San Diego, California—On Saturday, January 30, 2027, Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church in San Diego will be hosting a regional, cross-denominational celebration and learning event by Stephen Ministries, the international Christian educational nonprofit best known for the Stephen Ministry system of lay caregiving.
The event, part of Stephen Ministries’ 50th anniversary tour, is open to the general public and features presentations on topics such as grief, what Jesus teaches us about empathy, caring for full-time caregivers, cancer ministry, expanding congregational care through Stephen Ministry, and how churches can help combat the mental health crisis. Stephen Ministries’ founder, Dr. Kenneth C. Haugk, and other members of the organization’s teaching faculty will be speaking at the event.
Stephen Ministries was founded in 1975 by Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist. Over the half-century since, the organization’s resources have been used by tens of thousands of congregations worldwide, representing over 190 Christian denominations. Through Stephen Ministry in particular, more than 600,000 people have been trained as lay caregivers, and they in turn have provided care to millions of hurting people.
To mark fifty years of ministry, Stephen Ministries is conducting a nationwide tour of celebration and learning events. The tour began in St. Louis in August 2025 and will continue throughout 2027, with additional stops planned in Raleigh, Detroit, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the Sacramento area, and more. The theme of the tour is “Building a More Caring World,” which reflects Stephen Ministries’ vision to help all people care and relate with greater compassion and excellence. In addition, Stephen Ministries is introducing a new initiative for helping congregations combat the mental health crisis.
“We’re so excited to welcome Dr. Haugk and the Stephen Ministries team to San Diego,” says Jason Ko, Lead Pastor at Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church. “Our congregation has used and benefited from their resources for years, and we can’t wait for others in our community and region to learn from their staff’s decades of research and experience.”
The Stephen Ministries 50th Anniversary Celebration and Learning Event hosted by Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2027, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. On-site check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. The cost is $15 per person, and a box lunch can be purchased for an additional $12. To learn more and register yourself or a group, visit stephenministries.org/celebrateSD.
Spots are limited. For additional details or questions, call the Stephen Ministries office at (314) 428-2600.