MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY has a student-faculty population of 53,000. This group, like most groups, is more health-conscious than soul-searching. Can we bridge that gap? We gave it our best with Lifeline.
Area physicians and ministers, dentists, nurses, health educators, and other Adventist health professionals comprised the Lifeline team. M.S.U. Campus Health Center and the Ingham County Health Department endorsed the program. The Michigan Heart Association and American Cancer Society cooperated with free literature and publicity. And Ingham County Medical Society went on record as having no objection to the program.
Church members caught the challenge of medical-missionary evangelism during an area-wide series designed to help members appreciate our tremendous heritage of health and to learn how to put this knowledge to work in the medical-missionary approach. When they completed the course our members were motivated. They saw the need. A special orientation meeting followed, acquainting our people with specific details of the Lifeline concept.
Contacts with service clubs, TV appearances, and county-fair exhibits smoothed the way for warm and positive publicity. Attractive posters were placed throughout the campus and local business district. Three newspapers, seven radio stations, and three television stations granted the equivalent of $3,500 in public-service-announcement time. The team was the medium; the message: "Adventists care."
Student, professor, ice-cream vendor, bicycle-shop owner, hog raiser, public-health official, attorney, and district-court judge responded to our invitation.
"Lengthen your lifeline!" our brochure read. "Are you gearing up for heart attack, cancer, or stroke? You could be if three out of the following six risk factors apply to you: smoking, overweight, lack of exercise, high cholesterol, stress, or high blood pressure. Premature death is preventable. Lower your risk," we urged.
Scientifically sound counsel was combined with clinical support in our personalized program. For openers we offered an inexpensive, medically supervised "Risk Evaluation." Registration, confidential health history, blood pressure, and a grip-strength test were followed by a blood test for cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels. Height and weight measurements, a body-fat estimate, posture analysis, and simulated breast self-examination were part of the package, along with pulse-rate recovery and muscle flexibility tests. A seminar preview capped off the morning. Following the evaluation one lady was overheard in the hallway, saying, "This is the best thing that's happened to me all year." "As far as I'm concerned," her friend replied, "it's the greatest thing to come along since they started slicing bread."
Three days later, at the "group consultation," evaluation results were furnished and interpreted.
Then the "seminars," each three nights in length. Unique mottoes for life-style change were encouraged. Smoking Cessation: "I choose not to smoke."
Weight Control: "I choose to lose." Physical Fitness: "I choose to move." Cooking and Nutrition: "I choose to experiment."
Stress Management: "I choose to relax." Health and Happiness: "I choose to ... [more on this motto in a moment]."
Seminar sequence was of prime importance. The first four were designed to deal with life's physical dimension, the fifth with the mental, the sixth with the spiritual.
At the very outset, participants were told that team members were Seventh-day Adventists. After learning that the program director was a pastor, as well as a health educator, they were asked whether they could accept an occasional reference to "the Creator," for example. Heads nodded approval and smiles said, "Of course."
From night to night, folks were re minded of coming Lifeline attractions, including the final spiritual component. They seemed to appreciate candor. "Extremely pleasant approach!" wrote one. "Enjoyed the informal, low-keyed but positive format. Thank you for offering a free program that isn't trying to put anything over on us."
Strong group spirit developed as participants became better acquainted with one another and with one or more of the fifty-two Seventh-day Adventists in attendance. We learned folks' names and used them every chance we got "music to the ear." Many of the seminars lent themselves to use of the "buddy system." During the course of the series many of the people were in daily telephone conversation with an Adventist buddy. This really paid off.
Transition From Physical to Spiritual
Transition from the physical and mental to the spiritual was interesting. Some chose not to attend our Health and Happiness Seminar. They became uncomfortable when exposed to the spiritual dimension. But they were the same people who said, "Call me when you have your next series. I wouldn't miss it for anything." As one team member put it, "At least we know they haven't been vaccinated against Adventist thinking. Maybe they'll catch Health and Happiness next year." Could be. We hope so.
Others did choose to come, including adherents to a wide range of religious and philosophical traditions—Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Dawnites, Buddhists, Moslems, and agnostics. They demonstrated a desire for the full program.
Ellen White was inspired to write, "If they see that we are intelligent with regard to health, they will be more ready to believe that we are sound in Bible doctrines." —Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 76. She was right.
We set the stage by sharing our final Lifeline decision motto, "I choose to explore." Presentation logic ran something like this: "It's sometimes hard to talk about the spiritual dimension of life. But this is an area that a lot of folks would really like to explore. Everyone recognizes that there is more to life than the mere highs and lows of physical, mental, or emotional experience. There are spiritual realities, too.
"We come from such different back grounds. Each has his own preconceived notions and views regarding right and wrong. Yet we've all met wonderful people who see things differently from the way we do. We wonder why. How are life's values determined, anyway?
"At Lifeline we've found, as many of you have, that answers to life's greatest questions can be drawn from a serious study of sacred Scripture, God's Holy Word.
"Now what we're saying may seem somewhat unrealistic to you. As a humanist or an agnostic, perhaps you've found happiness enough in life, apart from a living faith in God. Whatever philosophical tradition you may tend to identify with, however, you will want at least to survey the basic concepts contained in the Scriptures.
"Maybe you're one who has met the Master, the Lord of life. You walk with Him day by day, seeking a growing relationship with Him; you feel secure about questions of origin, purpose, destiny. Maybe you've concluded that Jesus Christ is, in fact, the saving lifeline between heaven and earth—Creator, Redeemer, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. That's how we feel.
"But whatever your persuasion, whatever your religious roots, we urge you to place yourself persistently and honestly on the advancing edge of spiritual frontier. Keep your heart and mind open. Mix eager anticipation with healthy reserve, and choose to explore. Expand your thinking. Dare to engage in dialogue, accepting what is good, enhancing your character, personality, and life style.
"An adventure of this nature is truly exciting. We offer no predictions where it may lead. But if, in a spirit of earnest enquiry, we purpose in our hearts to find and follow what is right, we will surely be better for it. This is no casual matter. Physical and mental health habits do not change with mere dabbling in physiological or behavioral concepts. The same is true of spiritual health. It is enhanced only as one genuinely attempts the search—to locate, analyze, and internalize truth.
"There are many means of meeting this signal challenge. Lifeline has no corner on the market. We have nothing to urge. But we do have something to offer. We're glad you've chosen to explore with us. Ours is more than professional interest in sharing the rational and practical. It's a personal interest in sharing with you life's best."
During the course of the seven-week series we offered folks, seminar by seminar, our Lifeline syllabus. In the Health and Happiness Seminar, in addition to the "I Choose to Explore" presentation briefly summarized above, we featured the colorful and compelling little book Because of You, one of the most effective introductions to Adventist thought available today.
We went through the entire booklet together. The whole group seemed enthralled with the cut and thrust of the evening, as one after another they shared their views and concerns.
The following evening we presented "Earth: Theater of the Universe," a moving and dramatic half-hour slidetape production depicting in vivid color, with full orchestra and chorus, the panoramic story of the great controversy—from the rebellion of Lucifer to the second coming of Jesus.
On the final night we offered opportunity for folks to continue the dialogue either in one-to-one studies or in the group setting of the pastor's Bible class.
Response to Series
All in all, 156 people attended Life line Health Series programming. Twenty-seven chose to explore in our Health and Happiness Seminar. Of these 14 expressed immediate and serious interest in continuing Bible study.
One beauty of the Lifeline format is its flexibility. One theme variation that the team feels especially comfortable with is a three-week series comprised of: Risk Evaluation and Group Consultation during the first week, a five-night Smoking Cessation Seminar during the second, and five additional one-night seminars—Weight Control, Physical Fitness, Cooking and Nutrition, Stress Management, and Health and Happiness—during the third. Following Life line, a second, separate seminar series entitled "Profiles of Faith" is offered. This excellent set of colorful study guides and companion booklets is avail able through Adventist Book Centers. By studying two lessons an evening, the group can complete the series in four teen nights. In concert with an Adventist physician and other medical or para medical personnel, a pastor can, with this approach, make a significant impact.
Another experimental approach, physical to mental to spiritual, is a two-week Lifeline Health Series in which the five-night Smoking Cessation Seminar is held during the first week, and the remaining five one-night seminars as outlined above, during the second. No Risk Evaluation or Group Consultation is presented, though with the Profiles seminars one could feature a different health test nightly, including such items as: blood-pressure test, pulserate recovery test, simulated breast self-examination, grip-strength test, body-fat estimate, muscle-flexibility test, posture analysis, et cetera. We found such testing, in a post-Lifeline decision series context, to be a good drawing card. With or without the tests, however, working in tandem with a qualified health professional—physician, dentist, nurse, health educator, et cetera—almost any pastor could use this particular series.
Another variation: as a Lifeline fol low-up, in place of Profiles of Faith, use the Century 21 Better Living Institute. This proven evangelistic health-faith format is designed for presentation by a doctor-pastor team. It is also available through the Adventist Book Centers. Century 21 comes complete with health and doctrinal sermons, audience-ready syllabus materials, overhead transparencies, and instructor's manual.
What's the bottom line? Within the past eight months Lifeline has had a strong part to play in the baptism of 37 health-conscious, soul-searching people. Because of the health series, many were living like Adventists even before hear ing the "message." Some now rank among our finest, most enthusiastic witnesses for Christ. More are either taking studies or have indicated serious interest.
Bridges come in many shapes and sizes. Lifeline is only one design. It has demonstrated to us, however, that "Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, 'Follow Me.'" —The Ministry of Healing, p. 143.
