PURPOSE
Health ministries are foundational building blocks for a healthy society. Health is viewed as a gift from God and a way of relational living in community. Health ministry is about building meaningful and sustained relationships in, among, and outside faith communities. Église Baptiste Bethanie believes God is concerned about his children’s health in every aspect—spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, and relational. The word of God says in 3 John 2, “Brethren, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers.” Healthy living is a major key to fulfilling our destinies in Christ. Therefore, the church sees the need to promote health and wellness in a broad spectrum of ways. The church encourages and supports the development of a whole person ministry leading to the integration of faith and health. Jesus’ ministry is an excellent example of whole-person ministry. Throughout His ministry He had concerns for health. In Matthew 4;23, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people”.
The health ministry at Église Baptiste Bethanie de Fort Lauderdale incorporates the values, beliefs, and practices of its Christian faith as components in motivating individuals toward health and wholeness. The health ministry team of Église Baptiste Bethanie de Fort Lauderdale exists to provide awareness and resources for spiritual, medical, and educational health needs of the church body and the community.
Eglise Baptiste Bethanie’s health ministry offers services, programs, events, and classes that can motivate change for individuals in the congregation and in the community. This change impacts the individual’s state of well-being, creating a sense of health ownership.
STRUCTURE
The Health Ministry team has a broad membership made up of health ministers, doctors, nurses, patient care assistants, educators, program coordinators, and others. The organizational structure of the health ministry team consists of a Health Coordinator and an Assistant Health Coordinator who oversee the administrative and regulatory operation of the ministry. The ministry also consists of several other members, who directly report to the Health Coordinator or Assistant Health Coordinator. Each member functions according to his/her spiritual gifts from God. The health ministry functions with the full support of the pastor.
SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND QUALIFICATIONS HELPFUL FOR THE HEALTH COORDINATOR POSITIION
- The Health Coordinator is a servant leader with a commitment to show the love of God through promotion of health, healing, and wholeness.
- The Health Ministry Coordinator functions to promote the integration of body, mind, and spirit by providing leadership in identifying and responding to the health-related needs of members of the congregation and of the community.
- This ministry coordinator benefits from having one or more of these spiritual gifts: servanthood, teaching, exhortation (encouragement), leadership, compassion, faith, discernment, helping/assistance, and administration.
- Useful skills for this position are the ability to listen to and communicate with people of all ages, the ability to work with church members and community people, and skills for planning and delivering effective programs and health events promoting wellness, healing and wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.
- This leader should show genuine interest in responding to the hopes and concerns of all church members and people in the community.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE HEALTH COORDINATOR POSITION
- The Health Coordinator will pay attention to the hopes, concerns, and needs of people for healthcare in our church congregation and in the community to determine how the church might serve these people, especially those with disabilities and/or limited resources.
- The Health Coordinator will be a liaison with organizations, people, and resources in the community and congregation that minister through health and welfare programs.
- The Health Coordinator will help the congregation become knowledgeable about the services offered by the various health-related and welfare agencies in the community, including hospitals, clinics, advocacy groups, and others.
- The Health Coordinator will encourage the congregation to be aware of the needs of people with handicapping conditions and of the need for the church to be structurally accessible.
- The health team will promote observance of all efforts to provide financial support for health and welfare ministries.
MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITIES
- The primary membership qualification is based on interest in promoting health, healing and wholeness for the individual, congregation, and community. Interest in wholistic health matters.
- Membership includes people representing medicine, nursing, social work, education, social ministry, church board, youth, elderly, outreach ministries, etc. The ministry includes people passionate about health and wellness.
THE HEALTH MINISTRY TEAM ORGANIZES THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
- Prevention education
- General health awareness
- Exercise and fitness classes
- Stress reduction programs
- Nutrition education
- Pre- and post-hospital calls to make sure church members’ needs are being met
- Health education classes and seminars with guest speakers.
- Blood pressure and Glucose checks.
- Health Fairs at outreach events.
- First Aid classes (i.e. CPR, use of defibrillator) at outreach events
- Hand sanitizing supplies throughout the church building.
- Care and counseling programs
- Access to medical care
- What we do not do: Provide medical and legal advice, formal diagnoses, or treatment for medical conditions.
The Health Coordinator will use in his/her practice information published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in its progress update on Healthy People 2020 leading Health Indicators for education and referrals. The Health Coordinator will advocate, as necessary, for where there are gaps in services and care, especially for the underserved. He/she will bring awareness of the gaps to local, state, and federal representatives.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. The most common and most costly chronic diseases include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. These chronic diseases are also preventable (CDC, 2014). The Health Coordinator will implement Health promotion activities that may assist people in our congregation and in the community in the prevention of chronic diseases.
