Inter-America: Health ministry leaders challenged to seek spiritual revival first
Inter-America began its first territory-wide Health Summit from Orlando, Florida, Mar. 20, 2013. More than 200 health ministry leaders from across the 22 church regions will gather for training and workshops until Mar. 23, 2013.
March 21, 2013 – Orlando, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
Belkis Archbold, health ministries director for the church in Inter-America welcomes the delegation to the summit during opening ceremony. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD
Inter-America’s first territory-wide Health Summit saw more than 200 health ministry leaders gathered during the opening ceremony last night in Orlando, Florida.
“We want to give you the necessary tools so that you can share the wonderful truths about the important health principles we need to continue sharing throughout the entire Inter-American territory,” said Belkis Archbold, health ministries director for the church in Inter-America, as she welcomed the delegation.
Representatives from each of the 22 church regions in Inter-America welcomed the event all dressed up in their folkloric garb.
Keynote speaker Dr. Allan Handysides, health director for the Adventist world church, challenged health ministries directors to hold up high the message of health reform combined with a personal spiritual revival.
“Without a true spiritual revival, without the Holy Spirit working for and through us as the church, we will not be able to accomplish our mission of healing and serving as Jesus did,” said Dr. Handysides.
Keynote speaker Dr. Allan Handysides, health ministries director for the Adventist world church challenged delegates to pursue spiritual revival in order to be effective in health ministries. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD
Dr. Handysides emphasized what the Adventist world church has been promoting for the past two years across its churches—for every church member to pursue a daily prayerful life, study God’s Word and share that insight with the community in order to be effective as Christians.
“Health Ministry is a ministry of service,” he explained. “It is an easy ministry because you don’t have to argue about the beginning, about beliefs, you don’t have to be a nutritionist, all you have to do in the health ministry is to be kind, you have to care.”
Caring is what is going to reach the populous cities like Mexico City, explained Dr. Handysides.
“What health ministries needs is true godliness—to be like Jesus,” added Dr. Handysides. “We need to have grace, have tender loving kindness because such transforms people, broken marriages can heal.”
Dr. Handysides message set the tone for the four-day summit, themed “Healing and Serving”. He encouraged health ministries directors to remain honest and be filled with integrity so the health message they share in churches can be pure and true in order to introduce Jesus to the world.
Image by Magda Salinas/IAD
Dr. Elie Henry, executive secretary of the church in Inter-America, briefly spoke to the delegation on behalf of Inter-America’s top administrators to continue finding better ways to glorify God as they lead in health ministries.
To view photos of the Inter-America’s Health Summit opening ceremony, click here.
To view the program on the IAD’s Health Summit to be held Mar. 20, 2013, visit health.interamerica.org