2 November 2016 | St Albans, UK [Victor Hulbert]
With health and lifestyle issues among the most sought after information on the internet, how do you know what is good and what to ignore? Torben Bergland, Health Ministries director for the Trans-European Division has devised a practical answer.
Launched just a few days ago, the new Health Ministries Facebook page (or search for @TEDHealth) provides daily links to vetted and approved health tips, invitations to TED health events, inspiring news reports of Health Mission across the TED and a chance to network.
“We want to communicate and connect with Adventists and others who are interested in enhancing health and life,” Dr Bergland says. After careful research he believes that Facebook provides the department with an efficient tool to reach many people. The page now gives visitors the ability to add some ‘healthy’ content to their own feeds. “We want to support Health Ministries departments around the Division and local churches by providing content they can share on their pages,” Bergland says.
Over 200 people have already ‘liked’ his page and many more have visited. The post on Tuesday, 1 November, World Vegan Day, ‘7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat’, is, so far, the most popular. “Currently, it has been seen by over 2,000 people,” Bergland says with a small smile. “We therefore see that we already are reaching many, and that we potentially may reach many times more.”
Other posts talk about sleep, the keys to a good relationship, and even suggest switching off your digital media for 24 hours to enjoy a real Sabbath! (However, please check back later so you don’t miss a Health Ministries posting!)
Assisted by his helpful (and always smiling) PA, Heidi Kamal, the plan is to “inspire, challenge and educate people, providing input on important aspects of life.”
More importantly, because of his background and experience as a balanced, Adventist Health professional, you can be assured that what you find on the page will, in his words, “take a comprehensive perspective on health, including the physical, mental, social and spiritual dimensions of life.”
While the principle initial audience may be Adventist, the page is not intended for them alone. It is designed to communicate well with anyone. “We therefore hope people will ‘like’ what we post, share it, and invite their friends to ‘like’ the page.” Bergland concludes, “The more who like and share it, the more may benefit from the page.”
The Health Ministries page is one of several provided by the Trans-European Division. In addition to the main TED Facebook page (@TransEuropeanDivision), pages can also be found supporting the Youth Department, Pathfinders, and the Adventist Volunteer service. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
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