AMEN 2009 Student Conference: The Ministry of Healing

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Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN)

Chester Clark

Allen Lloyd

Mary Ann McNeilus

Raja Tooma

Wes Youngberg

Panel Discussion: The Ministry of Healing

As an introduction, the Amen student chapter has been trying to get a better grasp on the blueprint of the health message and medical evangelism.

And so we've decided to open up the book, The Ministry of Healing, and start studying.

And so we have come across some questions.

And we thought this would be a good opportunity with the guest presenters to have a question and answer session.

So we'll be having a panel discussion with some questions regarding the Ministry of Healing.

We have a few questions prepared and then we'll follow with some questions from you as well, if you have some questions.

So if you would please come up and have a seat here.

Well, thank you for being willing to share with us your thoughts.

We have a few questions, and I guess we'll start with the question, what is the role of education in the Ministry of Healing?

What is the role of education in the Ministry of Healing?

Youngberg, actually I need to do some introductions here.

And for more bio information, you can turn in your program at some point.

But did you, would you like to comment on that?

Yeah, I think for those of us who were here last night, Dr.

Nedley gave a great overview of that, especially from Matthew 9, right before Matthew 10, where we were being called out.

We learned what the trifecta purpose of Christ's ministry was, which is the model for us, and that begins with teaching, that begins with education.

So that's the great challenge for us, is that we have the proper education so that we can effectively and properly educate other people.

So that's the beginning that goes on into proclaiming the good news, which is the preaching, and then culminates with really healing, making a difference in people's lives.

They're seeking, they're desiring healing.

They don't understand that that healing has to be holistic in order to make a lasting difference.

And that's where the proper education comes in.

There's a chapter in the book Ministry of healing entitled Teaching and Healing.

And that chapter actually encompasses our work as physicians and dentists very well.

In fact, the word physician itself means teacher.

It doesn't really mean healer per se, but that's how it's interpreted in today's lingo.

But that chapter puts the 2 together, education and healing.

And really, in order to change anyone's life, you know, the stages of change, when you look at the psychological stages of change, the first stage in lay terms is to be, I'm trying to think of the, I'm thinking of the non-lay terms, but the lay terms is to be incompetent and to be unaware that you are incompetent.

And so in order to progress through the stages of change, you have to actually become consciously incompetent.

And in order to move you from unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent, you have to have education.

And true knowledge isn't the final pathway, it's the very opening pathway, and then it really encompasses the spiritual component beyond that to be able to apply that knowledge so that you become consciously competent.

And then the final stage is to become unconsciously competent, where it's not something you're struggling with anymore.

Can you please comment on the following quote?

This is taken from Mind Character Personality, page 59, and it reads, sickness of the mind prevails everywhere.

9 tenths of the diseases from which men suffer have their foundation here.

So can you please comment on the following quote?

Charlie Mayo, 1 of the co-founders of the Mayo Clinic, was pretty close to saying the same thing.

He said, 80% of the patients that we see have the origin of their ailment in their mind.

Back at the time she said that it was pretty seemingly far-fetched and that's simply because You know asthma Headaches those types of things were thought to be physical ailments and we now know that they're much more likely to result from depression and anxiety.

In fact if you take a look at the scientific studies showing what depression increases in regards to physical ailments it's pretty astounding.

And so she correctly pointed out that many of the diseases of which men suffer Actually have their origin in the mind and when you take a look at just tobacco and alcohol You know, we think well, that's a physical problem.

It's a It's a physical addiction, but these people that are consuming it to their own adverse health know that it's bad for them, but they can't give it up.

And she didn't go so far as to where Mary Baker Eddy was.

Mary Baker Eddy said 100% of diseases from which men suffer have their origin in the mind.

But if you take a look at what we see on a hospital basis, day after day, and in a clinic basis.

The struggles that we're dealing with are mental struggles, and when we get that mind in better shape, then we have a lot better chance of getting the asthma and the headaches and the other problems taken care of.

Nedley with respect to the balance that Ellen White brings to the Ministry of Healing in all her writings.

There's many people who are actually illiterate in the writings of Ellen White who have many opinions about her in her writings, And they frequently talk about how either legalistic or out of balance she is or out of touch with what's really scientific.

And yet, There's a quote that I want to read to you briefly from page 241 of the Ministry of Healing that really sums up this question.

She says, The relationship that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate.

When 1 is affected, the other sympathizes.

The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize.

Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression.

Again, she doesn't say all, she says many.

Grave Anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.

Disease is sometimes produced and is often greatly aggravated by the imagination.

So once again, the question of balance here.

She says sometimes it's the main cause, but oftentimes it's a contributing cause, and therefore should always be considered in the treatment of the sick, in the treatment of those who are desiring healing of various causes.

So a great statement from the ministry of healing that I think we can all take and use effectively in our ministry.

Nedley's comment reminded me of a case, a gentleman that was in my chair just this week in fact, he very gratefully informed me that he had quit smoking recently.

And I said, oh, well, wonderful, what did you do?

Because I'm always talking to people about, you know, the nicotine flush and things they can do to help them, you know, when they decide.

So the mind is more powerful than we give it credit for.

We have another quote from the Ministry of Healing, page 227.

And it reads, in the word of God we have instruction relative to special prayer for the recovery of the sick.

But the offering of such prayer is a most solemn act and should not be entered upon without careful consideration.

In many cases of prayer for the healing of the sick, that which is called faith is nothing less than presumption.

So the question is how do we reconcile the prayer of faith with the prayer of presumption?

Having faith means a total trust in God, total trust in fulfilling His will and how it translates to healing of the sick.

God is sitting up there in a vantage point.

He sees the present, the past, the future.

We know a little bit of the past, not all of it, and even the present, and nothing about the future.

He knows the insides and outs of every person.

He knows whether if a person is healed, how they're going to live their lives.

So when we pray, the prayer of faith has to be, Dear Lord, it's according to your will that I'm praying.

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Panel Discussion: The Ministry of Healing

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