Yesterday one aspect of our ministry was featured nationally by the Biblical Counseling Coalition. You can learn more about Bridge to Hope on our website or by calling our office. And now, here is the blog.
Several times a week we get calls into our
Reigning Grace Counseling Center office and someone says, “I am addicted to drugs,” or “I am an alcoholic,” “I am a compulsive over eater,” or “I have a sex addiction.” They all want to know the same thing—can we help them?
Through our program,
Bridge to Hope, we bring honor to God and positive life change to individuals struggling with drugs and alcohol who are clinically diagnosed as alcoholic, drug addicted, or dependent. We facilitate heart and life conversion from man’s diagnosis to God’s solutions. Our goal is to improve families, society, and our community by ministering to those who struggle with the life dominating sins of drug and alcohol use and abuse, and by promoting sobriety and abstinence through application of Scripture and biblical principles.
In addition to the treatment of those with alcohol and drug issues, Bridge to Hope also ministers to those with other “addictions.” We have had great success with people who were considered addicted to sex, pornography and food.
Why Bridge to Hope?
Daily our staff sees the ravages of addictions of all kinds on individuals, families, and communities. Our staff members who have worked in the secular arena have seen that treatment programs are valuable for changing behaviors on a limited basis, but they do not reach the root of addiction. We believe addiction is the lust in the heart for pleasure, escape, and relief (
1John 2:16). Therefore, a secular program’s ability to truly help a person is limited to modification of behaviors.
We believe that the addict can be set free from their enslaving lusts as they begin to understand the heart of addiction. Part of the solution is teaching our counselees that addiction is idolatry, or the worship of something or someone other than God.
Through the Scriptures, the enslaved person can begin to experience transformation by the renewing of their mind (
Romans 12:2), and learn how to live a sacrificial life of worshiping God rather than self. We teach our counselees to look at their lives and situations from a biblical perspective. We want them to understand that God is sovereign over the people and events of life and that He intends to take the worst of sin and the most impossible situations and bring our good and His glory from them.
Next Steps
Going forward, Bridge to Hope intends to incorporate the required Substance Abuse Traffic Offender Program (SATOP) into our counseling model for those who have legal trouble due to operating a vehicle under the influence.
This aspect of ministry is intended to serve two groups of people. The first group would be those in the Christian community who are battling with substance use and abuse and have entered into legal trouble due to their use of alcohol and other drugs while driving. They often prefer to have faith-based treatment and counseling for their substance abuse issues rather than secular treatment. We will also gladly serve those who don’t presently see their need for a spiritual transformation in their lives. Their legal troubles resulting from their addictive behaviors and illegal actions give us months to fill their hearts and minds with biblical truth, providing a wide open door for evangelism.
We have a credentialed Substance Abuse Provider/Biblical Counselor on staff to perform the needed SATOP services. This will allow us to satisfy the legal requirements for the offender education programs, while addressing the heart-level spiritual issues plaguing those who suffer with addiction and substance abuse.
What We Believe God Will Do
Our present location does not have adequate space for the multi-phase program expansion we have planned. We are trusting God to provide the needed capital for Phase I, which will allow this critical aspect of ministry to expand our existing program into new facilities and add two full-time staff members dedicated to the addictions program, as well as dramatically increase the number of service hours available to the community. Phase II is a short-term residential facility that will provide for those needing detox, and Phase III will take us into the uncharted territory of biblically counseling those on Methadone. As heroin makes a dramatic comeback, these services will become more and more necessary.
We know this ministry has potential to change the lives of those we serve. Is this a great big vision? Yes it is. Will it require a large sum of money? Yes, it will. We also know we serve a great big God who made the heavens and the earth by His great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for Him (
Jeremiah 32:17).
As biblical Counselors, we know we have the answer to the root of the problem of addiction and it is found in the Gospel and the Word of God. We are excited to share more of the vision for Bridge to Hope, the first completely biblical “treatment program” in our area. We welcome your questions about our program!
Join the Conversation
How does the gospel provide us with the resources to overcome heart addictions?
Unlike most other blogs, I don't monetize this one. I don't ask for money as a rule, and I don't charge to belong to this blog either. If you have ever been helped or touched by information you have found here please consider making a donation to help us reach our launch goal for Bridge to Hope.
Please consider sharing the information about Bridge to Hope with those in your circle of influence. Particularly those who are interested in donating funds to enable this aspect of our ministry to move forward. Our need is approximately $225,000 to launch. We estimate the program will be self-sustaining after the first 18 months.
Thank you, and God bless!