Healing Service?

[Craig Laughlin]

I'm thinking pretty seriously about doing a healing service the first Sunday in November. It has been a long time since I dedicated a whole service to this. What advice would you give me? Scripture, ideas, methods.

Since it is the first Sunday of the month we will also have communion and I thought I would tie the two together. When they come for communion we would have folks positioned at the Altars to anoint and pray with them.

Thoughts?

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

The only times I've ever given an entire service to physical healing is when I've preached through the book of James and came to his instructions. It was natural to put into practice when we'd just studied together.

I think connecting it to communion is a reasonable approach and would be a good time.

I anoint people for healing on the average, I'd say, once a month. If someone is facing surgery or has received a disturbing doctor's report I suggest to them that we pray for them in the worship service. Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, I go back through the congregation to the person and pray for them, surrounded by those nearby. Other times I ask them to come forward during the pastoral prayer, which is at the end of the service for us.

I don't generally just open the altar for this because I end up getting the same people over and over. I don't think it's healthy for them or the church to be the center of attention every time we get the oil out. At the same time, I'd never turn anyone down.

[John Reilly]

I love healing services. Whenever the lectionary references a scripture involving healing I often offer anointing with oil as a response to God's word. As people come forward for anointing I ask the congregation to encourage one another by praying for one another in these moments. Often another ordained elder assists with the anointing time. My last healing service was 9-30-12 with a focus of “Pray for One Another” … as the action of a church community and the context for healing. Encourage one another through prayer. I wanted the whole body of Christ as a faith community to feel the investment of prayer towards healing.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I hope you don't mind if I opine a bit about anointing people for healing....

I've been around churches that only anoint people if it's a heavy, life-threatening situation. I don't think it has to rise to that level. We're His children and if it concerns us it warrants our bringing it to him.

I've seen situations in which the pastor seemed to think they had to pray heaven and earth together as they anointed people. If it happens it happens, but really, for God's people it can be "business as usual." Again, we're children asking our Father to move on our behalf. It's okay to pray reasoned, expectant prayers without getting all worked up about it. Just anoint, pray, and trust. Leave the fireworks to the Holy Spirit.

I often offer to anoint people. As they tell me about something in their lives, I respond by saying, "Would it be okay if we anointed you at church Sunday morning?" They very often say "yes."

Let me describe what I've done with the pastoral prayer the past few years.
1. I pray for the church and world needs in a broader way. Since I've just finished a sermon, I also pray that we'll respond to God's Word in specific ways.
2. I stop and invite people to verbalize a need - just to say a name, etc. - not give details.
3. I then ask for silent prayer, asking people to pray for the needs that have been named - focusing on needs that speak to their hearts or were named by someone standing near them.
4. It's during that time that I will sometime ask, right in the service, if a person would like for me to anoint them. I do that only if I sense the leadership of the Spirit at that point.
5. We then conclude with a benediction.

When I anoint, I put oil on my right thumb and say, "I anoint you with oil in the sign of the cross and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Then I pray for their physical healing, almost always concluding with something along the lines of "This is our desire and our prayer, but no matter what, our trust is in you."

Once in awhile someone will ask me to anoint them by proxy for someone else. I agree to do it and urge them to go to that person, either in person or by phone and pray with them, "passing the blessing along."

Again, this is what I do - and I only arrived here in the last 8 or 9 years.

[Craig Laughlin]

I hope you don't mind if I opine a bit about anointing people for healing....

Not at all, that is what I was looking for. Thanks Scott.

[Dave McClung]

I'm thinking pretty seriously about doing a healing service the first Sunday in November. It has been a long time since I dedicated a whole service to this. What advice would you give me? Scripture, ideas, methods.

Since it is the first Sunday of the month we will also have communion and I thought I would tie the two together. When they come for communion we would have folks positioned at the Altars to anoint and pray with them.

Thoughts?

Give my pastor a call. He frequently has healing services.

[Bill Morrison]

Some suggestions:
1. DO NOT wear a collared jacket that makes you resemble in any way a certain televangelist known for his healing ministry.
2. DO NOT say "HEAL" loudly as you strike people in the head and they fall backwards and need to be caught by one of your ushers.
3. DO NOT be connected by earphone to listen to your wife as she feeds you information about those who come forward for healing.

3. DO let the Holy Spirit have His way in the service and demonstrate that healing is not just a charlatan gimmick but a real phenomenon promised to believers and used by God to glorify his name. Remind all that we are urged in the book of James to pray for the sick.

I commend you for your interest in promoting this powerful truth in your congregation.

BILL

[Jon Privett]

Craig,

I think the more regular the better. And I think I like it as part of the 'normal 'life of prayer in the church. I have had a full service dedicated to healing and that seemed to take more preparation on my part than simply opening the altar.

The less manipulation, the less drama, the less it seems that something 'weird' is happening the better. We usually have 10-15 that come forward and we are busy praying and anointing with oil. If it is just me praying and only four or five, I ask the whole church to pray with me. I make the sign of the Cross and I ask them to pray this prayer with me: "In the Name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the Name of the Spirit, we believe God for your healing. In the name of Jesus, amen".

I have liked the body praying for the body!

And after a week with Dan Bohi, I plan to have many more services that close with anointing and prayer for the sick for which I believe our people are hungry for. Maybe it is was more common it would not seem so 'unique' when a power prayer like Dan comes along. And by the way, I am a fairly skeptical guy who does not buy crazy healing stuff, but Dan was genuine, non-manipulative and connected with our people in a good way. He is a great guy who takes risks that would make many cringe!

Hope that does not muddy the water!

Jon