Brock Arms, DDS
CrossTraining: The Life-Changing Impact of the 2015 AMEN Conference
This year was my first AMEN conference; it was outstanding. My wife and I attended AMEN’s 11th annual session, on Hilton Head Island, SC. There were 434 people for church on Sabbath, more than ninety being first time attendees. AMEN sponsored 15 medical/ dental students & their spouses. There were also sixty children in attendance who gave the event great energy. Participants spanned the globe–from the USA, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Guam, India, Ireland, Palau, Brazil, Lebanon, Honduras and the Cayman Islands.
The theme of the 2015 AMEN conference was CrossTraining. The speakers’ presentations focused on the comprehensive medical ministry of Jesus and how we can make that the daily focus in our own practices. When examining Jesus’ ministry many medical evangelists concentrate (for good reason) on the healing ministry of Jesus. Many were drawn to Him as the Great Physician. However, the most important aspect of His healing ministry was His willingness to become the cure for humanity’s sin problem. The cross is where He worked out the antidote to the destructive disease of self-interest.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 NKJV.
And I, if I be lifted up…will draw all men unto me,” John 12:32.
This promise points to the essence of our cross-training as students of the Great Physician. If we are to effectively incorporate His ministry into our practices, we must focus our attention and the attention of our patients on God’s heart of love as revealed in the Cross. As health professionals apply the lessons learned here, they become crosstrained as effective ministers of the gospel. As pastors and laity work in health evangelism, they are also cross-trained. And the power of the “right arm” is revealed through a unique medical/spiritual opportunity to introduce people to the Great Physician’s curative sacrifice for them.
One of the AMEN leaders has been inviting me to attend the AMEN conference for several years but there had always been scheduling conflicts. This year I was determined to make it work. My wife and I left our three children with their grandparents and took a combined “anniversary/spiritual refreshment” trip to Hilton Head and we are very glad we did! AMEN, outperformed all our expectations. The blessings were many at our first AMEN conference. One, however, stands out above the rest. The impact of fellowship with other medical professionals, seeking and sharing solutions to the same challenges I encounter as a Seventh-day Adventist professional was life changing.
A brief window into my personal history will help give some context as to why that was so meaningful to me…
I entered dental school in 1990 at the University of Michigan because I had a love for science and a passion to serve others. Though I had chosen dentistry, I knew little about it. It was a step in faith. Soon, however, I realized God had led me into this field because I found that I loved dentistry. Over the last 20 years of seeing patients, I have wanted to excel. I focused on improving my skills, products, and efficiency to provide outstanding dental care to my patients. I also have a desire to give back, both globally and locally, through overseas mission trips, and offering (through different venues) free dentistry to needy patients.
Yet I still felt some emptiness. I then realized that—in the very area of my life where I was attempting to carry the banner of the cross most boldly—self-interest was raising its ugly head. I could not escape the fact that the reason I enjoyed overseas missions was, somewhat, selfish. I could go to another country for a few weeks, talk about Christ and serve others in a non-threatening environment. I could even break out my camera and indulge in another passion, photography. Then I could come home and feel good about what I did. It was a case of doing my service with no long term commitment, then coming home and checking that off my list. Overseas and local missions are admirable but I was convicted I needed to do more. I had not been actively and consistently introducing Christ to my personal patients in my home practice. This had been nagging my conscience for a while but I had done little about it.
Yes, pursuing a godly life and setting a good example in my practice is an important witness in itself. But in order for my patients to be saved by the gospel, I must eventually share it; otherwise, the Lord will have to use someone else to reach them. Desire of Ages, p. 142 says;
“In order to enter into His joy, the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice, we must participate in His labors for their redemption”.
Jesus had a missionary heart. He had compassion and that compassion moved Him to labor for lost souls.
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest”. Matthew 9:37-38.
I am part of God’s family, which makes me His laborer. He is on hand delivering His harvest to me every day in the way of patients receiving dental care. They put tremendous trust in me to provide for their physical needs; I am convicted that Jesus has called me to leverage that trust to address their spiritual needs as well.
Throughout the AMEN conference, hearing how Seventh-day Adventist dentists and other health care practitioners share Christ in their practices was powerful. The information I learned has helped tremendously to fill the void in my heart. This is the very thing I have longed for: methods, insight, and a game plan for sharing Christ. In particular, I am inspired and encouraged to introduce Christ through prayer with more of my patients. In my personal devotions, I am now praying that through the power of intercessory prayer the Lord will begin to soften my patients’ hearts before they come for their dental visit so they will be open to spiritual things.
The thought of sharing Christ and praying more with my patients still causes me anxiety. Yet I know it is the right, and necessary, thing to do, and I believe that, as I step out in faith, God will break down the barriers both in my own heart and in the hearts of those I seek to serve.
As my wife and I were talking on our flight home about the many blessings we had received at the AMEN conference another one came to light. We were struck by the impact this could have on our children – particularly the ministry potential of medical/dental practitioners. With three young and eager missionaries rapidly growing up around us at home, we were excited to have more concrete answers to their nearly weekly questions about what profession they should choose as their missionary platform. (They are already determined to be missionaries!) We feel confident now to encourage our children to consider something in the health care field, knowing it will be the final arm of the gospel reaching out at the end of time. Rather than have grandma and grandpa watch our children during the next AMEN conference, we plan to bring them with us, so they can experience first-hand what it is like to be surrounded by a group of godly health professionals. We trust that they too will be inspired by the possibilities to share the love of Jesus through health ministry.
What greater work could any of us have than to lift up Jesus, not only for our patients but for ourselves, our staff, our families, and all within our sphere of influence? I am committed to confidently sharing Christ with my patients, knowing that I am not alone, but rather am one of a great band of laborers in Christ’s harvest field who are faithfully and consistently carrying the cross in their practices.
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