Biblical Foundations for the Role of Healing in Evangelization

by Mathias D. Thelen, Mary Healy (Foreword)

It's almost undeniable that God is working miracles of healing in evangelization today. For theologians, pastors, and evangelists some questions What is the relationship between physical healing and the message of salvation? Should the church really expect God to do healings in evangelization today? Father Thelen answers these questions by examining the relationship between the preaching of the gospel and physical healing in the New Testament. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not simply a message of fact; it is a message of power that is often expressed through the working of deeds that serve as signs of the reality salvation. As signs of the kingdom, healings that accompany the preaching of the gospel play an indispensable role in bringing people to faith throughout the New Testament. The result of this biblical study is a clarion call for the church to renew its faith in God's desire and power to confirm his word through healing. As healing becomes more accepted and frequent in evangelization, a Catholic biblical and theological approach to healing as it relates to evangelization--an approach that can be different from its Protestant counterpart--is necessary. This modest book fits this need. "As the church in the West once again faces the prospect of being a 'little flock' surrounded by an increasingly hostile post-Christian culture, it is not surprising that some of the main features of the life of the early church should reappear that until recently didn't seem either relevant or realistic. Texts of the Scripture and main aspects of Jesus' ministry that were consigned to another age are beginning to be seen as extremely relevant once again. Thelen has done the church a great service by establishing the solid scriptural and theological foundations for the place of 'signs and wonders' in the mission of the church today." --Ralph Martin, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Archdiocese of Detroit "Thelen gives us a convincing and forceful explanation of the evangelistic impact of Jesus' miraculous healing ministry and its continuation in the life of his disciples. By a thorough examination of the biblical text with recourse to the best current scholarship, he firmly grounds the practice of Christian healing in the New Testament narratives and letters of St. Paul. Based on his exegesis, he argues compellingly that the signs and wonders of Jesus and his disciples not only attest to his messianic identity but also are closely linked to the effective proclamation of the gospel. Essentially, miraculous healing leads people to be open to the gospel. He demonstrates the unique significance of divine healing for the evangelization of a postmodern culture and issues a stirring call for Christians to believe in Jesus' words, pray for the sick, and see amazing results." --Mark Giszczak Augustine Institute, Denver, Colorado "In a world enchanted with self-made religion, how should the church evangelize? As they did in the early by signs to confirm the word. After reviewing the abundant New Testament evidence regarding the strong relationship between preaching and healing, Thelen explores the audience to which the Word is addressed today. Since those touched by growing atheism and the cult of self are more open to tangible events like testimonies of healing than mere proclaimed truths, Thelen challenges preachers and evangelists to pray for signs, especially healings, when they proclaim the Word. Such an approach is not only deeply rooted in Scripture, but is also good advice." --George Montague, St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas Mathias D. Thelen, STL, (Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome) is a priest of the Diocese of Lansing, Michigan.

116 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2018

About the author

Fr. Mathias is Co-Founder and President of Encounter Ministries. He is also the Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Parish in Brighton.

Father is both a graduate of St. John Vianney College Seminary and of the University of St Thomas in St Paul, MN where he earned degrees in both Philosophy and Catholic Studies. He attended Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit for his graduate seminary formation and after graduation was ordained a priest on June 11, 2010 for the Diocese of Lansing.

He served several parishes before joining the faculty of Sacred Heart as a spiritual director and assistant professor of theology. In 2016, Fr. Thelen earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He is the author of the book, Biblical Foundations for the Role of Healing in Evangelization (Wipf and Stock, 2018) and has appeared in the documentaries Fearless (2017) and Revive (2020). Fr Mathias is passionate to see the Church come alive with the fullness of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit so that the world might believe in Jesus, the Son of God.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first thought while reading this book was "Wow! Fr. Mathias is SMART!" I enjoyed learning the biblical passages I can reflect on and how all of us can be used by the Holy Spirit, as long as we're open to Him. The book has a textbook feel, but I found it enlightening. Thank you Fr. for sharing your gifts, I'm asking for MORE! Come Holy Spirit, come!

[Joseph Serwach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing young priest gaining national recognition

In his first book, Father Mathias Thelen explores the Biblical foundations for healing in bringing people back to the Father and His Church. The founder of Encounter Ministries is quickly gaining a global reputation as a leading voice of Catholicism.