Introduction<br > Stephen Ministry is distinctively Christian caregiving for<br > people going through difficult times or who are otherwise in<br > need of support in their lives. A Stephen Minister often<br > comes alongside a person whose life has been turned topsy-<br > turvy by a crisis or tragedy and cares for that person as he or<br > she puts his or her life back together.<br > Sometimes， however， a person s troubles push him or<br > her beyond where a Stephen Minister can help. When that<br > happens， the person needs the care of a mental health pro-<br > fessional. The determining factor is the person s internal<br > reaction to the crisis--how difficult the crisis is for him or<br > her to deal with. One person might be able to handle a crisis<br > that would completely overwhelm another person. When a<br > crisis pushes a person beyond his or her ability to cope， that<br > person needs a mental health professional s care.<br > The purpose of this book is to help Stephen Ministers， Stephen<br > Leaders， Referrals Coordinators， Supervision Group Facilitators，<br > and members of church staffs know when and how to involve men-<br > tal health professionals in caregiving situations.<br > The terminology in this purpose statement is familiar to<br > Stephen Ministers and Stephen Leaders--the main audience<br >， of this book--but there are readers who will not know the<br >