OUR MISSION
TRANSFORMING LIVES. EQUIPPING CHURCHES.
Hope for Addiction provides a Christ-focused, gospel-centered, scripture-based solution to the problem of addiction. We have been conditioned by the culture to believe that addiction is a disease that requires "expert" solutions. The church has abdicated its responsibility by avoiding care for struggling addicts and the problem of addiction grows every year.
Hope for Addiction ​provides resources, Recovering Hope meetings, one-on-one consultation and curriculum for both individuals and churches to think biblically about addiction and gives practical application of scripture in everyday situations.
OUR HISTORY
Hope for Addiction’s founder, Liz Beck was married to an addict for 17 years. Although she attended church with her family, her home life was seperate from her church life in many ways. Addiction was considered a disease and the gospel did not have a place in the chaos that addiction brought to her family’s life. In 2005, Liz and her family began attending a different church and saw that the gospel had power not just for salvation, but to radically change. Liz’s pastor and small group walked with her family through the darkest times in her life. Through their counsel, she found that addiction is not off limits to the saving grace of the gospel, and that transformation is possible in the life of an addict. Because of the care Liz received from her church, God led her to start Hope for Addiction in December 2013 to be true gospel-centered option for addiction.
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See Liz’s testimony here.
What is Gospel Centrality?
Gospel-Centrality is the belief that the good news of Jesus Christ is not just the means to become saved, but must remain central in all areas of the Christian life. If the gospel is not central to our life - if our thoughts are not centered around the gospel, they become rooted in our own will power. Our actions will proceed from what is at the center of our hearts. Our affections must be centered on Christ and the gospel - When we use the term gospel centered, we are referring to the gospel as the good news that through Christ, God doesn’t only save sinners, He also changes them (sanctification). Belief in the gospel saves sinners and must remain central to the life of believers so they continuously grow and mature in their faith. When the gospel remains central in the life of Christians, it results in increasing understanding of the “truths of the gospel,” leading to “gospel shaped thinking” that then leads to “conduct that is in line with the gospel.”
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Hope for Addiction helps the local church make biblical gospel truth, practical and relevant to the struggling addict. No matter where you find yourself in your care for addicts, Hope for Addiction has resources for you!
Scriptural pillars
The power of Christ has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
defining addiction biblically gives hope for change
Our culture has heavily influenced the way addiction is viewed, defining it both as an identity and a disease. If this is true, there is no hope for change or freedom. When the church acquiesces in these viewpoints and embraces the language of the culture, scripture becomes irrelevant to the addict and he remains trapped in addiction.
The answer to the world’s definition of addiction as a disease or illness is "recovery." Recovery is defined as, "return to a normal state of health, mind or strength." For a struggling addict, a return to "normal" is not always appealing as "normal" means facing all the pain and suffering that led to addiction. The real problem is sin - idol worship and seeking comfort in something other than Christ; which is true of all of us.
An addict suffers from the effects from sin and desires to find refuge in a substance rather than finding refuge in the Lord. Due to the cravings that occur when someone is physically dependent on a substance (and the change in brain chemistry when someone uses drugs), it seems as though he truly “needs” the substance to survive. We all need a refuge, and our refuge is found in Christ (Psalm 9:9).
Conversely, when addiction is viewed through the lens of scripture, there is hope for change. When we biblically identify words we can confidently connect Scripture to common problems and bring hope for real change. That is why we are committed to equipping churches with biblical training and tools to effectively and confidently engage addiction culture.
The good news of the gospel answers the problem of sin and brings hope in the midst of suffering. Christ's finished work at the cross and his resurrection gives hope for sin and gives freedom, not just sobriety (1 Corinthians 6:11).
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The transition from finding refuge in drugs or alcohol to finding this in the Lord is not easy. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit, a willingness to die to self, and humility to ask for help. The answer is easy; the process is not.
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As a believer in Christ, an addict is given a new nature and he is no longer defined by the struggle with sin. Freedom is possible. The power of the Holy Spirit at work means that an addict can say no to sin and live to glorify God (Romans 6).
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The good news of the gospel brings hope to the addict: for sin, for suffering, for identity, for pain, for refuge, and so much more. Recovery doesn't come close to delivering what Jesus does.