Brian Schwartz, MD
Our High Calling
This past year was an up-and-down one—for sure. We started with multiple clinics booked and, apparently, strong financials. But, by May, our cash reserve was gone, many clinics had cancelled, and we didn’t have enough money for payroll. Our clinics and operations were losing money; so much so that AMEN itself, including our annual conference, was in jeopardy. Fortunately, and in God’s providence, friends at ASI stepped up to help AMEN. Some donated money, while another friend purchased one of our clinic trucks (fully loaded with supplies), which gave us a much-needed infusion of cash.
This situation caused us to ask some hard questions. What is AMEN’s primary mission? Are we fulfilling it effectively? In reflecting on how our AMEN free clinics fit into the overall mission of AMEN, we saw that our whole clinic operation needed to be restructured. We wanted to put more emphasis on the spiritual component, which is why AMEN is involved in free clinics in the first place. Our goal for free clinics is to connect the community with the local SDA church, and to be the “entering wedge” between church members and the community. This is still our mission. Therefore, we have purchased a van that will facilitate smaller clinics at church facilities. We are committed to working with local team leaders to ensure that they have the needed tools to make the clinics spiritually focused and to conduct follow-up programs through the church.
By the grace of God, AMEN gained enough financial footing that by last fall we were able to have a wonderful annual conference. Our mission to mentor medical and dental students was not thwarted; we sponsored nearly 100 students, many who reported it as a “life changing experience”. To top it off, we ended the year with a cash reserve that exceeded the prior year’s reserve.
We believe God has called AMEN to assist churches and small communities with health ministry as a means of outreach and evangelism. Because of these hard lessons, we see God opening numerous doors for church-based ministry that puts evangelism front and center.
As we have been told: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.” – Testimonies for the Church, Vol 9, 10.3
This year caused me to reflect on what is most important for AMEN. I believe God raised up AMEN to restore a vital and missing aspect of health evangelism to be used in the final struggle.
“The gospel of health has able advocates, but their work has been made very hard because so many ministers, presidents of conferences, and others in positions of influence, have failed to give the question of health reform its proper attention. They have not recognized it in its relation to the work of the message as the right arm of the body.” – Counsels on Diet and Food 73.1
Our calling is to restore the withered right arm by cooperating with churches and pastors who will come to appreciate our important role in both preparing a people for translation and in giving the Three Angels’ Messages to the world. Our calling includes mentoring students and residents to help them catch the vision for how the gospel, combined with health evangelism, can turn their office, church, and home into a powerful force for evangelism.
As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14: “I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Indeed this is a high calling, one that we must be careful to preserve as we carry on the ministry of Christ to our world today.
Thank you for continuing to support AMEN and pressing together with us to fulfill the gospel commission.