Full Gospel Health Ministry

Executive Summary

Mission statement

The mission of the Full Gospel Fellowship Baptist Church Health Ministry is to
empower churches to improve the health of their congregation and
community. The healing ministry of Jesus included miracles to observe and
the information needed to live an abundant, healthy life.

Objectives
The International Health Ministry will consist of each health professional that
is a convenant partner within the fellowship. The membership will join to
provide the wellness programs, teachings and activities necessary to create
a healthier generation.
       Programs will include:
               1. Health Fairs
               2. Run/Walks
               3. Seminars
               4. Hospice Program
               5. Heath News and Information

       Committees Include:

Researchers
Diabetes
Heart
Hospice
Wellness
HIV/AIDS
Cancer

Each member will be a part of a committee. Each committee will create
initiatives for their area. The researchers committee will create a peer
reviewed on-line journal: Christian Faith and Health.


The Health Ministry

Overview of Health Ministries

The impact that a health ministry can make on a congregation’s health is
enormous. Today the distress from the diseases that are inflicting the most
harm can be significantly reduced or prevented by lifestyle changes that
include exercising, healthy eating and complying with medical advice.
Those that are disproportionately affected are those with the least amount
of access to information. A health ministry that reaches those people in a
clear and understandable way can make a powerful impact on their lives
and generations to come.
Health Ministries and Nurses Guilds often lack the resources and networking
necessary to be effective and create change. There is no current forum to
share programs that work, church targeted information and
encouragement for health ministry workers. The International Health Ministry is
that source for encouragement, information, networking and inspiration to
Health Ministries throughout the fellowship to change a generation. As the
International Fellowship is changing a generation to come closer to God
through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Ghost, our mission is to lead
the way in empowering members to achieve the health God desires for
service to Him.

Membership
Each health professional that is a covenant partner is automatically a
member. Each church Health Ministry or Nurses Guild within the Full Gospel
Baptist Church Fellowship is automatically a member ministry. Membership
may include Para-professionals and health enthusiasts as determined by
member ministries. We will connect through Web Seminars and conference
calls.

Cooperative Agreements
There are various government, philanthropic and corporate entities that
have similar goals and objectives. Of course as independent entities,
churches will and do enter into agreements with other organizations. The
International Health Ministry may enter into agreements with other
organizations only when strict ethical guidelines are met, including all
privacy guidelines, protection of the membership from being subjects of
research studies, disclosure of all conflicts of interest and full financial
disclosure of any and all transactions. Any cooperative agreement must be
approved by the Director of the Health Ministry, disclosed to the board,
Bishop of Missions and made available for review by the Bishop’s council.

Impacting the Community
Programs:
Health Fairs:
       Health Fairs have been a standard-bearer for organizational wellness
programs for years. They are effective in bringing about awareness of health
issues in a cost effective manner. Combined with screenings and education,
they provide congregants and the community with a one-stop assortment
of enlightenment, education and exposure. The primary goal is to ensure
that participants leave with a broader health literacy and ensure that they
have a relationship with a physician.

Run/Walks:
       Of all the Health Ministry activities, there is none that is more exciting,
more labor intensive, and more productive than a Run/Walk. With a built in
health message it gets participants and non-participants excited about
exercise, competing and sharing. By building in several categories, it allows
many to receive awards, which encourages participation at all age levels.
When the event is organized along with a separate picnic – it can really
bring the church together in ways that lasts for a lifetime. As in all of these
activities, ministry involvement is the key particularly from the Pastor.

Sports Program:
       A Sports Program is also an excellent way to promote physical activity
while creating opportunities for evangelism, family togetherness and
building church leaders. Running a program takes very strong leadership
and commitment. Programs can include Golf, Tennis, Basketball, Football,
Walking Club, Bowling, etc… It is important that women have the
opportunity to participate because the church provides in many instances
the only safe environment for exercise with friends. The more challenging
sports may include instruction from professionals, which can be paid for
either by members or by the individual. For instance, most golf instructors will
gladly accommodate a group for a discounted rate. Scheduling is a
challenge, dissemination of information is critical, while finances must be
accounted for which all call for strong, committed trustworthy leadership as
mandatory in each area.

The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Hospice Program:
       This program is seen as “Members helping Members”. When a physician
declares that medically a person has less than 6 months to live: Hospice
care is usually the best option financially and emotionally for the member.
The amount of care increases through more visits from nurses and care is
more specialized. Part of the Hospice experience is the addition of
volunteers. This is where the church comes in who can provide church
members as the volunteers spend around 4 hours per week with the
member. To have a church member volunteer that is spiritually on one
accord makes an unbelievable difference in the life of a member. It is
therefore just caring for a member, as it should be done. The Hospice
Program brings the hospice organization and the church together by
arranging the volunteer training and exposing the church to the hospice
concept. It is also an excellent way to bring the medical team and pastoral
team together to meet the needs of members.

Support Groups:
       Providing members with a place to talk and share with others with
similar experiences has been proven to bring so much healing and help to
so many while the church is the perfect environment to accomplish it. These
groups should be separated from medically based support groups and
function more as a prayer group to avoid liabilities. The healing comes from
prayer anyway, therefore the interventions performed medically can be
obtained from other sources, but the prayer and mutual support affects in a
positive way. Groups that are popular are the Cancer Support Groups and
Caregiver Support Groups. All of these groups can bring together the
pastoral support team along with the medical team to create a strong unit
to meet the needs of the congregation.

Web Site: www.FullGospelHealth.org
       The International Health Ministry Web site is a great source of
information for ministries as well as for members seeking information. As an
adjunct to ministry activities, it will be the major source of information
dissemination, individual and church registration, along with integration of
activities with the Fellowship as a whole.


Health Ministry “On Call”
       “On Call” is a term used in the medical profession to illustrate that
someone is always available. The most effective model for health ministries
to operate is to service other organizations within the church. If a ministry is
having an event and would like a health component added; they just
have to “call”. It may be for a health speaker, a health fair as a part of a
conference, health brochures, etc., but by calling the health ministry team,
an impact can be made. This model reduces advertising expense for the
health ministry and allows it to concentrate on providing a service. The
people are already coming to the event, where the health team can just
serve them as a Health Ministry “On-Call” Of course the perfect group to use
this service is the Senior Citizens ministry and the Women’s Ministry since both
has a distinct interest in health issues.

Health E-News:
       E-mail has overtaken US mail as the means of sending letters and it fits
perfectly with the goals of the International Health Ministry. E-mail addresses
can be obtained from the Web Site and church databases therefore
providing a solid link throughout the world. E-news will be a regular event
bringing health information for health professionals to learn, discuss and
grow from. It consists of information that is applicable to prevention and the
type of activities church workers will be doing.

Impact
These activities and more, used by the churches will positively impact the
health literacy of the congregation that will also filter through the
community thereby helping to change a generation. This is the most
effective way to touch an area in a meaningful way. Jesus’ healing ministry
led the way for his preaching on salvation.

Points                                               Benefits
Health Fairs                                     Health Awareness
Run/Walks                                       Visibility, Fund Raising, Physical Activity
Sports Programs                               Physical Activity
Hospice Program                            Brings health and pastoral ministry together
Support Groups                               Information, Caring, Healing, Prayer
Web Site                                          Information, Organization, Database
Health Ministry “On-Call”               Meeting Ministry Needs “al la cart”
E-News                                             Teaching, Information, Communic

core operations
The basic operations of the International Ministry will be information
gathering and dissemination. The web site will be the core place of all
activities of the ministry.

Conclusion:
The addition of the International Health Ministry is an opportunity to impact
the health of our membership in a way that will enhance each church and
our mission to reach the lost. Technology has provided an opened door to
this type of ministry that could not have been possible before. Billions of
dollars are needed to improve healthcare throughout the world and even
within the United States, but with the Full Gospel Internal Health Ministry,
God has provided a powerful way to reach the masses: using 5 loaves and
2 fish to reach thousands.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul propereth
3 John 1:2