Awareness of addiction in the church has grown in recent years, but it is still found to be lacking within many church communities. Some churches can still be found to treat addiction like leprosy. There is nothing they have to say about it other than to get rid of it. But this does not accurately reflect the stance that the whole Christian community takes on addiction. Many other churches know that addiction is as common as it is because it is a powerful and legitimate foe. These churches approach the subject of addiction with a healthy level of respect, awareness and sympathy.

Presently, the modern church is divided on the matter of how to approach addiction. The church has historically been very willing to label addiction as sin, and qualify it as a punishable behavior. Many conservative churches still follow this approach to addiction, which is quickly becoming antiquated and inappropriate. The more modern, progressive church is willing to acknowledge how prevalent addiction is and treat it like a disease or a disorder rather than simply a sinful lifestyle. They also accept the accuracy of the statistics that reflect how many congregation members are likely to struggle with addiction.

In the future, it is the hope of this blogger that addiction will continue to be addressed as a common and widespread problem so that church members can have real dialogue about it. There are so many congregation members who would benefit from addiction being not only an acceptable thing to discuss openly within the church, but also being a forgivable thing to their church community. If addicts felt safe within the church universally, there would be far more progress made in the lives of addicts because they would more readily have the support they needed from their community. Hopefully the church will continue to recognize the need for addiction support and discussion within the church to be an inclusive organization.

Traditional, conservative churches often do not even discuss the ever present reality of addiction, but the tides are beginning to turn on this matter. Progressive churches everywhere understand how serious a battle against addiction is and want to help the addicted members of their congregation rather than condemn addiction and offer no help with it.

It has long been the tradition in the church to dismiss addiction as blatant sin and idolatry. The solution offered for addiction was simply ‘Don’t do it,’ which, as we have observed, is far too simplistic to be useful to the complex problem of addiction. This obtuse dismissal has resulted in very high addiction statistics within the church which can no longer be denied. Progressive churches are recognizing the need for addiction support within the church, and the following services are slowly becoming available within the church community:

• Counseling for addicts. Most addicts are in too deep to dig themselves out of their addiction and need the help of a mental health professional in order to begin their recovery.
• Counseling for the families of addicts. The family of an addict suffers a great deal watching their loved one struggle with addiction and require counseling in order to process the fearful and frustrating realities they have encountered.
• Referrals to christian rehabs. Pastors, elders and mental health professionals within the church can guide and direct cases of severe addiction to a Christian rehab, where they can recover in an environment that their faith is protected within.
• Support groups within the church. Truly progressive churches have congregation members who are unafraid to admit to their struggles with addiction and are allowed to organize support groups within the church to lift each other up through their struggles.
• Worship sessions and services specifically for addicts. Programs are emerging across North America that are meant to give addicts and substance abusers a safe place to worship and hear a sermon on nights of the week when substance abuse normally commences.

Traditional, conservative churches often do not even discuss

the ever present reality of addiction, but the tides are beginning to turn on this matter. Progressive churches everywhere understand how serious a battle against addiction is and want to help the addicted members of their congregation rather than condemn addiction and offer no help with it.

It has long been the tradition in the church to dismiss addiction as blatant sin and idolatry. The solution offered for addiction was simply ‘Don’t do it,’ which, as we have observed, is far too simplistic to be useful to the complex problem of addiction. This obtuse dismissal has resulted in very high addiction statistics within the church which can no longer be denied. Progressive churches are recognizing the need for addiction support within the church, and the following services are slowly becoming available within the church community:

• Counseling for addicts. Most addicts are in too deep to dig themselves out of their addiction and need the help of a mental health professional in order to begin their recovery.
• Counseling for the families of addicts. The family of an addict suffers a great deal watching their loved one struggle with addiction and require counseling in order to process the fearful and frustrating realities they have encountered.
• Referrals to christian rehabs. Pastors, elders and mental health professionals within the church can guide and direct cases of severe addiction to a Christian rehab, where they can recover in an environment that their faith is protected within.
• Support groups within the church. Truly progressive churches have congregation members who are unafraid to admit to their struggles with addiction and are allowed to organize support groups within the church to lift each other up through their struggles.
• Worship sessions and services specifically for addicts. Programs are emerging across North America that are meant to give addicts and substance abusers a safe place to worship and hear a sermon on nights of the week when substance abuse normally commences.