AMEN Australia 2014: From Bended Knee to Bedside

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Adventist Medical Evangelism Network Australia

Plenary

Phil Mills

Christ’s Method of Training Medical Evangelists

Fred Hardinge

Essential Elements of Effective Health Ministry

Christ’s Method of Medical Evangelism- House Calls

Ross Grant

Treating Oxidative Stress in Dementia: A Role for Lifestyle Medicine

Is Balanced Health Ministry Possible?

Christ’s Method of Medical Evangelism- Visual Impairment

I was listening always with a great deal of interest to Dr.

Ross, and I always enjoy his presentations.

But I'm wondering if you would include a little more, if you would expand from health professionals and their higher risks for diseases, those who work at the General Conference and travel, and experience circadian dyssynchrony.

And It's not only at the General Conference, it's at every level of our church, at least where their travel is required.

It's in many ways not a very healthful or health-conducing.

I am grateful for the Lord because I think that when he calls us to do some things, he not only places upon us responsibilities in making the best choices we can, but when we are in extenuating circumstances, perhaps, he gives a blessing that maybe even science can't detect.

And it probably extends to all of you here in your various capacities.

We're going to be talking about balance in a few moments.

I want to talk about 1 other aspect of effective health ministry, and I've changed my presentation just a little bit from what I thought I would do.

But balance is a big challenge in life today for everyone.

I want to talk about the last, or Just 2 issues this morning.

I think if we're going to be really effective in the mission that God has called us to, we need to be focused on selling information, not on products.

Now as health care providers, those of you who are physicians, dentists, and others, your role is fairly well defined.

And like in America, you don't sell pharmaceuticals out of your practice.

You write scripts and the apothecary or pharmacist takes care of that in filling that script.

When it comes to our church-related programs, sometimes we get very tempted to sell products.

And that's why I just want to mention it briefly here.

I have people probably, several of them every month, write to us at the general conference and somehow because I'm involved in nutrition I think I get a disproportionate number of them saying that we need to promote this product and we need to promote that product and we need to put it on our webpage and I have a standard answer for those who I actually speak to and that is I say I'd like to ask you 1 question before we go any further.

And 9 times out of 10, they are selling it.

And they're wanting our endorsement, the church's endorsement, for a product that they are selling.

And it really represents a conflict of interest.

And God has called us, he's given to us a message.

As we've heard several times this weekend, we're really selling information, good, sound, solid information that will change people's lives, but it doesn't necessarily represent products in the sense of a pill or a potion or a syrup that 1 might sell.

I would just like to remind you on this point of the story of Naaman.

Actually it's not so much, it doesn't have so much to do with Naaman, but we remember the story in 1 Kings 5, because of the wonderful work that God did on behalf of Naaman.

You remember how the little maid in her home talked to Mrs.

He went to the king, As was mentioned the other evening, his country and the country of the maid were at war.

And so it was an unusual request to be able to go to that country and seek healing.

But Naaman must have been a very important person, very valuable in the kingdom, and he was granted permission as well as given wealth to take with him to pay for this healing.

He had tried every source of healing in his own country, and he was still a leper.

And we know that he made a detour and unfortunately an opportunity was missed by the king, but God was in this trip and he ended up at the door of the prophet Elisha.

And I'm sure that Elisha knew that this great and important man was coming.

Even in societies without telephones, word gets around.

And they weren't moving at 60 miles an hour or 100 kilometers an hour.

And so Elisha knew he had time to prepare, but when Naaman arrived at his door with his entourage, he sent his servant down.

And in that culture, that was a great insult.

But he sent Gehazi down and said, go down to the River Jordan and wash 7 times.

And of course Naaman became angry at that simple suggestion.

He said, all the rivers in my country are pure and clear.

I don't want to go down to that muddy, dirty river, Jordan.

And he got back on his chariot, and he whipped his horses, and he headed home in anger.

I think he was affronted by the fact that the prophet did not come.

He sent his servant and then secondly, he was really disgusted with the solution that was presented.

The Bible says that his wiser yet simpler servants began to reason with him and they said, you know, Mr.

And as his temper cooled, reason came back and he decided to go ahead and bathe in the River Jordan.

Now I have a question that I often ask people, and that is, was it the minerals that brought about that healing?

Was it the ritual 7 times to dip himself the perfect number?

It was following God's instruction that brought healing to Naaman.

And I guess I'm talking and not thinking here about it was only through following the specific directions of the prophet that he could find healing.

Willing obedience would alone bring the desired results.

We've been talking about the need for the grace of Christ to empower our lives, for the need for us to present to people their need of Christ to empower their lives to bring about these changes.

You folks all know how difficult it is to get people to exercise regularly, let alone change aspects of their diet, what they eat.

In fact, they get affronted by what you tell them.

But the story goes on and it has a sad chapter.

Because you see, Gehazi was conflicted with his interest.

He saw the wealth that Naaman had, and he knew that if he had brought down a pill or a potion, even 1, and said, for all your wealth, this will heal you of your leprosy.

But his boss said, go down to the river and wash 7 times and you will be healed.

And he no doubt knew that Naaman had been healed by following God's instructions.

And he knew he was on his way home, but he thought of all that wealth that had come all that way and now was going back.

And he first lied to the prophet, and he caught up with Naaman.

The amazing thing is that Naaman didn't see through that, through the subterfuge, or if he did, he just gladly gave more than what Gehazi asked.

And Gehazi then went home, hid it in his house, and then reported to his boss.

And we know that Elisha said to Gehazi, where have you been?

And then Elisha said to him, the leprosy that was in Naaman is going to be upon you.

There's always a temptation to sell something to those disadvantaged and personally profit from it.

And we need to be really careful in our health ministry that we don't do that.

Everything we've been talking about here this weekend, all that Dr.

Grant presented are simple things, Not necessarily easy to incorporate into the life, but they're lifestyle issues that bring the greatest advantage.

And I'm very concerned that as I have been involved in this work and as I travel to many parts of the world, that I see that Gizeis still exist today.

There are all kinds of unproven health products, multi-level marketing schemes, nutraceuticals, botanicals, ad nauseam.

Ellen White said in Prophets and Kings, Solomon are the Lessons taught by this experience of 1 whom had been given high and holy privileges, the course of Gehazi was such as to place a stumbling block in the pathway of Naaman, upon whose mind had broken a wonderful light and who was favorably disposed toward the service of the living God.

But in spite of Gehazi, the prophet says that for the rest of Naaman's life he honored the God of heaven.

He can overpower even the sins of his people.

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