What happens when people experience the love of God in the hospital and turn to Him? Many go home to communities and families who support their faith. But some have little or no social support. Some do not have a Bible believing church near them.
Nazarene Health Ministries has been having a spiritual formation focus for our staff with staff retreats and an increased emphasis on staff and patient devotions. There will also be a hospital evangelism course in August to help staff share the love of God more clearly with interested patients.
NHM has a goal of going out every Sunday somewhere, and most often more than one place. This could be for patient follow up (as the first priority) but even when there is no patient follow up, a group will go out so that it becomes part of our system. Many staff, students, and doctors want to be more involved in church growth and discipleship. The more opportunities are provided the more this will become a regular thing available for people to do and staff can join in to the follow up group when they don’t have other church obligations.
Besides patient follow up, some opportunities that have been identified for there to be an opportunity each week:
1. A number of NHM staff have already planted a church. We want to come along side them and strengthen their churches.
2. We are looking into regular visits to Barawagi prison (just into the next province).
3. The chaplains are getting invitations for Nazarene College of Nursing students and others to come show Jesus Film, or lead music, or preach at various churches in the surrounding area.
4. Local follow up like from project people who have given their lives to the Lord.
5. We feel that two things will increase our patient follow up. The first being doing something each week so people are aware we have drivers and a group of people excited to follow up with people we identify -even on short notice if needed. The second being the upcoming evangelism course in August. We want more staff having spiritual discussions with patients, identifying needs, making relationships, and coordinating with chaplains for the group to follow up with.
Please pray for this new discipleship model. If you want to contribute to the vehicle costs for follow up you can contribute to the greatest need fund.