GoMETS.org - Faculty / Alumni Stories: Signed: Love, God

“Last week I participated in the METS (Medical Evangelism Training and Strategies) Conference at Saddleback Church. I felt compelled to write you and express how powerful and meaningful the conference was. I’ve been a registered nurse for 30 years (most of them in the operating room) and currently I work in the outpatient surgery department of a local hospital. I have never been so inspired as a Christian health professional.”

“It was awesome to hear committed physicians as well as a registered nurse share powerful testimonies of how they share their faith with patients and family members, pray with them and lead many to the Lord! The practicum at the hospital was a wonderful experience. I was able to pray with 5 people who were ready and waiting to accept Jesus Christ as Lord. The METS training gave me not only the confidence, but the tools to do so.”

Kathy Spagnola, Saddleback Church member and small group leader, decided to attend the “METS” conference as a result of seeing the booth outside church one Sunday morning and after encouragement by other Saddleback members. She really didn’t know a lot about what would take place there except it was a way to get 23 hours of Continuing Education Credits she needed. She states: “I had never been a part of any Christian related educational offering for nurses and was ready for inspirational direction in the workplace.”

She received inspiration all right and in fact, she helped to usher five people into the Kingdom in a single afternoon! The METS conference is a dynamic three day training for physicians, nurses and anyone in the health professions who desire to ethically, sensitively and effectively integrate their faith into their practice of medicine. Besides the interactive classroom time there is opportunity to put into practice all that is learned in what’s called a “practicum experience.”

On the day of the practicum, Kathy said: “When I got up this morning, I had some butterflies, but wasn't afraid. I felt confident in what I had been taught. I knew that it wasn't about me, but about carrying out God's work. I spent some time in prayer, asking the Lord to lead me to some ripe fruit.” And lead her He did! One patient she interviewed was 101 years of age and was attended by her 74 year old daughter and a caretaker (who she found out later was a Christian). It wasn't apparent how coherent the patient was, but her daughter proved to be ripe fruit, Kathy said! She was a retired navy nurse and Kathy felt an immediate connection with her. After asking her some probing questions designed for family members learned at METS she was ready to transition to the gospel without hesitation.

This woman only stopped Kathy a few times during their conversation, to tell her how beautiful the gospel presentation was and how ‘nice’ it was of Kathy to do this for her! So when she got to the point where Kathy asked if she would like to know God personally, she said: ‘yes absolutely!’ She seemed to be very eager to pray and accept Jesus as Lord, so Kathy led her in a prayer of salvation right there beside her 101 year old mother. She left with the impression that the mother was a believer in Christ. Kathy states: “The daughter seemed very blessed and it was definitely what I call a ‘God Moment!’ I asked the caretaker if she would help her find a Bible teaching church where she could grow in her new found faith. She agreed enthusiastically.”

Kathy describes her next encounter in this way: “The next patient we visited was a 13 year old boy who had been in an ATV accident; his parents were visiting along with a friend. It turned out that all of the people in the room were really ready to receive Christ. They all agreed that they wanted to pray a prayer of salvation together with me. We ended by holding hands and I prayed for them. It's hard to describe this event.....the emotion of the experience is lost. I felt like the Holy Spirit gave me the words to speak and the doors opened to lead in a prayer to allow them to accept Christ into their lives. It was a really neat experience. The friend of the boy seemed really moved by all that was said, and even seemed to have some tears when we left. They also said they wanted follow up the next day. It really seemed like what I would call an Ephesians 3:20 experience. For me, God really did exceedingly and abundantly above what I expected, and what I prayed for that morning. It was really wonderful!”

Before attending the METS conference Kathy said she was calculating the years she would have to continue to be a nurse before retirement. She says; although she never hid the fact that she was a Christian, she felt like she wasn't doing all that God would have her do in the work place.

Now she has a strong desire to provide spiritual care to patients, their families and even her co-workers. She has taken the initiative to meet with the hospital Chaplain, whom she found had been a METS participate in the past as well. She has spoken to several Christian physicians there about her METS experience and says: “I know as I make myself available to the Lord, He will open doors and bring along opportunities where I can offer spiritual care and God's love to the hurting and needy.”

Kathy was just one of twenty METS participants at the Saddleback Conference. During the practicum nineteen patients and family members received Christ for the first time with many who rededicated their lives to the Lord or had participants pray for them bedside.

If you are interested in integrating your faith into your medical practice or hospital visitation program visit www.GoMets.org or call (909)794-4232. Physicians get 17 hours of Category 1 CME and nurses receive 23 hours of CEU.

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