A message from Rev. Kyle Poole, Pastor at Gardendale Church of the Nazarene
To: Fellow Pastors and Church Leaders…
People in our congregations are hurting - spiritually, emotionally, and physically. and, God cares about their pain.
Too often, we forget that physical pain often takes a toll on a person’s spiritual and emotional health. Since we are not usually medically trained, we often leave physical ailments in the hands of the doctors and prayer – as we should. However, isn’t there something more we can do to help people in our churches who live with chronic pain?
God has called a young man in our church to an important and unique ministry to those living with chronic pain. David Brown, founder of “Back to the Cross Ministries” has launched a non-profit ministry to comfort and assist those who hurt. I serve as a pastoral advisor on a non-profit board for David’s accountability and encouragement.
David suffers from degenerative disk disease and lives with constant back pain. He has prayed for physical healing, and believes God is able to heal. But, like Paul, God has allowed the “thorn” to remain while reminding David that His grace is sufficient!
I encourage you to schedule David to speak to your people about “Living with Chronic Pain.” He is a faithful member of our church with a solid understanding of the Bible and theology. He spoke at Gardendale on a Sunday evening, sharing his journey and pointing people to Jesus as the Ultimate Source of comfort and healing. Many people came to the altar that night, surrendering their physical pain to the Lord. We concluded the service by following the biblical pattern of anointing with oil and praying for healing.
Please feel free to call me at (205) 631-5452 with any questions you may have about David or “Back to the Cross.” I believe it’s a helpful and worthy ministry.
Sincerely,
Rev. Kyle Poole
Pastor, Gardendale Church of the Nazarene
