Blog
This blog explores how our medical work can align with God’s purposes. We don’t have to guess how to connect our work to the Kingdom of God. Understanding how healthcare fits into the whole story of the Bible will help us recover a sure foundation. A solid integration of healthcare and mission will help us move ahead with confidence and joy.
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When I studied international and community health at Johns Hopkins in 1977, primary health care was a new emphasis. Our dean, Dr. Carl Taylor led a department full of passion about reducing illness and promoting health through primary care. But…
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Social concern by evangelicals in the 1800s
Social concern by evangelical Christians was a high priority before 1900.
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What should characterize public health done by Christians?
Public health skills are powerful tools to promote flourishing of communities; they complement medical care of individuals. Christians also want to promote human flourishing, since this demonstrates the goodness of God. What will characterize public health done by Christians? Some…
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Why should public health be part of our Christian commitment to mission? Isn’t curative care enough?
Why should a preventive approach complement the strong medical component of medical missions?
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Why health is more than medical care
Why is health more than just medical care? Here are some reasons: Medical care tends to address matters of the body but not of the spirit. As medical professionals we are trained to diagnose, treat and manage medical conditions. We…
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A new era in Roman healthcare
We take for granted that compassion is a natural response to the suffering of those who are ill. But compassion was not well-developed as a virtue in Roman culture. Rome had not developed a culture of compassion; “mercy was discouraged,…
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A cheerful heart is good medicine
In medical school I learned that the death of a spouse is a risk factor for one’s death, and many times the surviving spouse dies near an anniversary of the sad event. The connection between our soul and body is…
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Not the way it’s supposed to be
“The veins of sin interlace with most of the rest of what’s wrong with our lives — through birth disorders, disease, accident and nuisance. Thousands of Third World children die daily from largely preventable diseases: out of laziness or complacency,…
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Taking it in steps?
A missionary doctor, nurse or health provider in his or her first term is all enthusiasm. After all, he or she may think, “After all that preparation, let’s get on with the real work!” But those first few years show…
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Too much to do? Time to re-examine our own assumptions!
Stress and burnout are recognized themes in medical missions. One source of stress is the sheer magnitude of physical needs; one billion people in our world have no access to a trained health worker and healthcare workers often stand in…