20 Sep 2011, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
ANN staff
A California supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is relaunching its health program to better address health issues worldwide.
The Weimar Center of Health & Education recently launched NEWSTART Global, an international version of the health program NEWSTART. The program is an 18-day live-in lifestyle regimen that addresses obesity, hypertension and diabetes. The new version offers the NEWSTART principles specifically for local churches worldwide to conduct health evangelism.
“Now everyone can be a health evangelist in their communities,” said Dean Dennis, director of marketing for Weimar.
Launched in 1978, NEWSTART is an acronym for nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God.
The center has assisted more than 11,000 guests in regaining wellness through natural means, according to its website.
Weimar officials announced the launch last month at a dinner attended by guests from the Adventist Church headquarters, including President Ted N. C. Wilson, Assistant to the President for Evangelism Mark Finley and Ministerial Association Secretary Jerry Page.
“Helping local churches to become centers of influence and health centers for the Lord, this is what our church needs,” Wilson told meeting attendees.
Weimar President Dr. Neil Nedley said, “Jesus is coming soon and he has told us that medical ministry will be one of the final avenues for reaching people. God needs us to equip His people to do that work.”
Denominational health leaders said the updated version of NEWSTART will better meet health needs from those who are outside of North America.
“The modern world presents many new health challenges that are better addressed in the updated portion,” Dr. Allan Handysides, Health Ministries director for the Adventist world church, said later in an interview.
“I am confident that NEWSTART Global will help those seeking to serve beyond North American borders,” Handysides said. “Those using NEWSTART Global will need to meet people where they are and demonstrate flexibility as they work with cultures different from the North American mentality.”
Handysides said the updated program would also better enable church health leaders the addressing of modern health issues such as HIV/AIDS and substance abuse.
Katia Reinert, Health Ministries director for the Adventist Church in North America, said NEWSTART has been “instrumental” in promoting health principles among Adventists and community members.
“I believe anyone interested in health evangelism will find NEWSTART to be a wonderful tool to introduce the message of whole health and restoration to those in need of physical, mental and spiritual healing,” Reinert said.
Weimar recently ended a three-year partnership with the Amazing Facts supporting ministry, based in nearby Roseville. Amidst financial challenges, the partnership helped “resurrect” Weimar’s ministry, Nedley said in a statement.
“Though our ministries are now separate at the board level, we remain united in the mission of reaching a lost world with the three angels’ messages,” Nedley said.
For more information, visit Newstartglobal.com or Weimar.org.
