Lets not kill our own wounded!

The spiritual lfe is not a theory! That is from the big book of AA. Went to a great meeting this morning. Before AA I thought I new about the spiritual life, but what I was doing was playing church. I new the right things to say and do. I thought that I had to go into full time ministry to please God. But my life became a train wreck even though I was a youth pastor and was going to Bible College. I started drinking while in Bible College.

For me my life changed when I started working the steps and got a sponsor. I never thought I would become an alcoholic. But like ever sin or bad habit it started out small and then it got out of hand.
I found myself in a very lonely place. I was a Christian and I was the youth pastor at my church. Before it all come out the church loved me and thought I was a great youth pastor. Once it came out I drank, I became damaged goods. My story is not uncommon. I have noticed that many recovering alcoholics and addicts have a bad taste in there mouth towards the church. I did not recover as fast as my pastor thought I should out west and basically got kicked out of the Church. Being in any addiction is a lonely place in the church because for some reason addiction has become in a lot of churches one of the worst sins. When in my addition I was asked why not just stop. Or if you are truly a Christian u would stop. Well I wanted to stop but I could not. I truly believed in Jesus but as much faith that I could stir up I still could not stop. I threw away my marriage because of the alcohol and have lost jobs. I finally got sober in Eureka California by going to a twelve step support group. It was then that I had the tools to stop and with that my faith has grown much deeper.

I have had the privilege to go to meetings in California, Alaska and Iowa. And it seems that I all ways find people who have been hurt by the church. I think its time for the church to want to understand addiction and to start reaching out to people like me. Not every church I have been to made me an outcast. But I think we forgot the reason why Christ came. He did not come for the well He came for the sick. And that even means people in the church. I had one pastor share my fifth step to my ex-wife. That is not good. The fifth step is where you confess to yourself, to God and another Human  being the exact wrongs you have done. If we want to reach out to those that are struggling each church needs to understand the twelve steps. Because in my experience that is one thing that really works.

I have done some bad stuff in my life. But God has forgiven me. But God's people that is another story. alcohol and drug addiction is a very big issue these days because a lot of people are struggling with it. We need to stop killing our wounded and start loving and trying to reach out and help those who are struggling. I will be the first one to say that I probably deserved church discipline. But in my  opinion church discipline goal is to all ways reconcile. That has not been my experience.

Here are some suggestions for church's or for anyone looking to help those people who are suffering from this. If you know a recovering alcohol have them meet up. There are many great groups all ready at there like: A.A. N.A. Celebrate Recovery and many other great tools. There is a great website called, www.nacr.org This website has great recourses.

God has put a passion in me to help church's see more than ever we need to reach out to those who are addicts and those who are hurting. I don't think Jesus idea was for us to have our nice church buildings and be comfortable. I am not trying to down any church, just giving facts. Philippians chapter 2 gives a great picture of Christ being a servant. And if He was here today I believe He would be reaching out to those that we don't want to mess with.

Since I have been back in Iowa I have had at least four people tell me that they did not think I would still be alive. See I am all so type one diabetic and struggle with major depression. It is only by God's grace that I am still alive and sober today. And that's why I have a passion for each church in the United States to start learning about addiction and start some kind of support group. I love the church, but we need to do a better job at loving and reaching those who are lost and those who are saved that are in addiction. The twelve steps can help you if you are struggling with depression, over eating, eating disorders and so much more. I told someone today that the twelve steps for me are basically basic spiritual principles that we all should be living. Lets not be known as the people that kill there own wounded, but those who are nursing the wounded back to health!

Keep Walking!!