In a nutshell, love (personal caring) is the most important element in doing any ministry. As the old saying goes “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!”
Many times health evangelism methods can be done as programs, but personal ministry should be made a part of it in order to really be effective at reaching people’s hearts and helping them understand the message. Sometimes programs are used as a way to make contacts that can be followed up on with personal visits as well.
1. What’s the most powerful way to influence people’s lives?
Social power is the biggest influence on our lives in the temporal world
Information doesn’t change people
2. What is the most important function of personal ministry?
Taking ministry to the personal level
To draw close to people, not just lecture. One on one, showing genuine concern for people is far more important than big programs.
3. How does our relationship with Christ give us the power to work?
Jesus kept asking Peter “Do you love Me?” before saying “feed my sheep” because He knew that effective Christian service can only be done when the heart is filled with love for Christ.
Love for Christ must be the foundation of our work. Only when we have known Jesus love will it flow out of us to others. Just like a fan plugged into electricity!
4. What are the characteristics of loving kindness, and how do we learn to express love toward our fellow man?
Many people are Christians all their lives, yet still don’t know how to express kindness and caring toward people. Many people are afraid, or see it as a weakness.
Christian love is not just gentleness or weakness. It is a perfect balance between strength and gentleness, making it very effective. Sometimes you have to be firm/tough toward those you care about – this can be love too, when combined with true caring.
Society is so lacking in true caring- yet people’s hearts are so hungering for it!
Christians must learn to how to express love in word, look and deed. Only then can we truly represent Jesus to people – because He is love.
Humility- the healing power of love. Quote re:The healing power of virtue radiated out from Christ
The grasp of the hand, appropriate touch demonstrates kindness… etc
Through loving others we become ready for heaven: “When we love the world as Christ loved the world, we shall be (ready) for heaven because we will have heaven in our hearts.”
Study 1 Corinthians 13. - shows that any work done without love will be ineffective.
Ellen White Quotes: Who was Ellen White? ; Ellen White named by Smithsonian among the 100 most significant Americans of all time , EGW Link 2
Be Kind to the Lowly
……The desire to have one's own way, contrary to the judgment of co-workers, is to find no place in our institutions. "All ye are brethren." A spirit of love and tenderness is to be shown. In our sanitariums, and in any institution, kind words, pleasant looks, a condescending demeanor, are of great value. There is a charm in the intercourse of men who are truly courteous. In business transactions what power for good a little condescension has! How restoring and uplifting the influence of such dealing upon men who are poor and depressed, borne down to the earth by sickness and poverty! Shall we withhold from them the balm that such dealing brings? . . . {Medical Ministry 172.2}
Religion should be made prominent in a most tender, sympathetic, compassionate way. No one of all the parties with whom he is acquainted can do as much for the sick one as a truly converted nurse and physician. Actions of purity and refinement in looks and words, and above all the sweet words of prayer, though few, yet if sincere, will be a sure anchor to the suffering ones.--Letter 69, 1898. { Medical Ministry 235.2}