A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. Dr. John Allison is the minister of St. Andrew’s, Islington in Etobicoke, Ontario.

Know God has announced himself to be the healer:

“… for I am the Lord, who heals you.” – Exod. 15:26

Know Jesus’ life on earth and his death on the cross were intended not only to save us from our sins but also to heal us from our diseases:

“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.” – Matt. 8:16-17

Know he has given to the church the privilege of being his agents in healing:

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” – James 5:14-15

And we have responded to requests for anointing, by having anointing done by the elders either at home or privately in the church.

But then the request came for a more public opportunity to seek the Lord’s healing in a more scheduled manner. We could not find anything in the Bible to say that “the church should not do ’this.” On the contrary, our research of the Scriptures led us to the conclusion that God is equally interested in our being healed of our diseases as he is in our being forgiven for our sins. And so the Session decided that we would have a service of anointing for healing at the 11:00 am service on the Sunday before our quarterly communion service. That is, we would have a healing service scheduled for four times a year. There are those of our congregation who would like to have these services more often but Session felt that this was ample opportunity for a public healing service when private anointing by the elders is available on request at anytime that is convenient to the seeker and to the elders.

It is a tradition, and a good one, of our denomination that when the sacraments are administered, the word ought to be taught. This is to ensure that sacraments of God are illuminated by the word of God. We have endeavoured to follow the same principle in our healing services. The sermon of the morning is taken from some passage in the Bible that focuses on God’s will to heal and his power to do so. At the conclusion of the sermon all are invited to stay for the healing service if they are able. If they do plan to stay they are asked to be involved in prayer for those who are seeking the Lord’s healing help. Usually there are a number who have to go and there are also a number who are able to stay and pray.

Those who want to be anointed by the elders are invited to come forward down the centre aisle of the church. Those who do so share privately with the minister and one or two elders their name and what it is that they would like the Lord to do for them. The minister anoints them in the name of Jesus and prays for them by name on the matter that they have mentioned. One of the assisting elders then conducts the supplicant over to two prayer partners who will further talk and pray with them if they should so desire.

As was mentioned at the beginning, this healing service is comparatively new to us but each time that we have had such a service there have been about 10-15 who have come forward for anointing. Results? Well, last time we had a healing service there were two who came forward with similar ailments that were vastly improved by the following week. We have a little boy with a serious illness who was carried to the front by his father. He later went to the hospital for a marrow transplant and the last word that I have on him is that he is doing wonderfully. There are others who have been anointed and we do not see the change as yet.

Will we continue to have these healing services? I hope so. The opportunity to look to God for healing is clearly announced in the Bible:

… who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. – Ps. 103:3-4

It seems to me that we ourselves are the losers if we do not capitalize on all the grace opportunities that God has given to us. It is said of Jesus:

… He… healed all the sick. – Matt. 8:16

It is also said of him:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. – Heb. 13:8

And it was Jesus who said of his disciples:

… they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. ” – Mark 16:18

Who of us can forget the words that God has spoken to us:

… You do not have, because you do not ask God. – James 4:2

Historically we are known as “the people of the word,” but we need to be doers and not just learners and speakers.