I thought it was for health workers. Somehow, I had understood that it had to do mainly with medical practices. Who knew there were 2500 lessons on nearly every topic ever known to plague mankind. Actually, the goal of CHE is to establish a development ministry whose purpose is to bring together Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 25:37-40). This is accomplished by training community members as Community Health Evangelists (CHEs) who regularly visit 10 – 15 neighboring households, sharing the gospel and promoting principles of disease prevention and healthy living. The program is designed to be transferable, multipliable, and ongoing after the training team leaves the area.

There’s no doubt — within the next handful of years, CHE will have transformed the way we do missions (if it hasn’t already). What interests me as much as anything is — the way the revolution is taking place. How can a grassroots philosophy make such a huge impact on our globe? How can a set of practices, primarily articulated by a handful of practitioners, become so ubiquitous that church after church would insist that every mission partner train in it?

It’s too early for me to answer those questions. I only know that my admiration has gone through the roof for Stan, Terry, Val, David, and the other pioneers who have patiently mentored and facilitated these trainings. I’m inspired by the way they’ve adopted such an “open source” approach to something that might have been able to make them rich. But perhaps, one of the secrets to its popularity is the essence of the fact that they gave it away to the world so freely — and continue to do so.

Read more about CHE by downloading this introductory 50-page manual.

http://www.u4theu.com/files/u4theu/docs/CHE_Overview.pdf

Isn’t it crazy that the author isn’t even named? Literally nobody is taking the credit… and nobody is getting a payoff… primarily because of the unselfishness of those who envisioned and experienced these tools. Hats off Stan. Well done Terry. Way to go Val. We appreciate you!!!

Doug

johnhendeecoxnet

http://www.chenetwork.org

The meeting will be a pre-conference to the Global Missions Health Conference which is the one of largest of its kind in the world. Learn more about the Global Missions Health Conference at…

http://www.medicalmissions.com

And by the way, at the Global Missions Health Conference itself, don’t miss new workshop clusters around the themes of “Holistic Community Development” and “Urban Development”. But at the CHE pre-meeting, organizers will roll out the 2010 CHE Lesson Plans CD with new lessons on Bible storying, HIV, malaria, tropical diseases, short-term teams. urban CHE, and other topics. They’ll also report on progress being made toward the accomplishment of specific movement objectives and priorities, while featuring presentations by experienced CHE practitioners on strategic topics. If you do CHE or are interested in it, don’t miss this strategic gathering.

Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a ministry strategy that addresses the root causes of poverty, disease, and spiritual darkness by training local leaders to share the gospel and mobilize community action. Communities learn to prevent disease, enhance agriculture, and generate enterprise. Vital biblical faith is nurtured at every step. People become followers of Jesus, existing churches strengthened, and new churches planted. More than 250 organizations are using CHE in 81 countries worldwide. The Alliance for Transformational Ministry (ATM) and the Global CHE Network offers CHE training to people serving in rural and urban poor settings worldwide. Training dates for USA: Portland, OR, September 13-18, 2009. For more information about the CHE strategy, visit

For information about the training seminar in Portland go to:

http://www.atmlive.org/pdfs/Portland_TOT__Brochure_09.pdf

or send an email to …

http://www.lifewind.org/

See their training offered at

http://www.lifewind.org/village_train_courses.php

Another link in the chain has been provided by groups like the Chalmers Center at Covenant College.

http://www.chalmers.org/

With their “Foundations and Principles of Holistic Ministry” course, they provide a strong economic underpinning component so often missing in CHE programs staged at the indigenous level.

These are just two examples. What other sources have you found for CHE recently? What are the benefits, … risks… costs… strengths… weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? Just click “comment” below this item on the web and share your point of view. You can even speak totally anonymously. Just click “Comment” below.

https://www.regonline.com/eventinfo.asp?eventid=185615

or call Bob +1-502-719-9845 or email

http://healthcaremissions.org/

or call to the USA (909) 558-4963.

Are you interested in establishing a Community-Based Development Program integrating the physical and the spiritual? LifeWind International’s (formerly Medical Ambassadors International) Training of Trainers (TOT) introduces people to Community Health Evangelism (CHE). This strategy teaches concepts, gives vision and practical How Tos for implementing and managing CHE in your ministry. The next training date in the USA is slated for September 15-20, 2008. This training will be a dual training for International CHE and Neighborhood Transformation for Urban CHE. For more information on this specific training visit,
http://www.lifewind.org/village_training.php
or contact