Encountering God

These verses offer a simple description of what Jesus does. He teaches, he preaches or proclaims, and he heals. All these flow out of his love of God and his compassion for people. These three roles are central to the life of a pastor and the well-being of the congregation and the surrounding community. The ministry of Jesus in these cities and towns is for those in need, and the need is great.

When I was a young pastor in my first few appointments, I spent a lot of time preparing for worship, preaching, teaching classes, and visiting the sick, but I shied away from any focus on healing during our worship. I had seen some examples on television that seemed inauthentic and overly dramatic, but I knew the stories of Jesus’ healing and the community example in James 5:13-14. One Sunday, with some trepidation, I invited folks to come forward for me to anoint them with oil and offer a short prayer. I thought one or two might come. I was surprised to look up from the first person and see a long line. From that experience, whenever we celebrated Holy Communion, we invited people to come for anointing after they received the bread and cup. People in the congregation were instructed in the anointing and brief prayer and assisted me. It became a simple and profoundly moving way to practice the life of the early church. I still remember the simple prayer we often used or paraphrased, “May this oil and these words be a sign to you of our loving God at work in your body, mind, and spirit.” We also invited people to come with a prayer request for someone they knew. The congregation in the pews never knew why a person came forward, but they bathed the whole sanctuary in silence and prayer.