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Sanctuary Bible Church Health
Ministry
Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, gave a first-hand account
of the disparity between Christian and pagan responses during
two devastating epidemics of the third century, in which one
half to one third of the population of the Roman Empire died:
“Certainly very many of our brethren, while, in their
exceeding love and brotherly kindness, they did not spare themselves,
but kept by each other, and visited the sick without thought
of their own peril, and ministered to them assiduously, and
treated them for their healing in Christ, died from time to
time most joyfully along with them, lading themselves with
pains derived from others, and drawing upon themselves their
neighbor’s diseases, and willingly taking over to their
own persons the burden of the sufferings of those around them…But
among the heathen all was the very reverse.”
Rodney Stark, writing in “The Rise of Christianity” concludes
that this witness of faithful Christians during this crisis
played a decisive role in the phenomenal growth of early Christianity.
Throughout history, the Church has been intimately associated
with health, with the alleviation of suffering, and with the
promotion of wellness. From the earliest times, Christian ministry
has included the care of the sick and the dying in its mission.
Early hospitals and care providers have been an adjunct of
the church since the time of Christ. The Bible has a lot to
say about health and about our role in supporting each other
in our quest for health. We have a Biblical mandate to preach,
to teach, and to heal. We also have an outlook on suffering
and death that can provide comfort and peace for those who
are suffering and dying. Finally, our church recognizes that
our bodies are a gift from God over which we are stewards.
We live in an age of impersonal medicine, fear of death and
social isolation. These very factors provide the church with
a unique opportunity to reach out into our community with Christ’s
love and practical helps.
Dave
~Pastor Dave
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