Debbie Michel
May 29, 2025On May 18, the Seventh-day Adventist churches of Grayling and Houghton Lake partnered with the Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN) to host a free medical, dental, and vision clinic at Kirtland Community College, providing care to 158 patients and offering approximately $64,000 in services—all at no cost to the recipients.
The clinic, staffed by nearly 72 volunteers from more than 12 churches, offered core services including dental, vision, medical, physical therapy, anti-stress massage and haircuts. The spirit of service left a lasting impression on both patients and volunteers.
Breakdown of services delivered:
Vision patients: 68
Dental patients: 65
Medical patients: 25
Physical therapy patients: 5
Anti-stress massage: ~12
Haircuts: 10
Community response was overwhelmingly positive. “Patients told us over and over again how wonderful their experience had been,” said Bob Benson, pastor of the Grayling and Houghton Lake churches. “When I told them about the upcoming MindFit program, they were excited and looking forward to attending.”
The clinic also laid the groundwork for continued outreach. The sponsoring churches plan to follow up with community health programs such as MindFit, Diabetes Undone, a local 5K race, and an invitation to a Keys to Revelation prophecy seminar.
The clinic was the result of a larger vision between the Michigan Conference and AMEN. In May 2023, the conference executive committee voted to partner with AMEN to support 10 Adventist churches in conducting free clinics and collaborative outreach across the state.
The event in Northern Michigan drew support from across the country, including volunteers from Virginia and Idaho. Local optometrists donated their services and described the experience as deeply meaningful. One dentist even drove from Detroit to participate—one of his many times serving at an AMEN clinic.
“The level of professionalism, the setup, the tools—our community clinicians were amazed,” Benson reported. “One volunteer couldn’t even find the words to express what it meant to him to be part of this.”
One food volunteer shared plant-based meals with participants, prompting a curious community member to say, “If I could cook like that, I’d become vegetarian.” That sparked a home-based cooking mentorship—and a new opportunity to share both delicious food and the love of Jesus.
The AMEN free clinic model is rooted in the example of Christ’s ministry: healing, preaching and teaching (Matthew 4:23–25). It also follows Ellen G. White’s counsel that health ministry is the “entering wedge” and “right arm” of the gospel message. By bringing Adventist healthcare providers and churches together in united service, AMEN clinics minister to physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
The vision, first inspired 20 years ago when a group of Adventist doctors and dentists joined evangelist Mark Finley to form the Adventist Medical Evangelism Network, has since grown into a national movement of compassionate, whole-person care.
As Benson reflected, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. After serving our community in this way, we don’t just care more—we love them more. And now they know it.”
The greatest miracle, organizers say, is that these clinics don’t just bring Adventist church families together in service, they united the church with the community—both those who volunteered and those who received care—and ultimately drew people closer through the love of Jesus.
Debbie Michel is editor of the Lake Union Herald.
