Lifestyle change is an entire industry Consider everything in the market designed to change and improve your life. In Barnes & Noble you have an entire row dedicated to diet books such as the keto diet, paleo diet or Mediterranean diet. Exercise programs such as Insanity and P90X are on the rise. Dietary supplements and prescription medications are also popular options. For those failing conservative medical management, bariatric surgery is the recommended treatment. We also have yet to mention wearable technology such as Fitbit, apps for diet and exercise and health coaching.
Medical Ministry is also in the lifestyle change business because God is in the lifestyle change business. But what is the unfair advantage of medical ministry? What sets medical ministry apart from the rest? What makes it different?
John 5:24 gives us insight into the answer:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
An Example Case
A 55 year-old male with a history of smoking, diabetes, depression presents to your clinic. He has no social support system and is unemployed. What is the best approach to changing his life?
Should we offer him medications?
• Metformin could help his diabetes.
• Prozac could alleviate his depression.
• Chantix could help him stop smoking.
Should we provide him education?
• Offer him a class to educate him on healthy eating
• Provide him a smoking cessation class.
• Suggest a Depression Recovery Class focusing on lifestyle habits.
Should we give him encouragement?
• You can do it!
• Don’t give up!
• This is important
• You will be glad once you succeed
• No time to be discouraged
Should we provide a better environment for him?
• Remove him from bad environment
• Put him with other successful people
• Surround him with positive role model
• Create an encouraging setting
No.
None of these can bring the dead back to life. The above methods may be helpful. It may alleviate some problems. His life may even improve. However, what is needed is a lifestyle change, a complete makeover, a transformation.
The Apostle Paul further explains in Ephesians 2:1-3:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
In verse 4, Paul provides us hope:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
To change tastes, habits, lifestyle, points of view takes nothing less than a miracle. It is akin to raising the dead to life. There are plenty of godless lifestyle change programs. What sets medical ministry apart is pointing to Jesus as the agent of change.
Jesus brings the dead to life.
Jesus is the Source of Life.
Jesus is the Life Generator.
No amount of scientific information we possess can do what Jesus can do. It is the uniqueness of Jesus, not cutting-edge health information, that gives medical ministry its unfair advantage. That’s what makes medical ministry different from all the rest in the lifestyle change industry.
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