From Francis

by Francis MacNutt
Feb 1990

At the recent meeting of our CHM National Advisory Board our long–time friend Tommy Tyson came up with what we believe is an inspired statement about the vision for our ministry. I do not have a word–for–word record of what Tommy said, so the following is a paraphrase reconstructed from my notes at that notable meeting (Feb. 1–3).

"I see in this ministry a wonderful reflection of Jesus'· Incarnation, which is, as I see it, an amazing marriage of opposites: in Jesus we find the remarkable wedding of God's divine nature with our humanity. And that is what I see represented in the ministry of Christian Healing Ministries:

"— Here I see a marriage of heart and mind. In ordinary life, people with keen minds often end up with empty souls — with no heart, no emotions. But here I see Christians joining the full use of their educated minds with compassionate hearts. And in their healing ministry I see God's tremendous power coming to people but presented in a gentle way (with a soft–sell approach).

"— Here I see a marvelous marriage of fruits and gifts. So often the churches choose sides on this. Over here you have Christians who emphasize "I am the vine and you are the branches" — Christians who emphasize liturgy and slow growth and discipline. On the other side you have the churches based on Acts, who concentrate on signs and wonders — with hootin' and hollerin' — who look askance at the slow, educated approach. But here we have Christians who emphasize signs and wonders combined with the fruits of love, JOY, peace, gentleness and self–discipline.

"— Here I see a marriage between miracle and process. I see instant miracles, demonstrating God 's supernatural power; but I also see an emphasis on "soaking prayer" and gradual healings, coming after hours spent praying with those sick who are not instantly healed.

"— Here, too, I see a marriage between the King and the Kingdom. Some Christians emphasize conversion to the King (Jesus), but don't really get involved with the controversial affairs of the Kingdom — issues like global peace; poverty and homelessness; justice in the Third world; abortion; and healing the environment. On the other hand, many Christians who work for social justice speak little about a personal relationship with Jesus. But here I find Christians who center their lives on a personal relationship with Jesus, the King; yet they also run the risk of being attacked for taking a stand on those issues of justice that put the Kingdom in conflict with the customs of our society.

"— At CHM, then, we have a marriage of what seem to be opposites, but, in reality, are the fullness of Jesus' incarnation, the sign of contradiction — the scandalous marriage of God's divinity with our wounded humanity."

Francis MacNutt is a Founding Director and Executive Committee member of CHM.