Rick Mautz – Denver, Colorado … As RMC’s health ministry changes its name to Wellness Support, the emphasis is not on the new name as much as a new focus that this name reflects. Wellness is more than the absence of disease or living 10 years longer—It encompasses the physical, emotional, spiritual, and social wholeness.
“Information alone will not bring wellness,” remarked Rick Mautz, RMC Wellness Support director. “If we are to reflect our compassionate Savior, though, we need to be there for people, to support them as they struggle with aspects of wellness in their lives. Information is available everywhere, and if all we give is information, we are dispensable. What is often missing is support; when we supply that, we become indispensable to our communities.”
The lack of interest in health programs in the church is more than likely related to too much information and too little support after the information is provided. That does not mean that good health information is unnecessary, but it should not be the main strategy.
“Partnered with good information, whether it is regarding a lifestyle that reduces the risk of disease or discovering what brings peace to the soul and happiness to your home, the most needed ingredient is a compassionate friend who is there to provide support, walking beside you through the difficult parts of your transformation. This is what reflects Christ to our community and churches. That is the reason for a refocus and a new name,” commented Mautz.
He continued, “We could have introduced a new focus to health ministry by changing the name to indicate that we are serious, it is important, and the new name will keep that new focus always before us.”
This new name can be used both in churches and out in the local community to replace “health ministries.” In churches, it describes how people can support each other by listening to them and supporting their growth where they are and not where one thinks they should be. In communities, the name Wellness Support is a banner that each church can use under which they introduce to their community wellness principles while providing ongoing support.
Using this new ministry name provides a consistent visual and continued recognition of this important service for each wellness program: “As we find ways to keep in touch, ask questions, listen for needs we that we can meet, and be truly interested in them, not just their attendance at our programs. It tells them that we are interested in providing support and coming alongside them on their wellness journey,” urged Mautz.
“As we drop the word health from our name, it will distinguish us from our Adventist health care institutions, and also describe our distinct role of support to those services. They provide health care; we provide Wellness Support. We are continuing to work on developing the best way that we can help provide that needed ongoing support in the most appropriate and meaningful way.”
Wellness Support is being designed for laypersons or professionals alike. A part of that training is the LIFT -Jesus’ Way of Coaching program, a coaching training for all members to develop the skills of connecting with people, listening, and asking powerful, engaging questions that lead to personal transformation. It provides guidance on how to provide ongoing support that is the key to their success. This training is available online at rmcsda.org/lift.
Mautz reflected on an encounter with a recent attendee of one of the hands-on plant-based cooking classes: “She was not too familiar with the Adventist denomination. She told me that she loved what we were doing but was mostly impressed that we would take our Sunday afternoon to do something as crazy as try to teach 17 people how to prepare some new healthy meals. I think what she saw was support rather than information. That is what impressed her and why she will be back. The reward of watching the excitement of people finding wellness in a supportive environment is priceless. The harvest is just waiting for workers. Choose to get involved.”
“I am excited about the future of the Wellness Support ministry and look forward to working with each church in the Rocky Mountain Conference as we make this transition. I am praying that each church will be a Wellness Support Center for their community, and we will work together to reflect our Savior to the world in this most meaningful area of service,” Mautz closed with.
You can find out more by contacting Rick Mautz, Wellness Support Director at [email protected]
—Rick Mautz, PT MS, is RMC Health Ministry director and director of the Rocky Wellness Support Center. Photo by Ziph on Unsplash.
