Many new people in our church are surprised when they discover that Vineyard believes in and practices
healing for the sick. Some are surprised because they think of our church as a contemporary and relevant
version of the conservative church they came from. Others are surprised because they have had no exposure
to healing from their Roman Catholic, mainline or unchurched backgrounds. For more than a few, the
response to talking about healing is: "Wow, you didn't seem weird! You guys don't also handle snakes do
you?"
There also are many old-timers who used to pray for the sick but gave up because of discouragement with
the results, or neglect, or because they have become convinced that this is somehow secondary to many more
significant things in the Christian life.
Whenever we Christians talk about an issue, a good starting point is to ask: "What did Jesus say about
this? What was Jesus' practice? What would Jesus do?" We Christians after all, are supposed to be
apprentices (learners) and followers of Jesus, our Lord and teacher! With respect to healing, it is
arguable that Jesus did not regard healing as secondary - something that his followers could take or leave
according to personal preference. Rather, Jesus both taught and modeled healing as an essential part of
being one of his followers. We read many passages like Matthew 10:1:
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
Why do we need to practice healing?
Healing is a sign that God's Kingdom has broken into this world in Jesus. The coming of Jesus
was more than an event that made the forgiveness of sins possible. Jesus' coming included the forgiveness of
sins - but forgiveness does not exhaust the meaning of his coming. The coming of Jesus was more than an event
that opens up heaven for all who trust him. The coming of Jesus was more than great ethical teaching, more than
the formation of a new community called the Church and more than a model of how we are to live.
In Jesus of Nazareth, the world experienced (and continues to experience) the dawning of a new age, the age of
forgiveness, the age of God being with his people, the age of healing. This new age was prophesied about in the
Old Testament and sought for millennia. But in Christ, a new age for our universe has begun. Healing is
demonstrated evidence that this claim by Christians is not an empty boast but a verifiable fact!
Healing demonstrates the compassionate heart of God. Where is God when we suffer? Does God care
about our pain? Is God really a loving, kind father in heaven? Over and over again, we see the heart of God
demonstrated in the healings of Jesus. We read texts like Luke 7:12-15:
As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out - the only son of his mother, and she
was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and
he said, "Don't cry."
Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said,
"Young man, I say to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
The response by the people is our response today:
They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God
has come to help his people."
When Jesus heals through his people, we know what God is like - kind, loving and compassionate.
Healing is a frontal assault on a non-supernatural world-view. We live in a world that does not expect
any break in the inevitable chain of cause and effect. God is simply not an anticipated factor in someone
getting well. We believe in medicine, in therapy, and in the body's own curative powers, but God breaking in and
healing? No way! Healing is a major assault on our worldviews that wall God out.
Healing demonstrates God's concern for our total persons. God is not just interested in religion
or churchgoing. He is interested in our schools and political systems and recreation. And God is not just
interested in our souls; he is interested in our bodies as well! As one Christian leader put it, "There is no
atom in the universe over which God doesn't say, 'This is mine.'"
Healing welcomes people back into community. When we are sick, we become isolated in our homes, in
hospital rooms, and in wheelchairs. Illness often cuts us off from normal interactions, from work and from
friendships. Healing opens the door to recovered relationship.
How to Recover Healing in Your Life
You need exposure! We learn and grow by exposing ourselves to new ideas and new practices. Go to
our healing class (more than once). Go to our monthly Holy Spirit Empowerment nights. Attend our conferences.
Partner with someone to learn and grow. There is a reason Jesus sent the disciples out two by two. We
need others to push and encourage us. Find a friend (maybe your spouse) and commit to grow in the practice of
healing.
Practice! Practice! Practice! Few people see healing by praying for one person or even ten people.
Michael Jordan did not become the world's best basketball player by taking an occasional shot. He practiced for
years. Healing is seen by those who keep praying for the sick.
Wash yourself of disappointment. No one other than Jesus sees one-hundred percent of folks healed.
That means we experience lots of failures. These failures need to be cleansed, otherwise we will give up. We
need to be able to say, "Well, God didn't heal today, but that doesn't mean he won't heal tomorrow! I will pray
for another person tomorrow!"
The Vineyard is a community of hope and healing. Will you join with us and recover the practice of healing in your life?
