Engaging Brokenness Training (EBT) 2012 MCO Winter Conference B.Pearson, PhD cand.

Engaging Brokenness Training (EBT) OVERVIEW Colossians 1:1-14. Learning objective #1: Explore a paradigm for healing in Jesus’ name Colossians 1: Learning objective #2: Understand the power of the gospel to engage brokenness Colossians 1: Learning objective #3: Realize that as followers of Jesus we engage brokenness, so that every person may be complete Colossians 2:1-23. Learning objective #4: Develop a primary prevention strategy that deals with sources of sustained brokenness Colossians 3:1-4:6. Learning objective #5: Understand that the gospel empowers us to “make things new” Colossians 4:7-18. Learning objective #6: Adopt God’s implementation plan to engage brokenness

Engaging Brokenness Training (EBT) Colossians 1:1-14 Learning objective #1: explore a paradigm for healing in Jesus’ name

Health Care Focus: The body Goal: Restoring people to their socioeconomic place Basis: Critical evaluation of scientific evidence (facts) Trajectory: Progressive Faith Focus: The soul Goal: Preparing people for their eternal place Basis: Subjective interpretation of religious texts and traditions (values). Trajectory: Traditional The Dichotomy (T or F?)

Biomedicine & Health Care* Spiritual Care Community Support (church) Chaplaincy Personal Faith *Not to scale

Do people need healing or saving?

What is broken that needs healing?

What is broken that needs saving?

Shadowing Jesus: Matthew 9 Paralytic: sins forgiven and paralysis healed Matthew, the tax gatherer: reconciled to his neighbors Disciples of John: experienced a paradigm shift away from dead religion Young girl: raised from the dead and restored to her family Old woman: healed of a disease and restored with dignity Blind: made to see Aphasic: delivered from an evil spirit “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Hosea 6) Insignia of Free Women’s Hospital of Boston, now part of Brigham and Womens Hospital (Harvard Medical School)

Key Question If gospel of Jesus is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world (Col. 1:6) Then, is this true in our contemporary context? If not, why not? Either the gospel is not: – Powerful enough – Relevant to our context – Accessible

Cursory Test: Colossians 1:7-14 Accessible: the gospel, like health care, is delivered through human agency (i.e. it’s not “magic”) Relevant: the gospel produces fruit that addresses brokenness Powerful: The gospel of Jesus places us in a new domain, furnishes redemption (forgiveness of sins).

Kingdom of Jesus Focus: God’s glory Goal: wholeness Basis: gospel of kingdom Trajectory: redemption Does this paradigm matter? -How would this change the way we do health care? -How would this change the way we do church? -Does the health care system or the church in its current form engage the brokenness of our world? Domain of Darkness: Sustained Brokenness Biomedical Science and Health Care

Engaging Brokenness Training (EBT) Colossians 1:15-22 Learning objective #2: Understand the power of the gospel to engage brokenness

Jesus the Healer Healers are a resource for healing. They help make people whole. – Jesus defines wholeness (1:15-20) – Jesus restores wholeness (1:21-22)

Jesus Defines Wholeness Colossians 1:15-20 Incomplete, injured  Fragmented, stressed  Violated, sullied  Incomplete, stunted  Inadequate, uncertain  Alienated, hostile  Whole, full Integrated, centered Honored, valued Productive, creative Secure, hopeful Reconciled, peaceful

Jesus Restores Wholeness Colossians 1:21-22 What is the disposition of Jesus towards brokenness? How did He engage brokenness? What is the “underlying mechanism” of this therapeutic strategy?

Numbers 21:4-9, John 3:14-15, 12:31-33

Engaging Brokenness Training (EBT) Colossians 1:22-29 Learning objective #3: Realize that as followers of Jesus we engage brokenness, so that every person may be complete

WARNING LABEL: Colossians 1:23-29 How does the gospel engage our own brokenness engaged from day to day? How do we engage the brokenness of others? (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) What is wholeness?

Summary The gospel is a powerful, relevant and accessible paradigm to engage brokenness of the world Jesus is the source of the power: – He defines wholeness absolutely – He became a unique source of healing by engaging the human condition As his follows, we make the gospel accessible. We partner with Jesus by absorbing brokenness and his healing to pour through our wounds.

Review: Discussion Questions What does it mean to be broken? What sources of brokenness are inferred in Colossians 1:1-14? What is health according to the gospel? (Did Jesus live a healthy lifestyle?) Is healing a process or an event? (How do we reconcile the gospel accounts of healing and the words of Paul in contemporary health care?)