PRAYER FOR THE SICK:
The book of James tells us that if any member is sick. “Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15). Here is another form of ministry available to elders that can bring great blessing to your people.

 Prayer ought to be at the heart of every elder’s ministry, and prayer for the sick is a significant part of such a prayer ministry. When you visit the sick, you should be mindful, not only of their physical condition, but of their spiritual condition as well. Often during illness, people feel helpless and discouraged. Sometimes their faith waves and they need your encouragement and reminder that God loves them.

The formal anointing service is reserved for those with significant physical illness. However, the text asks, “Is anyone among you sick?” I do not ask, “Is anyone among you doing?”  The anointing service ought not to be used for every frivolous physical complaint. It should be reserved for serious illness, but not just for fatal illness.  In some places, anointing has become almost a lost rite because of the traditions of some non-the holy seed church denominations that have used anointing as though it were a last rite.

(a)WHO OFFICIATES:
The sick should call for the elders of the church. Local elders may officiate at an anointing service in the absence of a minister, but should do so with the pastor’s approval. Ideally a minister leads out, assisted by the presence and prayers of available elders. 

(b) PREPARING FOR THE SERVICE:
 Where held. An anointing service may be held in church, home, nursing home, or hospital. If in a hospital, it should be conducted so as not to interfere with the physician and hospital staff. Length and formality of the service depend on the place it is held and the condition of the recipient. Who attends? In addition to the minister and the elders, it may be well for others having a special gift of prayer to be present. The recipient might wish to invite praying friends. Non- Christian family or friends are usually not invited, but need not be asked to leave if present. Those who lead out should have a serious commitment to Christ, believe firmly in divine healing, and have prepared their hearts for the occasion.

Preparing the recipient. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Psalms 66:18). Encourage the sick person to examine his/her life before the anointing. An excellent way to prepare for the service is for the individual to study the chapter “Prayer for the sick” in The Ministry of Healing. Respect the privacy of persons not waiting to speak too specifically about their ailment. On the other hand, you should learn as much as the recipient is comfortable in sharing so your prayer can be specific.

(c) ORDER OF SERVICE:
 Preliminary remarks. As leader, you should explain to the group the purpose of anointing and how it takes place. The recipient might be invited to testily to he/her faith and give the reason for requesting healing. If the sick person is not too critical to warrant a brief service, take time to read from the scriptures the prerequisites to divine healing. These include:

1. Belief that God can and does heal.
2. Confession of sin.
3. Commitment to healthful living:
 Much illness results from habits of living. Assure the sick that God freely forgives our sins of the past, put it is presumptuous to ask Him to heal our bodies if we intend to go on abusing them.

4. Willingness to use human means:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). God may already have engifted some physician to who He will lead the sick person for healing. God works miracles, but He often chooses to work them through gifts He places in human hands.

5. Trust God’s answer. Sometimes God heals immediately,
sometimes slowly, sometimes not until Christ’s Second Coming. If the afflicted person is not healed immediately, it ought not to be interpreted as a sign either of the individual’s spiritual weakness or of God’s unwillingness to heal. The service should climax with the certainty that everything has been placed in God’s hands and that God can be trusted.

Scripture to be read or excerpted could include: James 5:14-16; Numbers 21:8-9;  psalms 103:1-5; Psalms 107: 19-20; Mark 16:15-20.

There anointing prayer.
 If you are leading out you should have a small vial of olive oil. Everyone kneels. The recipient may wish to pray. If so, he/she should probably pray first. Other designated leaders pray in turn. You pray last. As you begin to pray, place a little oil on the fingertips of your hand. Near the close of your prayer, apply the oil to the forehead of the one you are anointing. This symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s touching the afflicted in a specific and special way.
The Holy Seed Church do not follow or support the practice of some who apply oil to the part of the body in which the infirmity exists. Concluding the service. As soon as the prayer season ends, say your goodbyes and leave. A little time for getting acquainted and social; fellowship might precede the anointing, but should not follow it. Leave while a spirit of reverence prevails and the presence of God permeates the room.

  CONCLUSION
We end this Constitution and Rules where we began, with an appeal for all elders to take up the challenge of vibrant, spiritual church leadership. Your ministry is vital to the ongoing growth and development of the church. Because of the unique leadership talents the Holy Spirit has given you, you can make a tremendous difference. Consecrate yourself to Christ daily and learn on Him for grace and guidance. “The elders who are among you I exhort,….Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest again but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:1-4). The Bible says "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." God is perfect and holy and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says "The wages of sin is death," {Romans 3:1-31}.