Health Ministries - Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventist

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, from its inception, has promoted a philosophy of health and healing based on one of its Biblical Fundamental Beliefs that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. While developing a system of health care institutions which belt the globe, a health-promoting way of life has been taught to the church membership and in our educational institutions.
The Purpose:

The purpose of the Health Ministries Department is to encourage church members, through Divine Grace, to bring their way of life into harmony with God’s Health laws. It is necessary to do so, not just to enjoy the benefits of better health and longer life, but for the following larger, and more important purposes: moral discernment; love and respect for God, the Creator; as an act of worship and faithful stewardship.
The Functions:

To promote among the membership the Seventh-day Adventist lifestyle as based on the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy, by means of information, education, counselling and motivation in health/temperance affairs.
To advise the church, and its departments and related agencies, regarding the development and implementation of health/temperance related policies and programmes
To advice and/or catalogue resource materials for its programmes.
To provide through publications, services, and programmes, and on-going witness to the world concerning the physical, mental, and soul-destroying effects of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, other substances and wrong lifestyle.
To be actively involved in the evangelistic thrust of the church both as an effective entering wedge and by genuine concern for the total wellness of everyone.
To oversee and provide support for Seventh-day Adventist health-care institutions at all levels of Church organization. This should be done through membership on boards, inspections, assistance in recruiting personnel, continuing education, community programmes, and spiritual ministries.
To maintain liaison with Seventh-day Adventist health professionals and related organizations, dentists, dieticians, nurses, optometrists, physicians, etc. and foster their involvement in the Health/Temperance programme of the Church.
To promote Division-wide, in churches, institutions, and organizational offices, an Annual Health Emphasis Week as designated. The purpose of this special week is to call the attention of the membership to the importance of the health message and to secure this integral support for health/temperance programmes.

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