MONTHLY FEATURE: Healing resources

Healing is part of the journey for all Christians.

Unfortunately though some people are very weary of healing in any Christian contexts, because of a limited exposure and view of healing.

The following resources we pray will help pastors, lay people and others see how healing is part of the ministry of the church.

Somethings to think about to get you started:
Healing can take place in a number of ways...physically, attitudely, spiritually, relationally and emotionally.
In all cases healing is God at work.
Christian healing is not restricted to supernatural powers, nor does it work in competition with the God given talents of Doctors, nurses and other health professions.
Healing can take time.
The amount of faith does not determine whether a person will be healed or not.

Health Ministries Network of Minnesota http://healthministries.info/
Describes health as the unity and harmony of body, mind, and spirit in relationship with God, self, others, and the environment. It is not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. it is an interfaith organization committed to encouraging, supporting and developing whole-person ministries throughout Minnesota. Their web site offers a range of resources including:
Best Practice Modules
Educational Ministry Programs
Inner Spirit Newsletter
Links to other resources
Lutheran healing service 1 http://healthministries.info/module8/8l_healing1.html
Lutheran healing service 2 http://healthministries.info/module8/8l_healing2.html
Blessing for the laying on of hands http://healthministries.info/module8/8l_blessings.html

Wheatridge Ministries http://www.wheatridge.org
Wheat Ridge Ministries is an independent Lutheran charitable organization that provides support for new church-related health and hope ministries. Wheat Ridge Ministries is Lutherans seeding new ministries of health and hope in the name of the healing Christ.
This mission statement continues to be a source of excitement as we encourage healing ministries being carried out by congregations, agencies, and church bodies. Reflecting Christ's concern for the whole person (John 10:10), we remain committed to seeding new and innovative ministries that focus on health of body, mind and spirit.
Wheat Ridge Ministries fulfills its mission by granting, connecting and equipping.
Their web site offers a Wellness Wheel, ideas on planning a congregational health fair, a health ministry congregational self study, grants for health ministries and health workshops.

North Tasmania Lutheran Parish Service of healing for mind, body and soul
A service of healing that encourages healing through God's word , sacraments and prayer. Those worshipping can be both receivers and interceeders of God's healing.
http://northtasmanianlutheranparish.blogspot.com/2008/02/lent-4-healing-service.html

Healing with Prayer http://www.healingwithprayer.com
Reclaiming a Lutheran view of healing.
Pastor Ron Rehrer (Counselor for Professional Church Workers of our PSW District) and Pastor Bill Dasch (Texas District) presented 8 workshops on Healing Prayer for the congregations and pastors of the Texas district of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
Our Lord Jesus passed on to his disciples the command to preach, teach, and to heal. This third part of His command was the subject of our workshop. It was an education/practical workshop, presenting a balanced, non-charismatic presentation with a special emphasis on Word and Sacrament for healing (spiritual, emotion, physical, relational healing) as well as perspective on the use of anointing with oil, constructing healing services, how to pray, the use of touch, and how to answer questions in the congregation. Pastor Rehrer and Pastor Dasch believe there is a high interest in prayer for healing throughout our Church, and they want to offer teaching and practical guidelines for this ministry.

Trinity Healing Center Brooklyn http://www.trinitybrooklyn.org/html/thc.htm
The Trinity Healing Center, Inc. was created in the year 2000, to respond to the needs of those who suffer in silence due to domestic violence.

St Matthews Lutheran Church Medina
An article discussing a healing service at St Matthews Lutheran Church Medina
http://wp2.medina-gazette.com/2007/12/29/accent/healing-service-at-st-matthew-lutheran/

The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria
Visioning for healing.
Michal Bongi identifies the following as ways of healing; Action, Change of Heart, Sacrifice, Integrity, Forgiveness and Unity. http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-3156565/Visioning-for-healing-Lutheran-Church.html

Dr Edgar Mayer
Living Waters Lutheran Church Toowoomba has available a sermon series on healing.
Healing 1 Luke 5:17-26 Healing More Than Crippled Legs
Healing 2 Luke 12:22-34 Grey Squirrel Healing
Healing 3 Mark 5:21-43 Faith Healing
Healing 4 Matthew 5:12 Dying To The Cancer Of The Soul
Healing 4 James 5:14 Kooky Behaviour

The Lutheran Church of Australia
The Service to Holy Communion for the ministry of those who are sick COW statement 18 http://www.lca.org.au/resources/cow/worshipstate18.pdf
The worship services of the church and healing http://www.lca.org.au/resources/cow/TheWorshipServicesEd.pdf

ELCA Evangelical Lutheran Church
Prayers for healing http://www.elca.org/prayer/healing.html

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
Medical Missions entry from Christian's Cycolopedia http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/cyclopedia/02/display.asp?t1=m&word=MEDICALMISSIONS
LCMS Health Ministry mission statement
http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3589
LCMS' response to the Charismatic movement including its approach to healing http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/CTCR/charismatic_Movement1.pdf

Lutheran Renewal
The church's healing ministry by Rev David Dorpat
http://home.comcast.net/~gracelife/rim/healing.htm
also available in hard copy from http://lutheranrenewal.org/

Luther Seminary
Outline of a Course on Biblical healing, lists a number of resources (see below) that maybe helpful
https://www.luthersem.edu/fgaiser/Kairos/BIBLhealing_SM03.htm

Books relating to healing in the Lutheran Church and Christian circles
Morton Kelsey, Healing and Christianity (Augsburg, 1995)
Martin Marty, Health and Medicine in the Lutheran Tradition (Crossroad, 1986)
John Pilch, Healing in the New Testament (Fortress, 2000)
Klaus Seybold and Ulrich Mueller, Sickness and Healing (Abingdon,1981)
John Wilkinson, The Bible and Healing (Eerdmans, 1998)
Joel J. Shuman and Keith G. Meador, Heal Thyself: Spirituality, Medicine, and the Distortion of Christianity (Oxford, 2003)
Avalos, Hector. Health Care and the Rise of Christianity. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999.
Bakken, Kenneth. The Journey into God: Healing and Christian Faith. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 2000.
Fadiman, Anne. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giraux, 1997.
Howard, J. Keir. Disease and Healing in the New Testament: An Analysis and Interpretation. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2001.
Kee, H. Medicine, Miracle and Magic in New Testament Times. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1986.
Kelsey, Morton. Healing and Christianity: A Classic Study. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1995.
Kinsley, David. Health, Healing, and Religion: A Cross-cultural Perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.
Kydd, Ronald. Healing through the Centuries: Models for Understanding. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1998.
Linde, Paul R. Of Spirits and Madness: An American Psychiatrist in Africa. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Marty, Martin. Health and Medicine in the Lutheran Tradition. New York: Crossroad, 1986.
Marty, Martin, and Kenneth Vaux, eds. Health/Medicine and the Faith Traditions: An Inquiry into Religion and Medicine. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1982.
Pilch, John. Healing in the New Testament: Insights from Medical and Mediterranean Anthropology. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2000.
Plante, Thomas O., and Allen C. Sherman, eds. Faith and Health: Psychological Perspectives. New York: Guilford, 2001.
Seybold, Klaus., and Ulrich Mueller. Sickness and Healing. Nashville: Abingdon, 1981.
Siirala, Aarne. The Voice of Illness. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1964.
Shuman, Joel J., and Keith G. Meador. Heal Thyself: Spirituality, Medicine, and the Distortion of Christianity. Oxford: Oxford University, 2003.
Wilkinson, John. The Bible and Healing. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.

If you have anything further to offer in the way of healing please email me...