Recent studies have concluded that Faith-Based Recovery programs work! This study reviews faith-based programs and their contribution to preventing people from falling victim to substance abuse and helping them recover from it. The study found that 73% of addiction treatment programs in the USA include a spirituality-based element. There are nearly 130,000 congregation-based substance abuse recovery support programs in the USA. This study concludes that the value of faith-oriented approaches to substance abuse prevention and recovery is indisputable. And, by extension, the decline in religious affiliation in the USA is not only a concern for religious organizations but constitutes a national health concern. Here at RU Recovery Ministries, we have found great success when we take a whole man approach to addiction recovery. We address the spiritual side of addiction as well as with our partners in the community addressing the mental and physical aspects of addiction. Here at RU, we implement Faith-Based Recovery in the following ways
Faith in Hope
At our Friday Night classes, we don’t focus on war stories of addiction. In the first hour of our program, new students hear testimonies of victory and recovery over addiction. This way they can begin to see and believe that there is hope and recovery available.
Faith and Support
Faith-based addiction programs can serve as a bridge between the local community and (as we like to say at RU) “God’s Support Group is the Local Church.” Having a church family that loves and surrounds these individuals helps create a support network of family that the addict can rely on when the pressures of life hit. Many people who fall into addiction have burned bridges with their families and loved ones and don’t have a support group on which they can depend.
Faith and Accountability
A key to faith-based programs is the infrastructure to lovingly hold these individuals accountable. With faith-based programs, you have individual volunteers and staff that genuinely care about people and will go out of their way to hold them accountable while showing them real love.
Faith in a Personal Relationship
The “secret sauce” and the main ingredient to the success of the RU Program and many other faith-based programs are teaching our students to have a personal, dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. Faith-based recovery programs help people realize that they are not alone in addiction—and if they place their trust in Jesus Christ and depend on Him, they can beat whatever addiction it is that has them in bondage.
Grim, B.J. & Grim, M.E. J Relig Health (2019) | https://rdcu.be/bQlQE
