Health Ministry

 

The church accepts its responsibility to make Christ known to the world and believes this includes a moral obligation to preserve human dignity by obtaining optimal levels of physical, mental, and spiritual health. In addition to ministering to those who are ill, this responsibility extends to the prevention of disease through effective health education and leadership in promoting optimum health, free of tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, and unclean foods. Where possible, members shall be encouraged to follow a primarily vegetarian diet.

 

Health Ministries are an integral part of the mission of the Adventist Church. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:31). Health ministry is the gospel of Christ illustrated, the message of God practiced. Without it, the gospel witness is muted; it is merely a theory, an idea.

The most important objective of health ministry is to help men and women reach their full potential, mentally, spiritually and physically. To reach full potential, health principles must be practiced.

The more closely these principles are followed, the better health the person enjoys. The more active a church is in public health education, the more effective will be its public evangelism, for health is the most universal entering wedge.

 

 Wholeness and health have been an emphasis of the Seventh-day Adventist church since the 1860s when the church began. The Bible reminds us that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we have been entrusted with the privilege of maintaining and improving our spiritual, mental, social and physical health. Health Ministries promotes good health and the prevention of ill health to help achieve this goal of wholeness.