Author: Paul J. Hudson
Located in: South Carolina
Submitted: July 12, 2024
Tell us a little about yourself. I am an internist and epidemiologist who has served as a medical missionary with SIM over the past three decades. My family began in Ethiopia and later moved to Asia (Thailand and Nepal). I've also served with SIM International to shape, support, and strengthen our health and medical ministries.
What was your motivation behind this project? As a doctor, I understand (and have experienced) the challenges and joys of healthcare ministry. I've experienced how God can use the challenges to shape us as Christian healthcare workers. Too many doctors, nurses, and healthcare providers struggle to find that sweet spot where gospel and healthcare ministries are integrated into holistic ministry. Too many get discouraged or burn out. The idea of the book is to dig deeper into the causes of our frustration. A robust application of the gospel gives us a framework for that integration.
What do you hope folks will gain from this project? The book does not provide a prescription for each situation but asks questions that are designed to set each different ministry context on a solid foundation. We learn from relationships with each other, not just recipes. In your ministry context, the questions in the book can help flesh out the principles as you wrestle together with the issues. My intended audience is 1) medical missionaries and Christian healthcare workers around the globe; 2) people preparing to serve in cross-cultural contexts for the poor; 3) agency leaders who are responsible for healthcare mission direction; and 4) church leaders with an interest in medicine, health and the Kingdom of God.
How were you personally impacted by working on this project? I've been thinking and writing about these things for decades but putting it all together was very satisfying (and tons of work over three years). I was especially delighted to be able to make better connections between the creation mandate and the Great Commission. Looking at the whole sweep of Scripture has really encouraged me that healthcare missions is God's will for us, but we also face the danger of doing it in isolation—without connecting it to evangelism, discipleship, or church planting. Without being prescriptive, I hope the book will encourage many who struggle for the best way to do that with integrity and joy.
Who are your influences, sources of inspiration or favorite authors / artists? I have so many of my favorites quoted and referenced in the book, including an annotated bibliography. Authors include: Christopher Wright (The Mission of God); Ashford and Bartholomew (The Doctrine of Creation); Voss (The Kingdom of God; Martin Lloyd-Jones (Healing and the Scriptures); Paul Tournier (A Doctor's Casebook); Ferngren (Medicine and Health in Early Christianity); Christoffer Grundmann (Sent to Heal!); Kapic (You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News).
Anything else you'd like readers / listeners to know: Please check out my website and blog, where you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that will provide ongoing content and resources -- and conversation. Pauljhudson.com. Contact me there and let's talk!
