minister Does Not...

• Tell people what to do.
• Band-Aid problems with cheap sympathy.
• Talk mainly about him or her self.
• Encourage dependency.
• Put people down.
• Gossip.
• Act as if he or she is superior to others.
• Expect all problems to be solved easily.
• Work with problems beyond his or he capabilities.
• Judge others.