About Us
We are a Christ-centered, ecumenical organization committed to making Christian healing prayer a way of life.
By fostering unity among all Christian denominations, we welcome the entire body of Christ and embrace its diverse traditions.
We hold dear the historic Christian beliefs articulated in the ancient creeds — the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed. These foundational beliefs have guided Christians since the first century and continue to illuminate our path.
Central to our ministry is the emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s power and gifts. We believe that through the Holy Spirit, we become vessels of God’s healing — bringing hope and renewal to those we serve. Our approach is to Listen, Love, & Pray for others.
“The purpose of Christian Healing Ministries is to disciple believers in the practice of healing prayer.”
Judith & Francis MacNutt
Vision
To make Christian healing prayer a way of life.
Mission
Our heart is to manifest Jesus’ Healing ministry by equipping people to Listen, Love and Pray.
CHM offers:
- Holy Spirit prayer that mirrors Jesus’ love
- Training in the practice of healing prayer (to people and communities of faith)
- Support for church leaders, healthcare professionals, and institutions as they integrate healing prayer into their practices.
- Powerful resources for your personal ministry (Bookstore, Prayer app, Prayerful+ and the CHM Bookstore)
Listen. Love. Pray. Listen. Love. Pray. Listen. Love. Pray. Listen. Love. Pray. Listen. Love. Pray.
Our Story
The foundation of CHM was laid many years ago with the ministry of Francis MacNutt, one of the first Catholic priests to become involved in the charismatic renewal movement and the ministry of praying for healing. Although he was ordained in 1956, it was in 1967, when Francis was baptized in the Holy Spirit, that he experienced a dramatic turning point in his ministry. Soon after, he became involved in the healing ministry full-time, traveling the world speaking about spiritual renewal and praying for healing. In 1974 he wrote the best-selling book, Healing, now termed a classic in the field. He also has written Power to Heal, The Prayer That Heals, Overcome by the Spirit, Deliverance from Evil Spirits, Homosexuality: Can It Be Healed?, and The Healing Reawakening.
In 1980, Francis married Judith Sewell, a clinical psychologist and former missionary in Israel. As a result of their marriage, he was no longer able to exercise ministry as a Catholic priest, so together Francis and Judith co-founded CHM in Clearwater, Florida.
Since that time there has been a deep reconciliation between the MacNutts and the Catholic Church, and they are both in good standing with the Church. In addition, they enjoy an excellent relationship with their Catholic Bishop and with the leaders in the national and international Catholic Charismatic Renewal. (To read more, see A Special Note regarding the MacNutts and the Catholic Church)
In 1987, at the invitation of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, the MacNutts relocated CHM to Jacksonville, Florida where they expanded the ministry to include Schools of Healing Prayer®. The blending of Francis and Judith’s spiritual gifts created a unique healing ministry. Their combined ministry of teaching and praying for physical and emotional healing brought completeness to their individual ministries.
As two of the most recognized and respected leaders in the healing ministry, Francis and Judith have traveled the world teaching about the love of Jesus Christ, and the power and effectiveness of healing prayer. Since its inception, CHM has operated as a Christ-centered, ecumenical and non-profit organization dedicated to the practice and teaching of healing prayer.
In 2008, Francis named Judith his successor as President of CHM. As President, Judith oversees the organization, writes, teaches, and travels as a conference speaker. In 1988, Judith co-authored (with Francis) Praying For Your Unborn Child, and in 2012, she authored Angels Are For Real.
The story of our logo
Our legacy logo, drawn by CHM co-founder Francis MacNutt, captures the powerful biblical moment when Jesus healed a woman who leaned in to touch His cloak. This story from Matthew 9:20-22 represents the heart of our ministry:
“Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’ Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.” — Matthew 9:20-22
We have introduced a new logo derived from the legacy one. This fresh design, drawn by David MacNutt, son of the founders Judith and Francis MacNutt, features the woman reaching out to touch Jesus’ cloak. This image continues to symbolize the healing and faith that lie at the core of our mission, ensuring our message endures for generations to come.
In addition to this logo, we have introduced another drawing that embodies the “Listen, Love, and Pray” format taught at our Schools of Healing Prayer® This new symbol features a heart with a cross at its center, representing that Jesus is love, and love is what heals. The utmost expression of love is the cross.
This drawing is a reminder that every act of healing and compassion in our ministry is rooted in the profound love of Jesus.
Doctrinal Statement
Christian Healing Ministries (CHM) affirms the historic Christian beliefs as contained in the creeds (the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed), which have served as the basis of Christian belief since the first century. Because of the nature of our prayer ministry, we stress in particular the need for the power of the Holy Spirit, in order that we might serve as vessels of God’s healing power.
We also affirm the value of the medical and counseling fields, since they too are ways in which God’s healing power is manifested. Beyond medicine and human means, we believe God can work miracles of healing through Jesus Christ, and we see this as part of His role as our Saviour.
As our name, Christian Healing Ministries, suggests, we are explicitly Christian and accept Sacred Scripture as our guide and norm. We realize that there are many denominations, and we do not want to further divide but to bring together all strands of Christian truth. What we do exclude, by the very nature of our ministry as Christians, is anything that goes counter to established Christian truth, as well as any kind of healing that relies upon a spiritual power other than that of Jesus Christ (e.g., spiritualism). We pray that our courses on prayer for healing draw students closer to our Lord and His Holy Spirit.
Biblical Foundation
In the healing ministry, it is vital to establish that what we believe and teach is Scripturally sound. When Jesus announced His ministry in Luke 4:18, He said He came to proclaim the year of the Lord, a time of restoration.
People today still seek restoration. They hunger and thirst to know God in a direct, experiential way. The sick still need healing, just as much as they did in Christ’s day.
When (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then He began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of Him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from His mouth.” —Luke 4:16-22
The number of people who were healed by Jesus during His ministry is astounding. When He sent out His disciples to further His ministry, “He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” —Luke 9:1-2
It is the belief of CHM that this commandment is still very relevant to Christians today, and that the gift of healing is very much available to those who will simply ask God.
