Reflections On “Health Ministry”

THURS., AUG. 6, 1998, 11:17 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

Two hours ago you were in a lively meeting in the Hospital’s conference room, learning more about health ministries in churches in this area. You know that this is a “program” that could use your experience and capacities rather fully. Yet your enthusiasm for it is not bounding. What about Mine? Stick with Me, and you shall hear.

First, as expected, I shall voice approval of the concept in your culture today. Both health and healing are fundamentally spiritual, and when the body can’t heal, the death that results is a spiritual happening. This all fits with the approach to health that you favored and taught during this last portion of your career, and now it has a practical application – in church congregations.

And yet you see that such a ministry, in your church, would require organization and administration. These have never been strengths of yours, and this is no time to try to make weaknesses become something like strengths. So your thoughts, at the meeting, were also My thoughts: if someone would organize and run it you would… and should… participate. It could be a good use of some developed capacities of yours, a form of service appropriate to who you “have been.”

However, what you can do now, an even more appropriate service, is to write about this in your church newsletter, encouraging it with words about its successes and potential in each issue. You also can report on this to the Session, so that, “officially” it is a possible program known by your church and its members.

But you realize, of course, that as you are perceived as an advocate of such a program… which would have to be coordinated with Christian Social Action and with the Deacons and their ministries… you would be the logical one to organize and coordinate this or to find the person better than you to take on these necessary tasks.

During your active career you resisted many such opportunities, realizing that you had strengths, but that organizing and administrating were not among such. You must honor such judgments about yourself and not take on responsibilities that shall be naturally burdensome… for you… and that keep you from living the life we have planned for you – as a semi-monk. Your reading… and re-reading… relating to this “life pattern” has been disappointing, and you have just started to have some success in contemplation. Your Farm does not look as it should, because you haven’t organized your efforts to make it so, one organized task at time. (Note that if you can’t organize yourself, alone, don’t expect much success in organizing others for a program as complex as this one could be, for your church.

(Consider also that you decided, years ago, that relating to unhealthy people was not your life work… important as this is. While this is called a “health ministry” you perceive that most of the examples were of unhealthy persons or conditions… so, “to thine own self be true.”)

I commented, in an earlier Teaching, on your view of yourself as a “not-so-good husband”, and, with some agreement, I want you to have more time for Lenore. She also has to have more time for you, so that you can “have time for each other”. In some ways you are not alike, but it has been a pretty good marriage, fulfilling to both of you. When you consider taking on more tasks and responsibilities, consider how these detract from better time with Lenore, your “special mate” for this earth life.