Health Ministries Advisory Rebrands Health Message
By Sharon Platt-McDonald
BUC Director for Health, Women's Ministries & Adventist Community Services
From Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 November, 56 Health Ministries leaders from across the Inter-European Division (EUD) and Trans-European Division (TED) territory came together for a joint Health Ministries Advisory in Maceira, Portugal, 50 kilometres north of Lisbon.
The event was hosted in the picturesque Golf Mar Hotel, nestled on the mountainside with a breathtaking view of the ocean. The serene cliff-top location provided a perfect backdrop for our discussions.
The organisers – Dr Viriato Perreira, EUD Health Ministries Director, and Karen Holford, TED Director for Family, Children's and Women's Ministries and acting cover for Health Ministries – presided over the Health Ministries Advisory. Their inspirational presentations set the tone for an empowering and reflective event.
General Conference (GC) Health Ministries Director Dr Zeno Charles-Marcel, spearheading the new direction for Heath Ministries globally, captivated the audience with his compelling seminars.
Theme and focus
Under the bold caption, 'The Adventist Health Message: A BLESSING turned into CURSE?' was the key topic for discussion. The discussion centred around addressing negative perceptions, divisive narratives, and harmful practices and subsequently reclaiming the positive message of balance, healing, and hope.
Re-examining the Adventist Health Message focused on assisting people on the journey of wholeness with compassion and not judgment, coming alongside them, and embracing the Health Message with joy.
New direction
Repackaging the Health Message 'brand' with a new prominence, GC Health Ministries Director Dr Zeno Charles-Marcel highlighted the importance of not making the Health Message about 'rules' but about wholeness. Spotlighting the new direction for Health Ministries, he presented the word 'Shalom' as the best descriptor of wholeness in the Bible. His presentation outlined shalom as: 'Everything as it should be. Completeness, soundness, personal welfare, wellbeing, wholeness, having sufficient resources, quality of life, peace, harmony of all components'.
Emphasising the ethos of the Adventist Health Message, Charles-Marcel states:
"At its core is a message of grace, mercy, and compassion, aimed at bringing healing and wholeness to humanity rather than just imposing harsh, rigid rules. It is about a better life, not a bitter life, offering hope, not hurt, and restoration, not restriction. At its heart, this Health Message is God's gift to a broken world, a way of guiding people to live life more abundantly."
Group work with action outcomes
3 key areas of concern were identified as areas of conflict often negatively impacting our Health Message:
Nutrition – vegetarian, vegan, non-vegetarian
Quack Medicine – e.g. no scientific evidence, unregulated treatments
Therapeutic Diagnostics – e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery
Each group addressed current risks, identified red flags, and provided solutions to existing challenges in their regions. This included elements such as recognising and challenging misinformation, promoting scientific data, encouraging evidence-based practice, debunking myths, and promoting balanced messages.
Reflections
Taking time to reflect on and learn from events attended provides a rich resource for equipping leaders' development and casting a new vision for their territories.
Pastor Ratko Risteski, Health Ministries Sponsor for the Scottish Mission, shares his insights and learning from the event:
"Attending the Health Ministries Advisory was an exceptional experience for me, providing an opportunity to learn, present, and grow. I was inspired by the testimonies and actual projects shared from across the TED and EUD, which I am eager to bring back and share with my team to implement in our activities in Scotland.
"This Advisory was particularly beneficial for me as a leader. Effective leaders are active learners. A leader's role is not only to learn but also to inspire others. To help others thrive in a changing environment, leaders must serve as instruments of change.
"I was also inspired by the workshop on strategic planning presented by the General Conference's new Health Ministries Director, Dr Zeno L Charles-Marcel. I am excited about the prospect of rebranding our Health Message, understanding our relevance, and contemplating what we will achieve after implementing these valuable insights.
"The opportunity to network with other Health Ministries leaders in both Divisions was very important, as it opened the door for future cooperation."
A brief interview with South England Conference Health Ministries Director – Edith Samambwa encapsulated the impact of the Advisory.
SPM – On arrival at the Advisory, what were your first impressions?
ES – When I arrived at the Health Ministries Advisory, I was excited to see fellow Health Ministries leaders from across Europe because often, as leaders, we are all alone in a sea of our pastoral colleagues. So, it was really wonderful to share ideas and see the wonderful work being done across our Divisions, including the amazing hospital in Romania, the innovative health expos and the clinical research projects illustrating the power of our Health Message.
SPM – What was a particular highlight for you?
ES – The highlight for me was seeing the direction the General Conference is taking to rebrand the Health Message, with the focus on 'Shalom'. In the Bible, shalom means more than peace. It refers to universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.
SPM – With this new direction of focusing on well-being from the perspective of balance and being at peace holistically, how do you see this impacting the way we deliver our Health Message?
ES – I really believe that when we fully embrace the Health Message as a Church and individuals, it will bring true shalom – the way things should be. I am excited to be part of the future of our Health Message and look forward to sharing this within our Conference and the British Union.
Platt-McDonald will collaborate with the Health Ministries teams across the BUC, using the 'Shalom' approach to wellness and promoting recommendations for nutrition, quack medicine, and therapeutic diagnostics. Extending an invitation to pray for God's leading in this new focus, Platt-McDonald requests, "We solicit your prayers as we embark on this new direction, reflecting the compassionate healing ministry of Christ."