As people who preach the word of God, we have to accept that the 21st Century is posing more challenges to the world’s populations than did past eras. We have problems of global warming, the effects of globalisation (the inter-linking of trade, social and political relations), poverty, atheism, disease-outbreaks and natural disasters. What all this means is that it is time to change the way we preach the word of God. Our preaching needs to reflect everyday issues that affect people wherever they are.

We know, from reading government reports and witnessing with our own eyes, that HIV/AIDS is a serious health problem in the UK African community. We have lost sisters, brothers, parents, sons and daughters to the disease. Many of those living with the infection are church-goers. They, too, are God’s people. How can a Christian parent be a source of joy to her children if he or she is unwell and in physical and mental pain? How can a child bring out the shine in a parent’s eyes if it is down with a chronic illness?

Which is why, at MUNKAN, we have decided to take up the sexual health message. This is a new and challenging role, and one that not every church leader is comfortable with, but we have realised that African people who attend church are not getting enough messages about sexual health. This is despite churches being in an ideal position to help promote awareness of sexual health and HIV: we have considerable influence over the congregation, and our words are always respected.

Some church leaders take the view that faith alone will deal with any illness, including a serious one such as HIV/AIDS. But God helps those who help themselves! I believe that a combination of prayers and appropriate medical care works best, and that people with the infection should be encouraged to seek both.

Also, members of our congregation should be encouraged to take measures to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections. This, we can do by telling them to delay sexual activity, if they are not in a relationship; for those who cannot delay sex, we can advise them to use the condom.

In our ministry, we encourage open discussions about condom use; we also facilitate, mainly through referrals, access to other sexual services such as HIV testing, counselling and mentoring. We believe that the condom is currently the best method for cutting the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection.

Educating members about sexual health and promoting access to services should be every religious leader’s responsibility. In the Bible, we read about Jesus’ work, which restored good health to lepers, the sick, the blind – He even also brought the dead back to life (Lazarus). Good health is essential for a complete spiritual welfare, and I’m urging all religious leaders to make health promotion a part of their pastoral duty.


ABOUT MUNKAN CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES

MUNKAN Christian Ministries is a self-supporting faith group delivering Christian missions through a programme that combines music, evangelism, public health education and response to people in crisis.

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I am not going to be original this time, so all I am going to say that your blog rocks, sad that I suck a writing skills.