The issue of COVID-19 vaccination has raised significant controversy both within and outside the Seventh-day Adventist church, and this controversy has diverted the attention of many from the mission of God’s last-day people to reach a perishing world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
AMEN firmly believes in the Seventh-day Adventist health message, and we strongly encourage everyone to build a strong immune system through rest, exercise, fresh air, eating healthfully, and the appropriate use of hydrotherapy. Vaccination is considered by many to be a responsible addition to these principles of health. We encourage everyone to thoroughly examine the available evidence for themselves and prayerfully decide how they will manage the health of God’s temple—their body. This management includes the decision of whether to vaccinate or not to vaccinate against COVID-19. We believe that the decision for or against vaccination is a matter of personal choice that should be respected.
A spirit of Christ-like love must undergird our interactions with one another regardless of one’s stance on vaccination or any other issue. Irrespective of which position we hold on matters of debate, when we lose our unity as a church and develop hostility towards brothers and sisters in Christ, the devil wins. We also believe that the controversy surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines has greatly detracted from the real work that we are called to do, which is to seek and save the lost.
To preserve a spirit of unity and to focus our attention on what matters most, we request that all speakers and attendees turn conversations away from the issue of vaccination to the gospel commission and our call to medical ministry. Rather than serve as a forum for debate, the AMEN conference seeks to unify all healthcare professionals under the common banner of engaging in medical ministry work during these end times.
Thank you for your continued support of AMEN and for your dedication to spreading the gospel message through medical evangelism. We pray that the Holy Spirit will be poured out at this year’s AMEN conference so that we will all leave with a renewed passion to serve the Lord with all that we have and all that we are.