About the Healing and Wellness Program
The First Church Healing and Wellness program is part of Richard Ramos' doctoral project thesis for the completion of his Doctor of Ministry Program at Southern Methodist University at Perkins School of Theology. He works on this project under the direct supervision of First Church senior pastor, Rev. Doug Miller.
About Richard Ramos II
Richard serves as the Healing and Wellness project director for the First United Methodist Church of Carrollton, Texas - affectionately known as First Church. Richard is originally from the Philippines where he earned both his Bachelor of Science in Commerce with a focus on Computer Science and his Master of Divinity degree. Afterwards, he was given the opportunity to study in South Korea and earned a Master of Theology majoring in Christian education. With God's grace and favor, he was offered and completed a Master of Theological Studies at SMU-Perkins in Dallas, Texas, and currently he is completing his doctorate, also at SMU-Perkins.
Richard has served churches in the Philippines, South Korea and in the United States in many different capacities. In 2001, he was ordained in the United Methodist Church in the Philippines. Richard is also currently employed with the American Heart/Stroke Association. He is married to his beautiful wife Eva, who is a full-pledged deaconess in the Philippines. She works as a preschool/kindergarten teacher at Highland Park UMC. Richard and Eva are blessed with two lovely children: a son (John Reeve) and a daughter (Vea).
Richard has served churches in the Philippines, South Korea and in the United States in many different capacities. In 2001, he was ordained in the United Methodist Church in the Philippines. Richard is also currently employed with the American Heart/Stroke Association. He is married to his beautiful wife Eva, who is a full-pledged deaconess in the Philippines. She works as a preschool/kindergarten teacher at Highland Park UMC. Richard and Eva are blessed with two lovely children: a son (John Reeve) and a daughter (Vea).
Richard's Testimony for Pursuing Holistic Health in the Church
Several years ago, I suffered from very high blood pressure and high cholesterol even though my weight and blood glucose looked perfect. I didn't realize I had serious health issues until I started to feel constant discomfort, especially dizziness, and began experiencing a heavy feeling. My doctor told me that if these health problems were left untreated, sooner or later they would lead to heart disease/attack, stroke, kidney damage and other cardiovascular problems, and I would have to take medications for the rest of my life. He advised me to eat a healthy diet and to engage regularly in physical activity. Honestly, I took the doctor’s warning as a warning from God. It really scared me and caused me to start praying fervently. I had questions in my mind as to why these things were happening to me since I pray, worship and read my Bible daily; I am engaged in mission work, never smoke nor drink alcohol and have no family history of these types of health problems. But during my prayer time, the Spirit of God impressed on my heart that I had a very undisciplined lifestyle regarding my food consumption and I was also physically inactive. I was not protecting and keeping His temple (my body) well; I was even abusing it.
I repented and told God that I do not want to suffer from all of these diseases and I don’t want to have to take medications for the rest of my life. I asked God for healing and for the gift of good health. I expressed my desire to God that I want to live a long and healthy life. Praise be to God! Since then, all of my health data looks great and I have never needed long-term medication. I believe God's best for us is that we all become both spiritually and physically healthy, but it takes knowledge, discipline and responsibility. Scripture even says that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (awareness/education) - Hosea 4:6.
I repented and told God that I do not want to suffer from all of these diseases and I don’t want to have to take medications for the rest of my life. I asked God for healing and for the gift of good health. I expressed my desire to God that I want to live a long and healthy life. Praise be to God! Since then, all of my health data looks great and I have never needed long-term medication. I believe God's best for us is that we all become both spiritually and physically healthy, but it takes knowledge, discipline and responsibility. Scripture even says that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (awareness/education) - Hosea 4:6.