Section outline

  • Christian Leaders Institute • Chaplaincy Practice

    Addiction Recovery Chaplaincy Practice

    Equip yourself to offer Christ-centered presence, practical spiritual care, wise boundaries, and Scripture-rooted hope among individuals and families impacted by addiction, recovery, relapse, and the long journey toward healing.

    1 Module Self-Paced Consent-Based Care Addiction Recovery Ministry Focus
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    Course Overview

    Chaplaincy Content Team

    Course Leadership

    • Professor Rev. Henry Reyenga — Team Leader
    • Pam Reyenga — Editor

    Contributors

    • Chaplain Tom Walcott
    • Dr. Mark Vander Meer
    • Abigail Dominiak
    • Haley Steiner
    • Sophie Distefano

    This course equips volunteer, part-time, and full-time chaplains to offer compassionate, consent-based spiritual care among individuals struggling with addiction, people in recovery, those facing relapse, families affected by substance use, recovery ministry participants, support group members, transitional housing residents, church-based recovery communities, Soul Centers, and other approved ministry settings.

    Addiction Recovery Chaplaincy calls for calm presence, clear boundaries, Scripture-rooted hope, trauma-aware listening, practical referral awareness, respect for each person’s dignity, and wise care in the long journey from bondage toward stability, accountability, discipleship, sobriety, restored relationships, and renewed life in Christ.

    What Students Will Learn

    Spiritual Care Practices

    • Ministry of presence
    • Consent-based spiritual care
    • Confidentiality with limits
    • Role clarity
    • Safety wisdom
    • Respectful care in recovery settings
    • Prayer and Scripture offered by permission
    • Referral-aware spiritual encouragement

    Distress Chaplains Learn to Recognize

    • Fear, grief, shame, and loneliness
    • Cravings, relapse fear, and recovery fatigue
    • Trauma echoes and family wounds
    • Guilt, moral injury, and spiritual despair
    • Suicidal language and hopelessness
    • Broken trust and strained relationships
    • Loss of dignity after addiction-related harm
    • The difference between spiritual care and clinical treatment

    Ministry Skills Developed

    Students will learn to offer prayer and Scripture by permission, support people without coercion, avoid savior behavior, maintain holy boundaries, and work wisely with churches, Soul Centers, recovery ministries, counselors, treatment providers, support groups, sober living homes, family care ministries, local agencies, and community support structures.

    Students will also learn how chaplains can bring steady encouragement without trying to control outcomes, diagnose addiction, provide therapy, or replace qualified recovery professionals.

    Who This Course Serves

    This course is especially valuable for churches, Soul Centers, addiction recovery ministries, jail and prison ministry follow-up teams, mentoring programs, pastoral care teams, mercy ministry leaders, family support ministries, and community volunteers who want to serve people affected by addiction with wisdom, dignity, and Christ-centered hope.

    The goal is to help students establish a safe, dignified, Christ-centered, accountable, and referral-aware chaplain presence among people seeking freedom, healing, sobriety, reconciliation, and restored community life.

    Important Scope Statement

    This course provides chaplaincy training only. It does not certify students in:

    • Counseling or therapy
    • Addiction treatment
    • Recovery coaching
    • Medical care
    • Detox supervision
    • Mental health diagnosis
    • Medication management
    • Case management
    • Housing placement
    • Employment placement
    • Legal advocacy
    • Law enforcement
    • Parole or probation supervision
    • Clinical substance abuse services

    Those pursuing ordination pathways may continue through the Christian Leaders Alliance.

    Ready to begin?

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