The Health Message and the Church

7/29/2019 The Health Message and the Church

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Lidia Belkis ArchboldHealth Ministries IAD

The Health Message

and

The Church



How did we receive it?

• On June 6, 1863, Ellen G. White received

her first and greatest vision about health.

This event occurred less than two weeks

after the church was officially organized.

(May 21, 1863)

Story of our Health Message p. 76



Most people believe that ourwork with the health messageis focused on:

Hospitals

Clinics

Doctor’s private offices

Wellness centers

ADRA



Small sanitariums should be established in

many places. This willopen doors for theentrance of Bible truth and

will remove much of theprejudice that existsagainst those who look

upon the colored peopleas having souls to be savedas well as the white

people. {7T 58.1}



Purpose of Sanitarium• as one of God's chosen ways of proclaiming the third

angel's message CH 248

• as place in which successful medical and surgical work can be done MM 26-7

• clearly given in connection with light calling for medical institution CH 469-70

• established to: advance God's closing work on earth CH233, 554; MM 55

• advance present truth MM 207; 7T 97; 8T 200

• be agencies in the fulfillment of God's purposes MM 26

• bring healing and blessing to suffering human beingsMM 173

• bring spiritual and physical healing to the sick MM 40

• cure sick bodies CH 470

• help make up number of God's people MM 327



• From its beginnings, the Seventh Day

Adventist church has promoted ahealing and health philosophy based

on one of its fundamental beliefs

that the body is the temple of theHoly Spirit.

• This philosophy of the church

incorporates the promotion of physical, mental and spiritual well-

being of the whole person.



• We keep it in a capsule

• It has not been practiced, as it should

• It has not been shared, as it should…



Every Church a Community

Health Center



Every Church…

• The Lord showed me that in every

place where a church is established,

medical missionary work should be

done also.

• Battle Creek Letters, p. 11



Every Church…

• Every church should be a training school

for Christian workers. Its members should

be taught how to give Bible readings, how

to conduct and teach Sabbath-schoolclasses, how best to help the poor and to

care for the sick, how to work for the

unconverted. MH149



• The church of Christ is organized

for service. Its watchword is

ministry. Its members are soldiers,

to be trained for conflict under the

Captain of their salvation. Christianministers, physicians, teachers,

have a broader work than many

have recognized. MH 148



• The monotony of our service for Godneeds to be broken up. Every church

member should be engaged in someline of service for the Master. Somecannot do so much as others, buteveryone should do his utmost to rollback the tide of disease and distressthat is sweeping over our world.Many would be willing to work if they

were taught how to begin. They needto be instructed and encouraged.

• MH 149



WHY IS IT THAT THE HEALTH

MESSAGE HAS NOT BEENSUCCESSFUL IN OUR

CHURCHES?



1. We have not presented the

message as a gift from God

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good

health and that all may go well with you,

even as your soul is getting along well.”

3 John 2



We have focused only on the

negative aspects of the message

• Health principle is not just to quiteating meat.

• It is a Healthy Lifestyle!




Health Center

Non Vegetarian Vegetarian



We have used the Health

Message to:

• Accuse

• Make people feel guilty

• Put pressure/manipulate



It is of little use to try to reform

others by attacking what we may

regard as wrong habits. Such effort

often results in more harm thangood. MH 156



In our experience we have seen

many who have not presented health

reform in a manner to make the best

impression upon those whom theywish would receive their views. The

Bible is full of wise counsel, and even

the eating and drinking receive proper attention. 3SM 283





• Health reform, wisely treated, will prove anentering wedge where the truth may follow

with marked success. But to present health

reform unwisely, making that subject theburden of the message, has served to

create prejudice with unbelievers and to

bar the way to the truth, leaving theimpression that we are extremists. 3SM 285



• We must educate, educate, educatepleasantly and intelligently. We must preachthe truth, pray the truth, and live the truth,bringing it with its gracious, health-givinginfluences within the reach of those whoknow it not. As the sick are brought intotouch with the Life-giver their faculties of

mind and body will be renewed.Medical Ministry 262



WHY IS IT THAT THE HEALTH

MESSAGE HAS NOT BEENSUCCESSFUL IN OUR

CHURHCES ?



2. Because we have notunderstood that the Health

Message – MedicalMissionary and Pastoral

Ministry should be as united

as the arm is to the body.

E Ch h C i




Health Center

Health messageHealth Professionals PastoralMinistry



• Those who go forth to engage in the workof the ministry must be intelligent upon the

subject of health reform. Those men who

after many years’ experience have yet no

appreciation of the medical missionarywork, should not be appointed to preside

over our churches. They are not walking in

the light of present truth for this time.Medical Ministry 238



The gospel of Christ is to be

bound up with medicalmissionary work, and medical

missionary work is to be bound

up with the gospel ministry.

Medical Ministry 253



The medical missionary work mustbe as closely connected with the work

of the gospel ministry as the hand and

arm are connected with the body. You

need the gospel ministry to giveprominence and stability to the medical

missionary work; and the ministry

needs the medical missionary work todemonstrate the practical working of

the gospel. Letter 135 1899

W h t ti h



We have come to a time when every

member of the church should take hold

of medical missionary work. The World

is a lazar house filled with victims of

both physical and spiritual disease.

Everywhere people are perishing for

lack of a knowledge of the truths that

have been committed to us. The

members of the church are in need of

awakening, that they may realize

THEIR responsibility to impart these

truths. 7T 62





It is the divine plan that we

shall work as the disciplesworked. Physical healing is

bound up with the gospel

commission. In the work of thegospel, teaching and healing

are never to be separated.

MH 141



• I wish to tell you that soonthere will be no work done

in ministerial lines but

medical missionary work.CH 533

E Ch h C it




Health Center

Health messageHealth Professionals

Pastoral

Ministry

Each member of the Church

A Health Minister

Non Vegetarian Vegetarian



• When church members

understand the real meaning

of the Health message, thenthe church will be ready to

serve the community.



What activities can be done in

the Church to open de doors to

the Community?



• Activities that can be done in the churches:

• How to control and reverse diabetes

• How to prevent cardiovascular diseases

• Cancer prevention

• The importance of exercise

– The importance of a proper diet

• How to balance the diet



•Activities …

• Struggle with addictions – Alcohol

– Cigarettes

– Drugs

– Pornography

• Hygiene and Health

• The importance of water

• How to manage stress

• The importance of a good rest

• And much more…



• There is need of coming close to the people by

personal effort. If less time were given tosermonizing, and more time were spent in personal

ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are

to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and

the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the

inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those

that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice.

Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will

not, cannot, be without fruit. MH 143

Conclusion…



• Christ's method alone will give true

success in reaching the people. The

Saviour mingled with men as one who

desired their good. He showed His

sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then

He bade them, "Follow Me."

MH 143



• It is our duty as health directors, pastors,health professionals and educators, to

take this message to the churches as

Jesus would have done, if He was here

with us.

• Let us ask for wisdom and understanding

from the all Almighty.

Amen



MY PLEDGE

• Realizing that my body is the TEMPLEOF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I PLEDGE by thegrace of God: to keep it from everythingphysically harmful and morally impure, tostay loyal and faithful to the Health lawsof God’s Word, to live in harmony with thecounsels of the Spirit of Prophecy, to be

an example to the faithful, a livingtestimony before the world.

J h 24 1

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The Health Message and the Church