PAIN ETCHED SALLY'S FACE. Nerves damaged by radiation treatments left her in constant agony. "The doctors say they can do nothing more," she said. "God is my only hope. I noticed a passage on healing in James 5 yesterday that might help."

As she opened her Bible, I saw two verses underlined in red: "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up."

"Would you please gather the elders and pray for me?" she asked.

It wasn't that simple.

I grew up in a denomination that ill-prepared me for her request. The unwritten but strongly implied rule of our denominational culture stated that pastors who ministered in the area of healing were charismatic at best and deluded at worst. Also, our churches were organized around deacons; we had no elders. Furthermore, I was not sure what a "prayer of faith" was. Finally, I had never anointed ...