Hospitals and Evangelism

Hi guys. Just checking in. I'm out at the hospital, waiting with a family of a member who is having heart surgery (Mil).

I care about people, and it is always good to serve and try to show Christian love and care. I am not, however, a person who really enjoy just being a hospital chaplain. My gifts are more evangelistic than pastoral.

However, in most serious cases where people are in the hospital, there are non-Christian family and friends who are present. By showing genuine love and care, Christians can open doors to Bible studies, worship, and conversation with non-Christians who are present. These extended visits, where you are waiting with a family for several hours, can also help give a person credibility with these families. This credibility may enable a minister or church leader to then call these family members to greater Christian service somewhere down the line.

All of this fits into Christ's example of serving people before presenting the gospel. Anyone, no matter where they are in their Christian walk, can serve others. And hospital visitation is one such service. We need to encourage a whole church to do this whenever they can.

None of us can get to everyone, particularly in a large church. But with a whole church looking for these opportunities, we can try to cover all of those who are facing serious health problems.