Health Ministries

The local church health secretary is the coordinator of health education and promotion within and beyond the congregation. Duties may include:

• health awareness and education
• promoting health emphasis week and the health offering
• promote health related journals, magazines, DVDs, correspondence courses and other resources
• teaching church members techniques and methods for healthy food preparation
• assisting new members with nutritional information and inviting them home for meals
• coordinating community events for the public (topics include disease prevention, physical fitness and weight control, stress management, the benefits of vegetarian food and nutrition, cooking demonstrations etc.)
• identifying opportunities in schools and community clubs to promote health
• find opportunities to communicate the health message through the media (newspaper articles and letters)
• conducting surveys and signing petitions regarding alcohol/ tobacco and other drug issues

Responsible to

The pastor and a health committee. (The health committee may include the pastor, an elder, the personal ministries leader, the communication secretary and health professionals in the congregation.)

This requires at least five hours a week when preparing for or conducting a community program. 

At other times throughout the year it may require less time.

Term of Office:

One year. This role is usually more effective if the same person can commit for a number of consecutive years.

God has gifted each of us in different ways. The following gifts are valuable when considering the choice of a member for the role of health secretary.

Leadership: Enables the health secretary to chair committees, coordinate activities and manage programs.

Understanding: Become conversant with the health message and principals of healthy living.

Mercy: A high level of compassion to minister to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of those in the congregation and the community.

Helper: To consistently give or organise assistance for those in need or “hard to reach”.

Faith: Confidence in God’s promises and His ability to move plans ahead even when direction is not clear.

Training and resources are available to assist the health secretary in the local church. These include:

• Vegetarian Cooking Instructors course
• Vegetarian Cooking Demonstrators course
• Health program resources
  

Contact your local conference health director or Adventist Media for specialised community programs to promote health.

“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.’” (Ellen G White, The Ministry of Healing, page 143.)

When the church meets the health needs of the community, it will become known as a caring church with a practical gospel.

Health and temperance are an integral part of the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31) Health ministry is the gospel of Christ demonstrated in day to day life, it is no longer theory but a way to live.

The focus of health ministry is to help men and women reach their full potential mentally, spiritually and physically. To reach full potential we need to care for our bodies in the way God intended.