Healthcare and missions

BY DR. PAUL HUDSON

SIM’s first missionary doctor, Andrew Stirrett, arrived in Nigeria in 1902. Rowland Bingham spoke of his “unsparing efforts for the physical and spiritual welfare of the whole staff,” and cited the great reduction in missionary deaths over his 40-year ministry, as well as his passionate preaching to “no less than one and a half million people” in crowded marketplaces.

SIM’s ministries of compassion grew side by side with evangelism and church planting; 150 SIM mission stations in Nigeria had dispensaries. Nigerian historian Yusufu Turaki wrote, “The contribution of the SIM medical work in Northern Nigeria was quite substantial…. This ministry of mercy and caring was also a ministry of soul winning and evangelism ... its influence and impact are observable facts.”

Clinics, hospitals, and leprosaria became part of SIM ministries, especially following World War II, across Africa and India. Today, SIM is active in 24 hospitals, though only four are still owned and operated by the mission. New partnerships allow us access to regions where there is minimal gospel witness yet great physical need. And in recent dacades, we have added an emphasis on community health and development.

Our aspiration is to focus both on the patients and their communities.

Since 2000, SIM has begun 110 community health projects in addition to 132 traditional medical projects such as medical care and infrastructure. Today 230 SIM healthcare professionals serve in institution-based and community-based care. Training and discipleship of local staff have also become important.

Why is SIM strongly involved in healthcare?

Former SIM General Director Dr Ian Hay emphasised, “The words and works of Jesus show clearly His compassion for the total needs of mankind.” SIM’s roots are in the late 1800s, a century which saw the birth and explosion of missionary medicine. The Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society was founded in 1848 to train and send young mission doctors. Many churches then saw evangelism and social action as complementary; this was before a dichotomy arose out of the non-biblical ‘social gospel’ after World War I.In the words of Dr. Hay, “In some circles today, evangelicals are charged with ignoring human need. SIM is not guilty. We cannot and do not ignore pain, hunger, and suffering…. To those who express concern about the opposite danger – ignoring the spiritual dimension – again, the Mission is not guilty.”

Many of today’s healthcare ministries develop the church’s capacity to minister the gospel. Hope for Life (formerly Hope for AIDS) has emphasised equipping churches for gospel-based home care. The recent SIM COVID Equip project has done similarly. A beautiful balance is seen in teams that minister both to sick patients and to their communities.

What is the role for medical and healthcare workers today?

The Lord continues to use the skills of medicine to bring many to faith today. But it is not just our own ministry that we must think of; we must also disciple young health professionals. More than 80 nations have national Christian medical fellowships. How can we journey with them in discipleship such that they learn to serve others creatively, reach out to the marginalised and honour Christ? As cross-cultural workers we can learn together to serve with joy, not following a vision defined by worldly success, but enabling them to integrate the gospel in their own lives and service. This means working in diverse teams, not just seeing ministries as our own. This will strengthen local healthcare workers in Christ and empower the outreach of churches. Enable us, Lord, to serve you in this way!

24: Hospitals in which SIM is active.

132: Medical projects such as medical care and infrastructure SIM has begun.

80: Countries with national Christian medical fellowships.

110: Community health projects SIM has begun since 2000.

230: Healthcare professionals serving in SIM today.

103: Current SIM ministries with openings for workers with healthcare skills.

Paul is an adult medicine doctor and epidemiologist who served with SIM over 30 years in Ethiopia, Nepal and Thailand, as well as with SIM International. He helped start SIM’s HOPE for AIDS and more recently has been point person for health ministries. He and Clare retired December 2020 but remain open to coaching, mentoring and writing about the gospel and healthcare ministries.