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Final Draft BLESSED ARE THE SHALOM-MAKERS: THE ROLE OF THE HEALTH PRACTITIONER IN THE CHURCH

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health/ hugiainei [one of the Greek words used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew, shalom], and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John !"

Something is wrong in this world. Nature, red in tooth and claw, is a !attern acted out at all le"els of life, from micro!redators #diseases caused b$ microbes% to macro!redators #social diseases caused b$ humans, such as war and human trafficking%. &ntelligent e"il is at work, distorting God's original good !ur!oses. (reation itself is groaning, e"en at the microbial le"el, waiting to be deli"ered b$ the free choices of the bod$ of (hrist, through whom God has chosen to work in this world #)om. *+,*, ,-%. Harmful microbiological life, such as bacteria, "iruses, and !arasites, ma$ re!resent one of the best e.am!les of a lack of shalom between humans and creation. &f we could find a wa$ to establish good relationshi!s between humans and microbiological life, how man$ diseases would sim!l$ "anish/ God's intention at the end of histor$ is to restore shalom relationshi!s throughout creation. God's creatures will neither harm nor destro$ on all m$ hol$ mountain #&sa. ,,+-%. God intends to wi!e awa$ e"er$ tear #)e". 0,+1% caused b$ im!erfect relationshi!s. 2s 3r$ant 4$ers said in the !re"ious cha!ter, working toward

shalom relationshi!s is the mission of God and this is our mission as well. 5ntil God ushers in that final !erfect new hea"en and new earth, (hrist's followers ser"e as God's dis!la$ window #Stet6er 07,0, ,*-%, showing what God's kingdom is meant to look like. )al!h D. 8inter, founder of the 5.S. (enter for 8orld 4ission, found a lack of awareness in the (hurch of what God's kingdom should look like. He was !articularl$ concerned about the distortions of God's will in the realm of disease. 8inter asked, 8hat would 9esus ha"e said about fighting germs in the name of (hrist had the !eo!le of his time known about germs/ #8inter 077*f, ,:*%. ;ur uni"erse is engulfed in a cosmic war. &n this war, an ad"ersar$ is battling against God's will for God's !eo!le and creation. <he famous h$mn, 2 4ight$ Fortress &s ;ur God, shows 4artin =uther's awareness of this ancient foe. Satan is his name, i.e. an ad"ersar$. > He is the !rince and god of this world #=uther ,---, ?@+,@%. &n a discussion of =uther's understanding of Satan's works, 8alter =undberg includes the ad"ersar$'s tactic of seeking to subdue the world to his will through teaching us to acAuiesce to his terrible di"init$ b$ attacking our health and well being #Sundberg 077*, 0-%. &n his book, #al$ing with the %oor, 4$ers highlighted the role of this ad"ersar$+ & do not want to mo"e !ast the issue of an ad"ersar$ too Auickl$. Someone other than human beings created the tem!tation that resulted in the fall. <oo often we dismiss the idea of a form of !ersonal e"il that acti"el$ works against God and God's intentions for human

beings and creation. Bet, without Satan's role in the first !art of the biblical stor$, there would be no need for the rest of the biblical stor$. 8e cannot read Satan out of the stor$ and ha"e it make an$ sense #4$ers ,---, 0*%. <he enem$ we face is God's enem$ and disease is one of the enem$'s tools. 8hat is the role of health !ractitioners, then, to those in harmCs wa$ in this warDtorn world/ Su!!ose a local church was located near a street where an unseen sni!er was shooting at !eo!le each night. 8hat would be the res!onsibilit$ of that local church to those in harm's wa$/ Erimar$ !re"ention would mean telling !eo!le to sta$ awa$ from that street at night. 3ut some !eo!le would not get the message and ine"itabl$ each night some would be inFured or killed. (aring health !ractitioners from the church might be willing to risk their li"es to bind u! the wounds and hel! the wounded get well. No doubt those health !ractitioners would take secondar$ !re"ention measures such as wearing helmets and flak "ests to !rotect themsel"es from the sni!er's bullets. 3ut would the local church settle for warnings and bandages and flak "ests/ ;r would the$ take on the res!onsibilit$ of getting to the root of the !roblem b$ finding and sto!!ing the actions of the sni!erGtertiar$ !re"ention/ Eeo!le are being wounded !h$sicall$, !s$chologicall$, and s!irituall$ b$ acti"ities instigated b$ the ad"ersar$, the de"il, the sni!er, that ancient foe that seeks to work us woe. &n this cosmic battle with the !rince of darkness, health care workers need affirmation and su!!ort from the bod$ of (hrist so the$ do not grow wear$ in doing good #Gal. :+-%. &n this cha!ter we would like to challenge missions !astors and senior !astors to recogni6e the crucial

role that health !ractitioners can ha"e in the ministr$ of the local church. 8e are calling for the local church to encourage health !ractitioners to found and Foin shalomDminded grou!s focused on the frontiers of GodCs kingdom. 2s health workers go where !eo!le do not e.!ect to see God at work, taking 9esus into the world #Stet6er 07,0, :%, the$ are doing the work of the (hurch, gi"ing the world a foretaste of the restoration of creation to its true harmon$ > and of man to his true relation to the created world #Newbigin ,-H1, :@%.

The Role of the Church within Gods Kingdom: Signs of Shalom & am the "ine, $ou are the branches. > without me $ou can do nothing #9ohn ,H+H%.

The Church: Followers of esus

<he first characteristic of the (hurch is that its members are followers of 9esus. <his was 9esus' legac$Ga communit$ of followers #Newbigin ,-*-, ,??%. <hroughout his ministr$, 9esus !re!ared his followers to continue his work, and to do e"en greater things #9ohn ,1+,0%, through the Hol$ S!irit whom 9esus !romised to lea"e to encourage and em!ower his followers #2cts ,+*%. Neil (ole, author of ;rganic (hurch in the %erspe&tives on the #orld 'hristian (ovement )eader, sa$s he has come to "iew the (hurch as the !resence of 9esus among His !eo!le who are called to Foin God's mission in this world. <he core realit$ of the (hurch, for (ole, is 9esus (hrist being followed, lo"ed and obe$ed #(ole 077-, :11D1H%.

&n the 3ook of 2cts we can see numerous e.am!les of how the earl$ belie"ers followed and lo"ed and demonstrated the works of 9esus+ 2cts 1+?0D?@+ belie"ers share their !ossessions so there are no need$ !eo!le among them 2cts H+,0D,:+ the 2!ostles heal man$ sick and those tormented b$ e"il s!irits 2cts :+,D:+ se"en brothers are chosen to care for the !h$sical needs of the widows 2cts *+1+ the disci!les are scattered and !reach the word where"er the$ go 2cts *+HD*+ Ehili! does miraculous signs+ e"il s!irits come out of man$, cri!!les are healed 2cts -+@D,-+ 2nanias !ra$s for Saul's e$esight to be restored 2cts -+?:+ Dorcas was alwa$s doing good and hel!ing the !oor 2cts -+?@D10+ Dorcas is raised from the dead 2cts ,7 and throughout the rest of the book+ followers of 9esus !reach the good news. )ather than a continued em!hasis on the !h$sical miracles !erformed b$ the a!ostles, the I!istles show a freAuent em!hasis on general good works that are characteristic of all followers of 9esus. <he author of , 9ohn gi"es a concrete e.am!le that is re!resentati"e of the numerous uses of the term, works #of 9esus and his followers% in the "arious e!istles of the New <estament+ &f an$one has material !ossessions and sees his brother in need but has no !it$ on him, how can the lo"e of God be in him/ Dear children, let us not lo"e with words or tongue *ut with a&tions +wor$s, and in truth #, 9ohn ?+,*, em!hasis added%.

The Church: esus I!c"r!"#e$ The Bo%& of Chr's#

<he im!ortant thing to note about the works done b$ 9esus and his followers is that these works are done through God, through the Hol$ S!irit, and that these are alwa$s directed toward what is true and good, and toward correcting, or o"ercoming, what is not true to God's will #such as sickness, lack of food and clothing, or destructi"e beha"ior%. <hese descri!tions of 9esus' followers show that the (hurch reall$ is 9esus incarnate, an embodiment of the risen 9esus. No wonder, Neil (ole e.claims, the 3ible refers to the church as the 3od$ of (hrist [, (or. ,0J )om. ,0] #(ole, 077-, :1H%. <he 2!ostle Eaul urged the I!hesians to li"e a life worth$ of the calling $ou ha"e recei"ed #I!h. 1+,% because (hrist himself ga"e the a!ostles, the !ro!hets, the e"angelists, the !astors and teachers, to eAui! his !eo!le for works of ser"ice, so that the bod$ of (hrist ma$ be built u! #I!h. 1+,,, ,0%. &n )omans ,0 we see the im!ortance of a "ariet$ of gifts of ser"ice within the bod$ of (hrist. Some of these gifts of ser"ice are within the s!here of health care workers, as 9esus demonstrated in 4atthew 1+0? as he announced the coming of the kingdom and healed e"er$ disease and sickness among the !eo!le.

The Church: A L'('!) S')! of #he Re')! of *o%

8hen the bod$ of (hrist follows 9esus in "isible demonstrations of God's Kingdom, the (hurch stands out, (hrist's life shines through it, and God recei"es glor$ #4att. H+,:%. Newbigin described mission as an acted out

do.olog$. <hat is its dee!est secret. &ts !ur!ose is that God ma$ be glorified #Newbigin ,-*-, ,0@%. <he (hurch does not e.ist for itself, but instead is a sign of the kingdom in the midst of a gi"en culture #Lan Ingen ,--,, ,,:%.

He"l#h "s " S')! of #he K'!)%o+

;ne im!ortant sign of the Kingdom is good health, the right relationshi! of the human bod$ within itself and with the en"ironment, including the microbial world. 8hene"er these relationshi!s are not as God intended, members of the bod$ of (hrist ha"e work to do, to attem!t to restore those relationshi!s, to bring glor$ to God b$ showing a sign or !re"iew of what God's Kingdom will be like in the age to come. Health is an integral as!ect of God's shalom. &n the Greek "ersion of the ;ld <estament, the Se!tuagint, one of terms used to translate the Hebrew, shalom, is hugiaineiMgood health. 8hen the !atriarch 9acob was met b$ the ser"ants of his uncle =aban, whom he had not seen for man$ $ears, 9acob asked, &s he wellMshalomMhugiainei/ #Gen. 0-+:%. =ater in life 9acob sent his son 9ose!h to check on the welfareM shalomMhugiainei of the other brothers #Gen. ?@+,1, -et .i*le%. &n 0 Samuel 07+-, 9oab asks, 2re $ou in healthMshalomMhugiainei, m$ brother/ #3renton ,-*:%. &n his ministr$ 9esus, the Erince of Shalom, demonstrated that health and wellness are an integral !art of God's will. <he first glim!se we get of 9esus' ministr$ in 4atthew's Gos!el shows 9esus healing e"er$ disease and sickness among the !eo!le in demonstration of the good news of the kingdom #4att. 1+0?%. 8hen 9ohn the 3a!tist sent his disci!les to ask 9esus if

he was the one who is to come, 9esus' answer was all about the Kingdom signs of good health he was restoring to those around him+ Go tell 9ohn what $ou hear and see+ <he blind see, the lame walk, le!ers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the !oor ha"e good news !roclaimed to them #4att. ,,+ 1, H%. &n general 9esus ama6ed the !eo!le following him when the$ saw the mute s!eaking, the cri!!led made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. 2nd the$ !raised the God of &srael #4att. ,H+?,%. 8hen 9esus said, 3lessed are the !eacemakers #4att. H+-%, he was describing the role belie"ers are to ha"e as children of God, taking o"er the famil$ business of bringing signs of shalom to this broken, diseased, warDtorn world. Health !ractitioners can feel encouraged and assured that their work brings !raise and glor$ to God as the$ follow 9esus' e.am!le in hel!ing to restore !eo!le to a closer a!!ro.imation of God's will for !eo!le to enFo$ good health.

Challenging the

owers of !ar"ness as a Sign of the Kingdom

3ut if it is God's will for !eo!le to enFo$ good health, the ad"ersar$ o!!oses this. 8hile we will not see all !eo!le healed, all diseases eradicated, this side of (hrist's second coming, God's !eo!le ha"e the res!onsibilit$ to kee! on demonstrating signs of God's reign, !ointing to 9esus' work, to God's true character. <his is hard work and it draws the sni!er fire of the ad"ersar$. 8hen the (hurch > goes the wa$ the 4aster went, unmasking and challenging the !owers of darkness and bearing in its own life the cost of their onslaught, then there are gi"en to the (hurch signs of the

kingdom, !owers of healing and blessing which, to e$es of faith, are recogni6able as true signs that 9esus reigns #Newbigin ,-*-, ,7*%. &n the earlier illustration, the in"isible sni!er re!resents the ad"ersar$ who seeks to steal, kill, and destro$ #9ohn ,7+ ,7% the shalom and good health that God intends for humans and all creation. Eerha!s we can think of the (hurch as God's beachhead in a warDtorn world. &n wartime, a beachhead is "er$ serious business. &t is a small !iece of ground taken as the first ste! toward taking all the ground that the enem$ holds. &n our illustration, the local church and its members ser"e this beachhead function b$ !ro"iding a safe ha"en, a taste of shalom, in the midst of danger. <he h$!othetical members of that local church risked their li"es to attem!t to o"ercome e"il with good, challenging the !owers of darkness as a sign of the Kingdom.

,h& D'% esus He"l-

&f 9esus' earthl$ ministr$ focused so much on healing and defeating the !owers of darkness, what does that tell us about the role of the bod$ of belie"ers he left on earth to continue his work/ 2 fictional stor$ from the )oberta 8inter &nstitute blog illustrates se"eral "iews about 9esus' healing ministr$, man$ of which do not recogni6e the role of the ad"ersar$ in what is wrong on this earth+ ;ne da$ four !rominent e"angelicals met for breakfast with a secular Fournalist. <he Fournalist was writing a stor$ about faith and disease. She

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!osed this Auestion+ 8h$ did 9esus heal/ 2fter all, healing !eo!le doesn't get them into hea"en. 3ut (hrist sure used u! a lot of his time healing. 8h$/ <he first e"angelical said, 9esus healed because he was com!assionate. =ike at the end of 4ark ,, where the man with le!ros$ sa$s, N&f $ou are willing, $ou can make me clean.' 2nd 9esus is filled with com!assion and heals him. 9esus lo"ed the !eo!le and didn't want to see them suffer. &t's as sim!le as that. <he second e"angelical said, &'m not going to argue that 9esus didn't care about !eo!le. 3ut that wasn't the ultimate reason. 9esus healed !eo!le as a means to attract a crowd, to get a following. 2fter the$ got healed the$ would hang around and listen to his teaching and that's how he built the church. <he third e"angelical said, & can see $our !oint. 3ut & think the ultimate reason that 9esus healed was to bring glor$ to God. 2s in 9ohn -+0 where the disci!les ask 9esus, N8ho sinned, this man or his !arents, that he was born blind/' 9esus re!lies, NNeither, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.' <he fourth e"angelical said, 8ell, & su!!ose there is truth in all of these answers. 3ut &'m uncomfortable sa$ing that healing is merel$ a tool for the cause of e"angelism. & !ersonall$ think e"er$thing 9esus did was an act of war against Satan. 2s in , 9ohn ?+*, N<he son of God a!!eared for this !ur!ose to destro$ the works of the de"il.' 8hen he healed !eo!le of a sickness, he was doing battle with Satan. <hroughout scri!ture, and throughout histor$, disease is one of the main wa$s Satan affects humanit$. Bes, 9esus healed !eo!le because he was com!assionate, and in a sense he healed to em!ower

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his e"angelism, his Nrecruiting efforts,' if $ou will. 2nd, $es, he healed to glorif$ his Father. 3ut it is also about the cosmic war against God's ad"ersar$. #htt!+MMwww.robertawinterinstitute.orgMblogM07,0M?M?7Mwh$DdidDFesusD heal.html%

N"#ure "!% Re"l'#& of #he Cos+'c ,"r

8hile the enem$'s works can be summari6ed as bringing deathGboth !h$sical #disease and deformit$, social and mental chaos% and s!iritual #unbelief, hatred%, the Son of God a!!eared to gi"e life #, 9ohn 1+-%. <he coming of the Son of God resulted in works and characteristics that are the o!!osite of those associated with the deathDdealing works of the de"il, thus nullif$ing or destro$ing them #, 9ohn ?+*%. <he ad"ersar$ is hostile to life and to God's will for humans and creation to flourish. 2 com!arison of ma!s of high incidences of disease and child mortalit$ with the areas of the world where the gos!el has had the least influence #4$ers ,--:% shows that where the 3ible has had the least influence, there is the most suffering, disease, war, and !o"ert$. <his is not a coincidence. 2n ad"ersar$ is a work, instigating and taking ad"antage of unFust social structures, ignorance, greed, disease, and more. 2 medical missionar$ to &ndia from ,-?-O,-:- wrote in his Fournal, this kingdom of disease, death, ignorance, !reFudice, fear, malnutrition and abFect !o"ert$ is most surel$ a kingdom which ought to be o"erthrown b$ the Kingdom of our God #)ees 077?%. ;"ercome e"il with good, the a!ostle Eaul urges the bod$ of (hrist in )omans ,0+07.

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The Church o'!s *o% '! #he B"##le

/he reason the Son of 0od appeared was to destroy +nullify, the devil1s wor$ (2 John 334!" 2s (hrist's followers, we are to !ush back the darkness b$ demonstrating signs of God's will for human flourishing. God's mission is to rescue humans and all creation from the kingdom of darkness, including the social and !h$sical results of intelligent e"il, such as disease. <he one who wishes to lo"e and ser"e the =ord will want to be where he is. 2nd where he is is on that frontier which runs between the kingdom of God and the usur!ed !ower of the e"il one #Newbigin ,-*-, ,0@%. 8hat should be our res!onse to being rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of light #(ol. ,+,0, ,?%/

Two Mens Res#onses

2 !astor and a missiologist ha"e each res!onded b$ calling the bod$ of (hrist and the local congregation to Foin God in the battle for shalom, including fighting disease. Gregor$ 3o$d has said, <o follow 9esus is to do battle with the e"erD !resent !rince of darkness #3o$d ,--@, 0*7%. &n a recent sermon 3o$d urged his congregation to+ Fight the e"il effects of nature. 8e are doing s!iritual warfare when we fight disease. <his is more than Fust !ra$er. 2n$thing we do to !ush

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back the harmful effects of nature is a ste! toward reclaiming nature, toward rebuking the curse. > 8hen scientists > in"estigate new wa$s to saniti6e water, the$ are doing s!iritual warfare. 8hen the$ disco"er wa$s to fight diseases and disco"er their origins, that is s!iritual warfare. 2n$thing we do to fight !o"ert$ and hunger is s!iritual warfare. > 2n$thing we do to reflect God's ideal for creation is a form of s!iritual warfare. 3$ these and other means we are fighting back against the curse of death that is not God's will #3o$d 07,7, 0-0D-?%. <he late missiologist )al!h D. 8inter urged, 2s 2braham's children, we ha"e inherited the famil$ res!onsibilit$ of God's concerns and !ur!oses which are to become our concerns and !ur!oses. &t is not to seek high !a$ or !erks, but the war that must be [fought]P ;ur li"es and careers need to $ield to that realit$ #Snodderl$ 077:, ?H%. Some will rightl$ !oint out that humans do not win the warGthat is what God will do. 3ut 8inter was challenging belie"ers to recogni6e that the$ are !artici!ants in the cosmic battle. 8hile 9esus struck the decisi"e blow on the cross, His followers are still mo!!ing u! in "er$ real battles with the ad"ersar$. =ate in his life 8inter began to reali6e that the battle was not Fust for !eo!les' souls and a home in hea"en. I"en if the message of the gos!el were readil$ a"ailable to e"er$ !eo!le grou! on earth, !eo!le would still get sick. Eeo!le would still get heart disease or malaria or cancer. He came to belie"e that one of the largest im!ediments to demonstrating the nature of God's kingdom, God's character, and God's will for human flourishing, was the factor of ram!ant sickness and disease. For e.am!le, &f four out of fi"e

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members of the famil$ are sick, he would sa$, then the famil$ is in !o"ert$. 8inter saw that the incredible "iolence we must fight against in the name of (hrist constitutes an allDout war. Neither lait$ nor clerg$ are well aware of that war. <hus, all true belie"ers, not Fust fulltime workers, must be willing to organi6e against e"il, to be creati"e, and to measure e"er$ "ocation not b$ its !a$ scale, but b$ its contribution to that war. 8inter wrote, &t seems "er$ clear that we must recruit !eo!le for this war as well as for hea"en. &f we can't do both we will ultimatel$ fail at both #8inter 077*e, ?0H%. 8inter founded the )oberta 8inter &nstitute in 077,, at the time of his first wife's death from cancer, to raise the (hurch's awareness of the need for a new theological sensiti"it$ to destro$ing the works of the de"il, including disease. 8hile medical researchers often use terminolog$ such as the battle against cancer, or the$ s!eak about the immune s$stem as being at war within #(lark ,--H%, the e"angelical (hurch needs to recogni6e those battles as something diabolicall$ designed, that reAuires a res!onse from (hrist's followers, in 9esus' name. <heologicall$ the (hurch needs to recogni6e that sal"ation is about more than Fust the ne.t life. 8hen souls are sa"ed the$ are not merel$ su!!osed to be sur"i"ors singing of their sal"ation, but soldiers deliberatel$ choosing to enter into the dangerous, sacrificial, arduous task of restoring the glor$ of God for all to see #8inter 077*, ,:*%. <he least we can do, he wrote, is set something in motion that ma$ rectif$ our understanding of a God who is not the author of the destructi"e "iolence in nature and who has long sought our hel! in bringing His kingdom and His will

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on earth. 8e are in a war against an intelligent enem$ #8inter with Snodderl$ 077-, 11, 1*%.

Resul# of #he B"##le

2s a means of engaging in this war belie"ers are to demonstrate God's will and character, and as a result, God's re!utation will be better known among the !eo!les of the earth and man$ will be attracted to follow that kind of God. <he enem$ is defeated and some !art of his work is nullified when belie"ers intentionall$ Foin God in o"ercoming e"il with good. <he$ ma$ do this through healing the sick in 9esus' name. ;r belie"ers ma$ restore shalom relationshi!s b$ disco"ering the origins of an infectious disease and working toward its elimination. &ne"itabl$ there will be casualties in this war with the ad"ersar$. Es$chologists, nurses, and other health workers can bring shalom to the d$ing, as the$ reflect God's lo"ingkindness and merc$, !ointing them at the end of their battle in this life to the !erfect Kingdom. 8hen 9esus' followers demonstrate God's character in these wa$s, and as broken relationshi!s are healed, a measure of shalom is restored and God recei"es the credit and glor$.

The Local Congregation: Gods $nstrument to !emonstrate Shalom

2s a sign of the breaking in of God's Kingdom, o"ercoming darkness, fighting back against the deathDdealing works of the de"il, what is the role of the local congregation/ How can !astors and missions !astors eAui! and encourage

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God's !eo!le for works of ser"ice in the s!here of right relationshi!s that result in good health #? 9ohn 0%/ How can !astors and fellow church members show that the$ "alue and dee!l$ res!ect the im!ortance of the contribution to the bod$ of (hrist of health care workers/

Correc#'(e #o I!#ro(er#e% Co!cer!s

=esslie Newbegin called for local congregations to renounce an intro"erted concern for their own life, and recogni6e that the$ e.ist for the sake of those who are not members #Newbigin ,-*-, 0??%. (harles Lan Ingen echoes this b$ sa$ing, local churches cannot be ends in themsel"es #Lan Ingen ,--,, ,,,%. Id Stet6er admonishes, 8e are far too !leased with the comforts of the church rather than the work of God's kingdom #Stet6er 07,0, 1*%. &t is the age of countr$Dclub (hristianit$, where funds are used to !lease and entertain those who !a$ their dues #tithes% and to com!ete with the other religious countr$ clubs for new members b$ offering nicer amenities such as attracti"e facilities and s!ecial !rograms. <he Auestion becomes, if $our church were gone tomorrow, who outside of the members would be affected/ &f a countr$ club disa!!eared, onl$ its members would care. 3ut the local congregation is to be an intentional out!ost of God's Kingdom, a witness and e.am!le in its location. <his witness is about more than talking to !eo!le about their s!iritual needs. &n the =ord's Era$er, 9esus taught his followers to !ra$ for !h$sical needs #dail$ bread% to be met before s!iritual needs could be recogni6ed and met #forgi"e us as we forgi"e others%. &deall$, in a holistic a!!roach to

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meeting s!iritual needs, a church's relationshi!s and ministries offer !artici!ants and "isitors a foretaste of the redem!tion and reconciliation that is God's full sal"ation #3ranson and 4artine6 07,,, ?-%. Id Stet6er urges the church to see itself as the instrument God uses to lead others into his kingdom through our !roclamation and demonstration of his sa"ing, transforming gos!el #Stet6er 07,0, 07H%. Health !ractitioners ha"e a "ital role in offering the local and global communit$ a glim!se of what 9esus meant b$ his first reAuest in the =ord's Era$er+ for God's will to be done on earth, as it is in hea"en.

Tr"!sfor+'!) Soc'e#'es

NigerianDborn !astor of a mega church in the 5kraine, Sunda$ 2delaFa, is !assionate about the role of the local church in transforming societ$+ <he church fulfills its mandate when it changes societ$, not when it's confined to its sanctuar$ and Sunda$ school classrooms> <he Kingdom must o"erflow into streets and work!laces, go"ernments and entertainment "enues. <hat is its nature, to grow and take o"er. &f $ou tr$ to kee! it to $ourself, $ou lose it #2delaFa 077*, @%. 2n e.am!le of local churches o"erflowing in demonstrations of God's will for !eo!le to li"e in right relationshi! with God, enFo$ing good health and health$ relationshi!s, is Saddleback church's 2&DS initiati"e in )wanda. <here, local !astors are em!owering members of their congregations to recei"e training for gi"ing information about !re"ention, !rimar$ care, and treatment for those suffering in the 2&DS !andemic. )ecentl$ the )wandan

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leader of this initiati"e was in"ited to s!eak to the international 2&DS conference, for the first time gi"ing that grou! of health care !rofessionals a glim!se of how the bod$ of (hrist, at the local congregational le"el, is able to better deli"er !rimar$ health care and !re"ention than the !rofessionals in their clinics. I"er$ "illage has a church of some kind, and a !astor the !eo!le can trust with their stories. Eeo!le are far less likel$ to trust, or ha"e access to, a doctor in a distant town, for recei"ing medication, "ital information, and followDu! care. &n this case stud$, a large local western church is !artnering with man$ local churches in another countr$ to demonstrate signs of shalom, bringing signs of the Kingdom to a whole societ$ that lies under the !ower of the e"il one #, 9ohn H+,-%. Saddleback's 2&DS and ;r!hans coordinator, Ili6abeth Sk$ffe, e.!lained that ,77Q of children die b$ the age of fi"e whose mothers and grandmothers ha"e H&LM2&DS or ha"e alread$ died from 2&DS themsel"es #communication to author%. &n such a situation, how can the church sa$, be warmed and fed, without also offering the health care ser"ices so des!eratel$ needed/

*o%.s A)e!#s of E!cour")e+e!#

From I!hesians 1 we know the role of !astors is to eAui! the bod$ of (hrist for works of ser"ice. &n light of the challenge for the local congregation to be a transformational agent in societ$, how can !astors and missions !astors mobili6e and eAui! health care workers for the glor$ of God/ 8e ha"e seen that demonstrations of God's will include both !re"ention and healing of what

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is contrar$ to God's will in the s!here of !ersonal and societal health. 8h$ then do health !rofessionals often feel that their work is not "alued b$ the local church/ 9effre$ Ha"enner, a retired microbiologist who worked at the 8alter )eed 2rm$ &nstitute of )esearch in the De!artment of )ickettsial Diseases, described the loneliness and need for encouragement e.!erienced b$ researchers in the health industr$, in an inter"iew with the director of the )oberta 8inter &nstitute. Dr. Ha"enner res!onded to a Auestion about how health workers integrate their work with their faith+ Scientists are under intense !ressure to com!artmentali6e faith in God, if the$ ha"e it, and kee! it out of scientific !ractice on !ain of e.ile from the !rofession if the$ do not. <he integration of our faith in God with our work so that God is honored b$ what we do and b$ how we interact with !eo!le we work with is of great im!ortance. &t is eas$ for !eo!le to feel defeated in their walk with God because the$ feel com!romised in the wa$ the$ are forced to se!arate work from faith to a"oid trouble es!eciall$ in go"ernment settings #inter"iew with author%. Disease researchers are not alone in their need for encouragement and su!!ort in their attem!ts to glorif$ God in the health !rofessions. <he son of a !s$chologist working in a mental health institution re!orted the !ressure and frustration his father faced to release !atients earl$. )ather than treating !atients as long as necessar$ to restore their abilit$ to function in societ$, he was e.!ected to sign off on the miraculous reco"er$ after H months and 0* da$s of mental health !atients, Fust before their : months of insurance co"erage would e.!ire #inter"iew with authors%.

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&n addition to !ressures to conform to unFust structures, nurses and doctors must deal with death, d$ing, and disabilities on a dail$ basis. (aregi"ers facing an o"erload of feelings of hel!lessness and ho!elessness ma$ choose to abandon their caring !rofession, or the$ ma$ build defense s$stems of callousness, or some ma$ become de!ressed and broken themsel"es. Eastors and members of local congregations can hel! fill the need for encouragement and su!!ort among health !rofessionals, but in addition, mutual encouragement and networking is needed.

Ch"lle!)e #o Or)"!'/e He"l#h-Focuse% *rou0s

&f the mission of God is to restore right relationshi!s, then health !rofessionalsG!s$chologists, nurses, doctors, !ublic health workers, medical researchersGare "ital to the (hurch which is God's agent in this world. <hese workers are bridging the ga! between the alread$ and the not $et Kingdom. <he$ are demonstrating God's lo"ing character to the wounded, sick, and d$ing, the "ictims of the ad"ersar$'s sni!ing attacks. 2ccordingl$, we urge the local church to encourage health !ractitioners to found and Foin shalomDminded grou!s focused on the frontiers of GodCs kingdom where shalom is notabl$ absent. Some of these grou!s ma$ s!eciali6e in !ublic health, nursing, research, or !s$cholog$. &n one church we know of, se"eral medical doctors in the congregation founded a cosmic conflict lab, in which a "ariet$ of health !rofessionals meet weekl$ to hear lectures b$ in"ited guests. ;ther grou!s ma$ focus on mutual encouragement, others on !ractical !roFects. For

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e.am!le, )al!h 8inter dreamt of establishing an &nstitute for the Stud$ of the ;rigins of Disease. Issentiall$ we're asking !astors to encourage members of their congregations who ha"eGor can obtainGe.!ertise as medical !ractitioners, cultural anthro!ologists, managers, communit$ organi6ers, educators, social scientists, linguists, fund raisers, go"ernment liaisons, chemists, microbiologists, e!idemiologists and those in man$ other fields, to Foin and hel! sustain a "ibrant, !owerful mo"ement of belie"ers who will work together for the glor$ of God to establish shalom where"er it is absent. 8hen 9esus' followers !artici!ate in the missio Dei, God can get the credit and the glor$ as !eo!le recogni6e God's character through the actions of God's !eo!le. 2s )ichard Stearns, Eresident of 8orld Lision, said about belie"ers Foining God together to combat massi"e world !roblems like disease in his book, /he 5ole in 6ur 0ospel, [&t] would be on the li!s of e"er$ citi6en in the world and in the !ages of e"er$ news!a!erGin a good wa$. <he world would see the whole gos!elGthe good news of the kingdom of GodG not Fust s!oken but demonstrated, b$ !eo!le whose faith is not de"oid of deeds but defined b$ lo"e and backed u! with action. His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth, as it is in hea"en. <his was the whole gos!el that 9esus !roclaimed in =uke 1, and if we would embrace it, it would literall$ change e"er$thing #Stearns 077-, 0,-%. Refere!ce L's# 2delaFa, Sunda$. 077*. 'hur&h Shift. St. 4ar$, F=+ (harisma House.

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3o$d, Gregor$ 2. ,--@. 0od at #ar3 /he .i*le and Spiritual 'onfli&t" Downers Gro"e+ &nterLarsit$ Eress. RRRRRR. 07,7. 2 8arD<orn (reation. &n 7vangeli&al and 8rontier (ission %erspe&tives on the 0lo*al %rogress of the 0ospel , edited b$ 3eth Snodderl$ and 2. Scott 4oreau, 0*:D-?. ;.ford+ )egnum. 3ranson, 4ark =au and 9uan F. 4artine6. 07,,. 'hur&h, 'ultures and 9eadership3 : %ra&ti&al /heology of 'ongregations and 7thni&ities . Downers Gro"e+ &nterLarsit$. 3renton, =ancelot (. ,-*:. /he Septuagint with :po&rypha3 0ree$ and 7nglish . Garden (it$, N.B.+ Hendrickson Eublishers. (lark, 8illiam ). ,--H. :t #ar #ithin3 /he Dou*le;7dged Sword of Immunity . New Bork+ ;.ford 5ni"ersit$ Eress. (le"inger, 9. Idward. 077?. /he Impli&ations of the /rinitarian %eri&horesis for a (issional 7&&lesiology3 9esslie -ew*igin1s 'all for )enewing the 'hur&h1s (issional <o&ation in a %ostmodern #orld. 4.2. <hesis, Immanuel School of )eligion, 9ohnson (it$, <enn. (oet6ee, 9. (. ,-:*. (hrist and the Erince of <his 8orld in the Gos!el and the I!istles of St. 9ohn. -eotestamenti&a 0+ ,71D0,. (ole, Neil. 077-. ;rganic (hurch. &n %erspe&tives on the #orld 'hristian (ovement3 : )eader, 1th edition, edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter et al, :1?D1H. Easadena+ 8illiam (are$ =ibrar$. Green, 9a$, Sr., general editor, and translator. ,-*:. /he Interlinear .i*le. Eeabod$, 4ass.+ Hendrickson Eublishers. Har!er, 3rad and Eaul =ouis 4et6ger. 077-. 7=ploring 7&&lesiology3 :n 7vangeli&al and 7&umeni&al Introdu&tion. Grand )a!ids+ 3ra6os. =uther, 4artin. ,---. 9uther1s #or$s, "ol. ?@. Id. 9. 9. Eelikan, H. (. ;swald S H. <. =ehmann. Ehiladel!hia+ Fortress Eress. 4$ers, 3r$ant =. ,--:. /he -ew 'onte=t of #orld (ission. 4onro"ia, (2+ 42)(. RRRRRR. ,---. #al$ing with the %oor3 %rin&iples and %ra&ti&es of /ransformational Development. 4ar$knoll+ ;rbis. Newbigin, =esslie. ,-H1. /he 5ousehold of 0od3 9e&tures on the -ature of the 'hur&h. New Bork+ Friendshi! Eress. RRRRRR. ,-*:. 8oolishness to the 0ree$s3 /he 0ospel and #estern 'ulture . Grand )a!ids+ Ierdmans. RRRRRR. ,-*-. /he 0ospel in a %luralist So&iety. Gene"a+ 8((.

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RRRRRR. ,--1. : #ord in Season. Grand )a!ids+ Ierdmans. OOOOOO. ,--H. %roper 'onfiden&e3 8aith, Dou*t, and 'ertainty in 'hristian Dis&ipleship. Grand )a!ids+ Ierdmans. RRRRRR. 077?. Signs amid the )u**le3 /he %urposes of 0od in 5uman 5istory . Grand )a!ids+ Ierdmans. Eadilla, (. )ene. 07,7. <he Ibb and Flow of Kingdom <heolog$. &n 7vangeli&al and 8rontier (ission %erspe&tives on the 0lo*al %rogress of the 0ospel , edited b$ 3eth Snodderl$ and 2. Scott 4oreau, 0@1D*H. ;.ford+ )egnum. )ees, D. 3en, ed. 077?. <ehi&les of 0ra&e and 5ope3 #elsh (issionaries in India 24>>?2@A>. Easadena+ 8illiam (are$ =ibrar$. )obb, 9ohn. ,--?. Satan's <actics in 3uilding and 4aintaining His Kingdom of Darkness. International Journal of 8rontier (issions ,7 #Fall%+ ,@?D*1. Scaramanga, 5r=. 077@. 8illow (reek )e!ents/ 8h$ the 4ost &nfluential (hurch in 2merica Now Sa$s, N8e 4ade a 4istake.' 2"ailable from &nternet, http://www.outofur.com/archives/2007/10/willow_creek_re.html, accessed ,- 9ul$, 07,0. Smith, Ste"e. 07,0. Getting Kingdom )ight to Get (hurch )ight. (ission 8rontiers #9ul$D2ug.%, :D*. Snodderl$, 3eth. 077:. 2 Summar$ of )al!h D. 8inter's 8arfare 4issiolog$. &n 8oundations of the #orld 'hristian (ovement3 : )eader , edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter and 3eth Snodderl$, ??D?H. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077-a. Shalom+ <he Goal of the Kingdom and of &nternational De"leo!ment.. &n /he 0oal of International Development3 0od1s #ill on 7arth as It Is in 5eaven, edited b$ 3eth Snodderl$, ,H@D:-. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077-b. <he 8arfare 8orld"iew of )al!h D. 8inter. &n /he 0oal of International Development3 0od1s #ill on 7arth as It Is in 5eaven , sedited b$ 3eth Snodderl$, @?D*-. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. Stearns, )ichard. 077-. /he 5ole in 6ur 0ospel. Nash"ille, <N+ <homas Nelson. Stet6er, Id. 07,0. Su*versive Bingdom3 9iving as :gents of 0ospel /ransformation. Nash"ille+ 3SH. Sundberg, 8alter. 077*. Satan the Inem$. #ord and #orld 0* #8inter%+ 0-D ?@.

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Lan Ingen, (harles. ,--,. 0od1s (issionary %eople3 )ethin$ing the %urpose of the 9o&al 'hur&h" Grand )a!ids+ 3aker 2cademic. 8inter )al!h D. 077@. <he Future of I"angelicals in 4ission. (ission 8rontiers #Se!tD;ct%+ :D,H. RRRRRR. 077*a. 2 Growing 2wareness about Disease. &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, ,@HD@:. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077*b. How Do 8e Deal with the Ehenomenon of Disease/ &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, ,@?D@1. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077*c. &n Eursuit of the Full Gos!el. &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, ,:@. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077*d. <wel"e Frontiers of Eers!ecti"e. &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, 0*D?-. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRR. 077*e. 5nfinished I!ic. &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, ?,@D0:. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 077*f. 8hat is a (hristD(entered (hurch/ &n 8rontiers in (ission, 1th ed., edited b$ )al!h D. 8inter, ,:*. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress. RRRRRR. 07,7. <he 3iggest <rend in Global 4issions <oda$. &n 7vangeli&al and 8rontier (ission %erspe&tives on the 0lo*al %rogress of the 0ospel , edited b$ 3eth Snodderl$ and 2. Scott 4oreau, 0:@D@?. ;.ford+ )egnum. 8inter, )al!h D. with 3eth Snodderl$. 077-. <he Eur!oses of the )oberta 8inter &nstitute. &n /he 0oal of International Development3 0od1s #ill on 7arth as It Is in 5eaven, edited b$ 3eth Snodderl$, 1,D1*. Easadena+ 8(&5 Eress.