Authors

Mark Sterns

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

1980

Abstract

The founding commission of Oral Roberts University was to raise up students to hear God's voice and to go where His light is dim and voice is heard small. The most recent development of that commission has been the stated intention of forming and sending "healing teams" into all the world. These teams are to minister healing to the totality of man's need: spirit, mind, and body.

Being such a new development and innovative thrust in missions, there is no model from which to draw examples. This paper was an exploratory study which, by utilizing the interview method, sought to reveal the pertinent variables involved in the structure and function of a healing team. Preceding the interviews with a variety of Oral Roberts University personnel, came a search of related materials in the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association library. The literature search also included the progression of missions and a summary of the managerial functions universal to any enterprise.

Review of Objectives

The broad, anticipated contributions of the paper were several in number. The study should begin to bring the concept of healing teams to a workable reality; it will further consensus on the definition and functions of the healing teams; and it will highlight areas meriting priority consideration.

The five specific objectives were: l) to derive the definition and purpose of a healing team, 2) to determine the objectives and strategy of a healing team, 3) to determine the role that Oral Roberts University should serve in developing healing teams, 4) to provide insight into how the team will function internally and externally, and what its composition will be, and 5) to provide information which will enlighten and spark dialogue on the wide spectrum of questions concerning healing teams and how they will be managed through the basic managerial functions.

Conclusions

Perhaps the greatest conclusion of this paper is that the healing team is a concept and not a precept. It defies strict definition while allowing flexibility in any application. A general definition was ventured in Chapter Five:

A healing team is a team of persons who have been, and are continually experiencing healing in their own lives, correctly related to the source of all healing. It is a team of professionals, who are skilled, capable, adaptable, unified, well- instructed individuals; all trained to bring harmony and restoration via their various disciplines such as business, medicine, dentistry, theology, nursing, education, law; selected on the basis of the need of the situation, dictated by the circumstances, environment, culture, and condition of the people; and all dedicated to bringing total healing to the whole man, spirit, mind, and body.

Comments

Masters Thesis

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