International (MNN) ― Southern Baptist medical mission work may be entering a new era.
The recent Global Medical Alliance conference linked health professionals with medical missionaries overseas. Missionaries are creating new ways to use healthcare ministries in outreach without relying on traditional, expensive medical institutions.
How successful is it? It's an opportunity for using critical skills in hard-to-reach places and people. In one area, the International Mission Board health outreach, coupled with training of local believers to take over the work, helped launch some 500 churches in three years.
The strategy follows an ABC approach:
A-Access to unreached areas.
B-Behind closed doors.
C-Care for the needy.
D-Disciples.
E-Empower the church.
The Global Medical Alliance will meet again July 17-20, 2008, at the International Learning Center on Rockville, Virginia.
