Health Expo Program

THE PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES

Health Expo is an integrated Total Health Program Series in which all dimensions of life are presented in a harmonized manner. It is a "Program Series" rather than a "Sermon or Lecture Series." The program approach begins with the concept that "The People are Our Program," with their interests, their needs, their involvement in finding solutions to their life problems as our first concern.

	People Centered Programs suggest flexibility to meet various physical, social, cultural and religious needs and interests. Maximum impact is made through a blend of information, entertainment, and inspiration.
	The Blended Ministry integrates Total Health, physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially without barriers. Topics move naturally between these dimensions of health so that the listener, be it audience or individual, small group or large, is unaware of the transitions. The objective is optimum health; the presentation comes in the Health Expo Program package of Fitness, Family, and Faith, bringing about a transforming NEW START through a Christian lifestyle.
	Personal Contact at the Program site is essential. Through tests, demonstrations and answering questions a more personal relationship is established. Medical-surgical cases, specific disease conditions or abnormalities require referral. Health Expo focuses upon helping the majority of people's lifestyle related needs through disease prevention, health preservation and health promotion.

THE PATTERN

The presentation of the Christian Message centers on the life and teachings of Jesus. Christianity is based upon a Divinely initiated spiritual transformation involving a supernatural new birth. The Christian is a New Creation, a uniquely "in Christ" way of living. Health or Wellness is a harmonious development of optimal function of all dimensions of life.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Effective lifestyle change must be based on the receiving of Jesus as Lord and Savior. Change will be progressive and growth gradual, but both birth and growth are dependent upon the power of God in the life.

This does not imply that we initiate our contacts with people through "religious" talk. We have inspired guidelines that give us a Divine Design for reaching the people in the book Ministry of Healing. The Chapter entitled "Teaching and Healing" provides the Purpose, the Pattern, the Plan, the Program, the Presentation, and the Preservation of the New Life in Christ.

The Bible is Basic. In whatever setting or approach, be it in the home, the community, the school, or the health facility or institution, methods used must include Truth as is only found in the Word of God. We are working on the Foundation Who alone can support our faith and belief system. We are not calling people into a faith in a belief but in a Person, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Only Way to the Father (John 14:6). "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 3:10 From this foundation the Body Temple as God wishes it designed is constructed: "Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:20-22

Word in the Hand. Since the scripture principles are the foundation of all Christian living, printed material must be available, placed in the hands of people at a proper point in their interest. In a public program setting this can be at the first meeting. A book, Jesus, His Story, now in press, is a harmonized Life of Jesus that includes all the material of the Four Gospels blended into one narrative in an inexpensive form. This can be indexed or keyed to lessons entitled "His Life and Yours." Of course, New Testaments and complete Bibles are also made available as well as health books such as NEWSTART and Lifestyle Capsules.

THE PLAN

The approach effectively used by teams sponsored by international foundations, developed by Dorothy Nelson, RN, MPH, has since 1982 been carried to every continent on earth and continues as a program of preference in global evangelism. From 1991-2001 over sixty Health Expo programs were presented throughout the former Soviet Union territory. Health Expo has been adapted to many language, cultural, and racial groups as portrayed in the art work of the 24 large panels that make up the exhibits, three to each "booth" presenting the eight NEW START themes. It is now facilitating the entrance of the Adventist Message in lands virtually closed to Christian ministry.

Health Expo was created for public evangelism, designed to be an avenue of direct soul-winning integrated into the presentation of the Seventh-day Adventist Message. The first Expo was in connection with an evangelistic program of Elder Neal Wilson in Manila in 1982. A recent program was a return with Elder Wilson to the Philippines for the historic Cagayan de Oro Crusade in which the one-millionth member of the church in the Far Eastern Division was among the approximately 1000 baptized.

Each of the eight illustrated Expo exhibits presents a dimension of health following the sequence of NEW START. Physicians, ministers, and other health workers lead in the exhibit discussions, demonstrations, or brief illustrated lectures. In addition there are areas where blood pressure and health consultations may be carried out. Included also is the computer HealthAge test (providing a basis for individual health consultation), that is made available to all attending the Expo. Details on this and all other aspects of the exhibits, the construction of the booths, the content of presentations, etc. are given in the Health Expo Manual.

CHRIST'S METHOD ALONE

"Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching (mental) in their synagogues, and preaching (spiritual) the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing (physical) all manner of sickness . . . among the people (social). Matthew 4:23

"Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people." (Ministry of Healing, page 143)

Six steps in Soul-winning Follow in logical sequence:

"The Savior mingled with men (Contact)
As One who desired their good (Concern)
He showed His sympathy for them (Compassion)
Ministered to their needs, (Commitment)
And won their confidence. (Confidence)
Then He bade them, 'follow me"' (Conversion)

The Program content, The Preparation procedure, The Presentation information, and The Preservation instruction all appear in the Health Expo Manual. In a public evangelism setting where a hall is used, the Health Expo "booths" are arranged for convenient public interaction and viewing. Where space is limited it is sometimes necessary to use innovative methods such as out of door exhibits or single exhibits presented nightly on the platform.

The program schedule is often from six to eight in the evening, with the Expo exhibits operating for the first hour, followed by the platform presentation. On the platform Fitness, Family, and Faith are portrayed by illustration and demonstrations, films, discussion, dialogue, and sermon. Usually the Faith portion is a 15 to 20 minute talk that focuses on a spiritual topic, using Bible stories and illustrations, and concludes with a call for an appropriate audience response. The Expo usually begins on a Sunday evening and continues for eight sessions, including a 10:00 am Sabbath morning program and a concluding evening session Saturday night. The Christian Message is presented in a sequence involving decisions that make possible a standing response in which a declaration is made, "l am a Christian!" Immediately following, in our international programs, there are two to three months or longer of Bible Study classes by the local church pastor and others.

When longer programs of three or four weeks leading to a baptism are chosen by the evangelist, the Health Expo may remain in place after the full one week Expo presentation, as a counseling point for the HealthAge computer program follow-up.

How Jesus Illustrated Health Evangelism

Luke 10:25-37
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, 'What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" 27 So he answered and said," You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and your neighbor as yourself."' 28 And He said to him, 'You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 "Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 "Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 "So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 "On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, l will repay you.' 36 "So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" 37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (NKJ)

Our instruction is clear: "Go and do likewise."

Through the years many conferences, churches, organizations, institutions and individuals have used the Health Expo. Should you wish further information regarding a Wellness Weekend in your church or a Health Expo evangelism campaign in your area please contact: