Meeting patients where they are: a further report from Grace Prescriptions (third in a series)

Last updated on: August 29, 2015 at 3:41 pm by Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Meeting patients where they are: a further report from Grace Prescriptions (third in a series) 2015-08-29T15:41:32-05:00 Jennifer Woodruff Tait

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Read more about the conference here:

I’m almost at the end of my time with the roomful of medical professionals at Grace Prescriptions, and I have a lot to chew on (and I don’t just mean the chocolate: we’ve all been fed within an inch of our lives!)

Last night focused on making the theological, Biblical, and scientific cases for the intersection of faith and medicine. Today was much more practical, talking to the doctors present about how they could use “faith flags” (subtle comments about the role of faith in their own lives), “faith stories” (telling brief stories about their own religious experiences) and “faith prescriptions” (encouraging prayer, Scripture reading, or other spiritual practices, especially to patients who are already Christian believers). Serious attention was also given to the role of prayer in medical practice; praying for patients and (with permission) praying with patients, especially at serious moments in their medical lives (serious illness, birth of a child, and the like.)

I actually found these approaches helpful as a religious professional too. People in my line of work, whether that’s my line of work as a journalist or as a pastor, are good at talking to people. We’re not always so good at listening. (At least I’m not.) It is good and wise to remember that God is working in people’s lives before we meet them and after we pass by, and that the most powerful witness we can make to God’s power to change lives is not preaching a sermon, but actually living a changed life and a joyful life in front of them.

For someone who is (as I said in my last post) a good mainliner, and a good Wesleyan-Arminian to boot, I felt there was more attention paid to the process of leading people to Christ–although that attention was given with clear nuance and attention to the way evangelism is a process and not simply a transaction–than attention paid to how medical professionals should interact with patients who are already Christians but who need help integrating that faith with the confusing maze of modern medicine.

The cycle of evangelism presented to help medical professionals consider whether they were planting, cultivating, harvesting, or multiplying the seed of the gospel did give a place to the act of multiplying and making disciples, but the bulk of the attention today seemed to be focused on leading patients to Christ. There’s a whole other conference to be had–or at least a whole other slant on this material–on how healthcare professionals can walk alongside those of us who have already been walking with Christ. On the whole, I did feel the presence of the Reformed presuppositions that run through much of the faith and work movement–the strong cleavage between unbelievers and believers, between what has been redeemed and what has not been, that seems to be assumed, even as it is acknowledged that common grace works among unbelievers and that we ought not to make distinctions between sacred and secular. (My response the first time I heard that last point argued: “Duh, prevenient grace!”)

Be that as it may, I was still encouraged by the experience–and especially by the constant calls to prayer, sensitivity, and attentiveness to the role of the Holy Spirit. Knowing that the 12 health professionals I met with are going out into the world with a renewed desire to pray for healing and peace in troubled times, and with troubled people, strikes me as a very good thing. I’m hoping to follow up with a few of them over the next weeks and months. Stay tuned!

Faith and the Workplace

Meaning

Prayer

evangelism

faith-work integration

Grace Prescriptions

medicine

Previous Post

August 28, 2015

10 Things I Learned at Grace Prescriptions (second in a series)

Next Post

August 31, 2015 How are movies morally forming our children? We asked an actual 8-year-old

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Audio posts Bible and Work Book Review Books Budgeting Calling Common Good Community Development Conferences Discipleship Economics Entrepreneurship Ethics Faith and Family Faith and the Marketplace Faith and the Workplace faith and work History of Work and Vocation Leadership Local Church Meaning New Blogger News Prayer Relationships Seminaries Theology of Work Uncategorized Video posts Vocation Worship Resources

Select a Month April 2026 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 April 2025 January 2025 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 May 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 July 2023 April 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 June 2021 May 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book follows Psalms in the Bible?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Song of Solomon Ecclesiastes Proverbs Job