We have used a practical model for dental and medical evangelism in many foreign countries to help establish and grow local churches. However, no evangelistic formula or technique alone will save anyone. (John 6:44) God expects us to be wise, prepared, faithful servants with a plan when we take the Gospel to a foreign land.
I. Health Care Professionals and Portable Equipment
A dental and medical field clinic is the “magnet” that attracts people from towns and villages to receive free, compassionate health care. Teams of dentists, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, dental hygienists, and other health professionals selflessly serve God for a week or two under sometimes austere conditions.
II. Local Leadership and Planning
Since the purpose of dental and medical field evangelism is to be “fellowhelpers” in church planting, this implies that our team members are not the primary ones doing missionary evangelism or church planting. Host missionaries or national church pastors provide the leadership for evangelism. Certainly, God can work in spite of our shortcomings, but if leaders do not have zeal to see souls come to Christ then a dental and medical clinic is not a substitute for evangelism.
III. Involvement, Prayer, and Organization
A misconception about dental and medical field evangelism is that a group from the United States will do all the Bible teaching and witnessing while local believers watch from the sidelines. Local believers can be much better equipped to witness for Jesus Christ because they know the language, culture, and individual patients.
Prayer is a key ingredient of local church involvement. Host churches must be praying corporately in advance for a harvest of souls during dental and medical clinics.
An adjunct step after individual involvement is organization of workers in the local churches. The host missionary or pastor knows his people best and must organize them in advance to prepare for the team’s visit and not “wing it” upon the team’s arrival.
IV. Active Participation
Planning and organizing will only produce fruit when believers show up to faithfully complete their tasks. It is unfortunate when a team arrives at a location of ministry to find only a few believers ready to serve on the day of the clinic.
As “fellowhelpers” in church planting, team members look for faithful local partners to work with. What a blessing to work with believers who jump at a chance to share the Gospel with someone or readily step in to set up a shelter, start a generator, cook a meal, or clean instruments.
V. Faithful Follow-up
As with any concentrated group activity, it is what happens after the excitement has worn off that is the true test of its effectiveness. Missionaries and church leaders must have a follow-up evangelism plan. If the church has been motivated and organized for the evangelistic clinic then they must be prepared to follow up on contact opportunities.
No method or formula for evangelism can guarantee success. However, our experience is that dental and medical evangelism field teams are most effective when they follow principles of diligent preparation and faithful follow-though in partnership with local church leaders. This brief model is a proven blueprint for anyone considering a program of dental or medical evangelism in his area.
