The other night after work I was flipping through the channels and I happen to run across a movie I saw sometime back. "Patch Adams" starring Robin Williams. I forgot about this movie. In all the seriousness of life, I had forgot how delightful this based on a real person, film was. Just to find someone who in medicine, who discovered the truth to Proverbs 17:22, is a joy in itself. To know medicine isn't totally loss to the greed that often we read about in the news.
The verse in proverbs reads like this: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Patch Adams went and still is going up against traditional medicince that in most cases has created a very cold professional, whose work has come to more the philosphy of making money and carrying a title, than the original Oath of Hippocrates.
Patch is a wonderful individual, who reminds us that a positive attitude and laughter can heal or at least make life have more value. I want to place in copy here a description of Patch and his dream.
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Extraordinary! One man I can look up to and respect, Incredibly, mind blowing and memorable, and Incredibly inspiring, amazing human being, invaluable to hear him first hand …are among the words heard from participants’ after experiencing Patch Adams, the real person behind the hit movie Patch Adams, starring Robin Williams.
Patch is both a medical doctor and a clown…but he is also a social activist who has devoted 30 years to changing America's healthcare system, a system which he describes as expensive and elitist.
He believes that laughter, joy and creativity are an integral part of the healing process and therefore true health care must incorporate such life. Doctors and patients in his model relate to each other on the basis of mutual trust, and patients receive plenty of time from their doctors. Allopathic doctors and practitioners of alternative medicine will work side by side. If you think that all sounds like a utopian impossibility, it isn't. Patch and his colleagues practiced medicine at the Gesundheit Institute together in West Virgina that way for 12 years in what he calls their pilot project. They saw 15,000 patients. Patch Adams has devoted his life to the study of what makes people happy.
Through the success of this program at the Arlington, Virginia location, a model health care facility is being planned on 310 acres purchased in Pocahontas County, WV. The Institute will include a 40-bed hospital, a theater, arts and crafts shops, horticulture and vocational therapy. Over five years ago, Dr. Adams and staff temporarily stopped seeing patients so that they could coordinate plans for raising $5 Million needed for the Institute's permanent and expanded home, a model health care community. Currently planned is an immediate phase of this dream, a $400,000 WV facility so that their medical service to patients can resume within the next two years.
The Institute addresses, by action, four major issues in health care delivery: the rising cost of care, dehumanization of medicine, malpractice suits, and abuses of third-party insurance system.
Dr. Adams adds to his training as a physician, his experience as a street clown. In working with health and mental health professionals, he explores the relationship between humor and therapy using his unique blend of knowledge, showmanship and hands on teaching techniques. Says Dr. Adams, I interpret my experience in life as being happy. I want, as a doctor, to say it does matter to your health to be happy. It may be the most important health factor in your life.
Patch Adams, M.D., is a nationally known speaker on wellness, laughter, and humor as well as on health care and health care systems. He approaches the issues of personal, community, and global health with zestful exuberance, according to Time Magazine. Dr. Adams believes that the most revolutionary act one can commit in our world is to be happy.
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Patch is so right. While America looks for alternatives for Healthcare, Patch has founded an Institute that will not charge patients for their care. He has used the generosity of thousands who have donated to his cause. I have always held that if American's put their actions into taking care of the poor, the widow and the orphan which is a very large substance of a Christlike life, we wouldn't be looking for solutions to the healthcare problem in the United States. We have an organization called the "church", that devotes millions to building programs, and real estate accrual and other wasteful projects. Oh! yes ,there is money that goes to the poor, the widow and the orphan but in honesty the percentage taken in by churches and given to these things are very very small in relation to pastoral staff salaries and larger facilities and the cost involved. Do we think for a minute this is what the Lord came to give us, the same as Israel had in it's time. I don't. That system came to an end when the curtain veil was torn into. I have spent the larger portion of my life as a believer and a Spirit abiding Christian, fighting this deceitful system on the grounds of scripture and early Christian history. Teaching others who they are in Christ, and where the real church is.
I co-pastored home church for near 2 years with no salary or intake of funds. We gave, we didnt take. We helped people in the community with money, food or whatever they came to us and needed out of our own pockets, without a committee meeting or vote taken. Why don't we still meet, simple we discipled others and they have gone on to disciple others or dropped out. The idea was never to build an institution but to do as a number of individuals rather than one, to build Christians into maturity and then let them go. They are gone or are discipled and growing through and in Christ, so we don't meet anymore. Should the Lord open the opportunity again, I am willing. I am not against the assembly of believers, I am not against people meeting in buildings, I am against a system that has propped up Pastors to the position of High Priest and the building of Temples as where God dwells. It is wrong and is one of the greatest lies to steal truth from the believer in Christ. God no more dwells in anyone building in Athens, Texas or any other place in this world. God has come to indwell His people. I grow discouraged at times, when I constantly here someone say, aren't you glad you are in "the house of the Lord". Regardless of what their intention is, it creates and teaches a wrong view of the "ekklesia" of Christ. Peter as an individual was a little rock that Jesus would build his Big Rock on the church. Peter was not the first Pope. Peter as an individual who proclaimed Christ as the Messiah, became the beginning of many who would do the same. These are the EKKLESIA- the called out one's. They remain the dwelling place of God, once they are born again, by repentance, proclamation of Jesus as Lord, and baptism in His name. These being the work of God, not the work of men. He gives His Spirit unto them, to dwell in them, to live through them, to teach them and to sanctify and glorify them. The restoration of God not just with men, but "in men". Through Christ, eternal life is born in the believer then and there. They are the ekklesia and the many like them are, but any one building in the world with a sign outside is not the EKKLESIA, it is simply a building in which they gather with one another. They could meet in the parking lot, it wouldn't matter. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, His people would worship in Spirit and in Truth. Worship is what you do with your life, not an exercise on Sunday. It is an exercise done Monday through Sunday, week after week, year after year, and moment by moment in the life you life. Jesus said, where there are two or more gathered in my name, there I am. You can join with your wife in prayer, your child in worship on the playground and have "church". I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but I feel very strongly about these things.
When Paul faced the first questions of legalism trying to sneak back into the belief system of early Christians, the one thing, that the early eldership of Apostles agreed on was that the church was to "remember the poor".
We have got so busy with our lives and our organizations that we have forgotten this admonition and earliest and part of the only creed set by the Apostles themselves in Jerusalem. I promise you, if it was practiced, healthcare wouldn't be a great issue, nursing homes wouldnt be a great issue, and many people would be healed by the mere generosity of Christians and their genuine care and cheerfulness to give to them, whether it is time, a home or money they offer. The problems may not cease altogether but they would be minimized by the action of Christ in the believer.
We have lost the joy of the Lord to bureaucacy and institutions that so often, are based on what they can get rather than what they can give. Truth is truth, and often I make people mad when I state my opinion about these things. I could go on for hours on the failing "institution" and the glory that is awaiting beleivers if they would only return to the things the Lord taught and early Christians did.
Yes, the organization and institution can fail, there are many churches closed now, and pastors no longer pastoring, but the real "EKKLESIA (church-the called out one's)" of Christ, his people, the Universal church, Hell will not be able to prevail against it.
We have for over 1800 years propped up a system, that the Lord never intended, one of great cathedrals, great temples, and great ownership title and position.
We must never forget the words of Stephen that so angered the Pharisees.
Acts 7:48
..however, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? Or will be my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?
This along with a few other things Stephen had to say so angered the Jews who wanted to keep God in a building and themselves as the guardians of truth as high priest, it resulted in the stoning death of Stephen.
The greatest awakening needed in the church today, is that those proclaiming the name of Jesus as individual beleivers realize they are the "Temple of God" now. Jesus changed all the old Judaic principles, yet it only took less than 200 years for Christians and the traditions of men to replace truth for lies. Origen, one of the so called early church fathers did it for the person of the Bishop being elevated to the level of Christ himself and Constantine did it for the building of fancy and ornamental temples, full of pagan and Christian alike. Life for Christians in community has been pretty messed up since. Thus individuals hop from one building to another, hoping to find relationship with others and Christ, not membership in a club or religious activity.
Today, most American individuals will go to the "temple" often at least once a week, do they really realize the risen Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit is alive "in them" and is making them into a permanent dwelling place for God. Paul, put it this way, "Christ in you, the hope of glory." Is this life being lived out through you, are you abiding in this hope? Is this the truth for you daily?
The body of Christ could through very minimal efforts of "giving" turn the world upside down on issues of healthcare, if they would lose the idea of building temples that God will never dwell in and that they are there only for the people to assemble in. The purpose of the Pastor is to bring others to maturity in Christ, not keep them as babies, drinking milk instead of eating meat. This pastoralship is a multiple eldership of leaders not a single one man show. This protects the believer from wolves in sheep clothing. God knows, we have enough of them out there.
Would God's people only learn to smile again, to laugh again, and to share that laughter and joy with others and take outdoors what they claim they are getting indoors, we could as it was said about the early Christians, "turn the world upside down." Lest we forget the Lord's prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
Do we think for a moment that Christians in heaven are divided over their purpose and worship, and other things already settled by Christ himself.
I say no, they are laying their crowns at the feet of Jesus. When will we lay down our crowns, and have a cheerful heart, and be a cheerful giver to things that are eternal?
The healing of lives, broken in pain of body, mind and spirit is a great calling, and that calling is ours, each of us, as Christ is the Great Physician. It is He who lives in each believer.
We are the walking, talking "temple of the Lord", we need the return of joy to our lives, that brings healing to others.
Thank God for the Patch Adams of this world who have learned and practice - "A cheerful heart is good medicine." I don't know if Patch is a Christian or not, but He is living a principle, that is Christian and is the heart of the Gospel, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Have you ever been in need of medical care and can't afford it. Wouldn't it be nice if we could start free healthcare, right here in Athens, Texas?
You may not agree with much I have said here, but honestly don't you desire that God's Kingdom became more of a reality now and that man's just a little less?
May God Bless you and keep you, Patch.
Dr. J.
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