Responding to substance abuse: Equipping church leaders for ministry to the chemically dependent.

摘要

Alcoholism and drug addiction fragment families, drain community resources, and cause people occupying church pews to live with shameful secrets. Church leaders play a major role in prevention, counseling, and referral services to people suffering from the effects of substance abuse. Well-informed and resourced leaders can create a caring and supportive community of faith where people feel safe and can heal. This project focused on the necessity for the education and resourcing of church leaders in the subject of substance abuse in order to more effectively counsel and refer people seeking help.;A seminar designed for church leaders presented a theology of addiction, secular and Christian treatment options, relapse prevention, and the role of the church to a group of ministry leaders. A resource packet was created for churches and given to each participant at the conclusion of the event. The packet included usable educational materials, steps in forming community partnerships, and lists of referrals for people seeking help.;Leaders who attended the event had prior knowledge and experience with alcoholics and drug addicts and understood the seriousness of the problem; their being well informed contributed to a lack of significant difference between pretest and posttest analysis, formulated to determine the effectiveness of seminar. However, qualitative feedback was positive, and participants appreciatively affirmed the seminar as useful and practical, providing a comprehensive tool for pastors and church leaders desiring information and guidance on the topic of substance abuse.