TURBOCHARGING THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES HEALTH EVANGELISM IN NORTHERN IRELAND

5th April 2016

Could churches in Northern Ireland be on the verge of a health revolution?

Lynell's dynamic presentations helped to reframe the central focus of health ministry for more than thirty participants.

Lynell LaMountain and Sheryl Chernault, inspirational speakers and trainers from the Florida Hospital CREATION Health team visited Northern Ireland last week to help Northern Irish, Irish Mission members find a radically new way of helping members and community gain optimum health.

"We are not here to give you a set of rules for healthy living, or a formula for nutrition, or to castigate you for not exercising enough", said Lynell in the first minute of his presentation. "In my experience as a pastor, and a health educator, I realise that well-meaning church programmes have often turned people off health through their formulaic, know-it-all approach."

Sheryl shared how the CREATION Health materials are regularly updated. They are not only beautifully packaged, but also based on the most up-to-date research on healthy lifestyle, wellbeing, and longevity

Lynell was well aware that he was addressing a highly sceptical audience. "Long-standing Irish Mission members have become frustrated with the nature and the spirit of health reform programmes that have been promoted in our churches in the past, constructed within a rigid legalistic framework mainly focussing on what we eat", reflected David Neal, President of the Irish Mission.

In contrast "The very core of CREATION Health, is to fulfil the destiny that Jesus envisaged for His followers when He said 'I came that you may have life, and have it to the fullest!'" explained Lynell. "The reason why so many in our society struggle with their health today, is not simply because they make wrong lifestyle choices, but because they experience emotional and spiritual hunger."

Lynell listens in on a discussion between Belfast church members on how to use CREATION Health materials in their community

The weekend training offered two streams, with Sheryl demonstrating how to run CREATION Health for children, and Lynell instructing on how CREATION Health becomes an integral part of the ministry of the local church.

Participants responded with enthusiasm. "CREATION Health gives permission to be a human being", said Belfast elder Eileen Irvine. "The message I remember from my growing up days was 'deny yourself, deny yourself, deny yourself.' The originators of CREATION Health have found a way to add goodness to your life, rather than to take things away."

Some training sessions were practical. Saturday evening became an entertaining test-"run" of the latest CREATION Health exercise DVD.

Raymond Little, Belfast elder, and treasurer and long-time church member, expressed similar sentiments, "To be honest, I did not expect much. Our way of presenting health has not shown much variation over the years, and often it comes across as formulaic and 'old news'. CREATION Health is a breath of fresh air. It seems to be the kind of approach that I could share with my friends. Its research base is up to date and impressive. Its focus on the fullness of life, not only in terms of nutrition and exercise, but in terms of the mental and emotional elements that make people flourish, makes this programme a winner." His wife Patricia, who attended the children's programme, enthusiastically agreed.

Sheryl is the creative mind behind the CREATION Health children materials. Her seminar provided opportunities for participants to reflect on how to reach children and families with the life-transforming principles of health.

Shevanti Bastiam-Pillai, a cardiologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, said, "It is refreshingly different. I've worked at Seventh-day Adventist hospitals around the world. We were steeped in the various acronyms that typically surround Adventist health programmes.  Quite regularly the main emphasis of these programmes was nutrition and serving the needs of the Adventist community. CREATION Health is clearly aimed at meeting the needs of real people in the communities around us. It is a holistic approach to health that embraces every aspect of being human, and it is not just a way of fulfilling the Church's need to share a health message that is often only interested in physical wellness."

Sunday afternoon: Representatives of the Derry-Londonderry church reflect on how to implement CREATION Health strategies in their region.

As the weekend training came to an end, participants met in their church groups (Derry/Londonderry, Belfast, Banbridge and Dublin) to consider how CREATION Health could impact their church and community. David Neal feeling the energy in the room summed up by saying, "in CREATION Health we have a powerful engine that can drive health evangelism into a new era. Don't miss the grace of God shining through. Health Ministry has always been called, the right-arm of the Gospel. We have just added some muscle to this arm and the potential is staggering! My very real hope is that CREATION Health will become widely used not just throughout the Irish Mission, but also the wider BUC as 'the' primary Health Ministries resource." Maybe this vision moved one small step forward last weekend.

You can view a gallery with photos capturing the colour of the weekend here.

[Weiers Coetser]