📝 Worksheet 11.4: Building a Recovery Ministry in the Local Church

📝 Worksheet 11.4: Building a Recovery Ministry in the Local Church

Purpose of This Worksheet

This worksheet helps you think through how a local church, Soul Center, or ministry team can become a wise recovery community. Topic 11 has focused on the church’s role in addiction recovery, educating the congregation, supporting families, respecting sponsors, preparing volunteers, and building a recovery ministry that is compassionate, safe, and sustainable.

This worksheet is not asking you to design a full clinical program. The local church is not a detox center, treatment facility, counseling clinic, emergency service, or probation office.

The church’s calling is spiritual care, worship, Scripture, prayer, community, discipleship, mercy, accountability, sponsor support, family care, and referral-aware restoration in Christ.

Part 1: Key Concept Review

Complete the statements below.

1. The local church should offer Christ-centered spiritual care, not pretend to be a __________________________________________.

2. A wise recovery church holds grace and __________________________________________ together.

3. People in recovery should be treated as embodied souls, not reduced to their addiction, relapse, or __________________________________________.

4. Confidentiality means protecting privacy, but not hiding __________________________________________.

5. A church recovery ministry should strengthen sponsor relationships, not __________________________________________ them.

6. Helping strengthens responsibility and wise connection. Enabling protects the addiction cycle from __________________________________________.

7. Public testimony should not be rushed because a person’s story is __________________________________________.

8. Volunteers should be trained before they are placed in vulnerable ministry because compassion needs __________________________________________.

9. Families impacted by addiction need support without being asked to carry what belongs to the __________________________________________.

10. A sustainable recovery ministry should be team-based, not built around one __________________________________________.

Part 2: Church Readiness Check

Check the areas your church, Soul Center, or ministry would need to clarify before launching or expanding recovery ministry.

☐ Clear purpose statement for recovery ministry

☐ Pastor, elder, deacon, or ministry leader approval

☐ Written role descriptions for chaplains and volunteers

☐ Training on addiction as a whole-person struggle

☐ Dignity-protecting language

☐ Confidentiality with limits

☐ Crisis escalation pathway

☐ Sponsor-support guidelines

☐ Recovery group respect

☐ Money and benevolence policy

☐ Transportation policy

☐ Meeting location guidelines

☐ Communication and texting expectations

☐ Public testimony guidelines

☐ Child and vulnerable adult protection

☐ Family support plan

☐ Local referral list

☐ Volunteer debriefing and care plan

☐ Prayer support team

☐ Evaluation and improvement process

Reflection

Which three checked areas need the most attention in your setting?

Why are these three areas important?

Part 3: Grace and Truth Practice

Read each situation. Write a response that holds grace and truth together.

Situation 1: Relapse Disclosure

A church member says, “I relapsed last night. I feel like God is done with me.”

A grace-and-truth response:

Situation 2: Sponsor Avoidance

A person says, “I would rather meet with someone at church than tell my sponsor what happened.”

A grace-and-truth response:

Situation 3: Family Exhaustion

A mother says, “I cannot keep rescuing my adult son, but I feel guilty saying no.”

A grace-and-truth response:

Situation 4: Church Fear

A church member says, “If we welcome people in recovery, our church will become unsafe.”

A grace-and-truth response:

Situation 5: Over-Spiritualizing

A volunteer says, “People just need to pray harder and stop making excuses.”

A grace-and-truth response:

Part 4: Helping or Enabling?

Mark each response as Helping or Enabling.

1. “Let’s connect you with the church benevolence process instead of handling money privately.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

2. “I will give you cash tonight, and we do not need to tell anyone.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

3. “I can pray with you, and I also want you to contact your sponsor.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

4. “You do not need to tell your recovery group about the relapse if you feel ashamed.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

5. “Let’s use the ministry transportation process rather than a private late-night ride.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

6. “I know your story would move people, so you should share it publicly this Sunday.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

7. “Your story matters, and you do not owe public access to it before you are ready.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

8. “This sounds like a safety concern, so we need to involve the right help.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

9. “Because you trust me, I can become your main recovery support for now.”
   ☐ Helping
   ☐ Enabling

10. “We want your support system to become stronger, not smaller.”
    ☐ Helping
    ☐ Enabling

Part 5: Building a Church Recovery Ministry Plan

Use this section to outline a practical ministry plan.

1. Ministry Purpose Statement

Write a one-sentence purpose statement for a church recovery ministry.

Example:
“Our church seeks to offer Christ-centered spiritual care, community, prayer, discipleship, family support, and referral-aware encouragement for people and families impacted by addiction.”

Your purpose statement:

2. Who Will This Ministry Serve?

Check all that apply.

☐ People in addiction recovery

☐ Families impacted by addiction

☐ People returning from treatment

☐ People returning from jail or prison

☐ Church members

☐ Community guests

☐ Recovery group participants

☐ Sponsors and recovery leaders needing spiritual encouragement

☐ People exploring faith while in recovery

☐ Other: __________________________________________

3. What Will This Ministry Provide?

Check what fits the church’s role.

☐ Worship connection

☐ Prayer by permission

☐ Scripture with consent

☐ Recovery-aware chaplaincy

☐ Small group support

☐ Discipleship

☐ Family encouragement

☐ Sponsor-support awareness

☐ Mercy ministry through approved channels

☐ Referral assistance

☐ Community partnerships

☐ Testimony discernment

☐ Volunteer care and debriefing

☐ Other: __________________________________________

4. What Will This Ministry Not Provide?

Check areas that should be referred or handled by qualified professionals or proper agencies.

☐ Medical detox

☐ Addiction treatment

☐ Licensed counseling

☐ Psychiatric care

☐ Medication advice

☐ Legal advice

☐ Probation supervision

☐ Emergency crisis intervention

☐ Domestic violence case management

☐ Housing placement

☐ Clinical recovery coaching

☐ Financial assistance outside approved church processes

☐ Private transportation outside ministry policy

☐ Other: __________________________________________

Part 6: Volunteer Preparation

A willing heart is beautiful, but vulnerable ministry needs training.

Volunteer Training Topics

Check the topics volunteers should receive before serving.

☐ The church’s role and limits

☐ Addiction as a whole-person struggle

☐ Dignity-protecting language

☐ Grace and truth after relapse

☐ Listening without shaming

☐ Prayer by permission

☐ Scripture with consent

☐ Confidentiality with limits

☐ Crisis signals and escalation

☐ Sponsor and recovery group respect

☐ Helping versus enabling

☐ Money and transportation boundaries

☐ Family support without rescuing

☐ Public testimony wisdom

☐ Referral resources

☐ Debriefing and volunteer soul care

Practice

Write one sentence you would say to a new volunteer about why training matters.

Part 7: Crisis and Referral Readiness

A church recovery ministry should know what to do before a crisis happens.

Crisis Signals

List five statements or situations that should lead a volunteer to involve appropriate help.

Referral List

List local resources your church should identify.

☐ Emergency services

☐ Suicide or crisis hotline

☐ Detox or withdrawal support

☐ Treatment programs

☐ Recovery groups

☐ Counselors or mental health providers

☐ Domestic violence resources

☐ Food pantry

☐ Housing support

☐ Reentry support

☐ Medical clinic

☐ Legal aid referral

☐ Family support group

☐ Transportation resource

☐ Pastoral or chaplaincy supervisor

Write down one resource you already know:

Write down one resource you still need to find:

Part 8: Sponsor and Recovery Group Respect

Read each statement and mark it as Wise or Unwise.

1. “Bible study can support recovery, but it should not replace sponsor accountability.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

2. “If someone feels ashamed after relapse, the church should help them avoid their sponsor until they feel stronger.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

3. “The church strengthens the recovery circle; it does not compete with it.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

4. “If there are credible concerns about sponsor abuse or exploitation, church leaders should help involve appropriate recovery or ministry leadership.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

5. “A pastor or chaplain should automatically take over the sponsor’s role because spiritual care is higher than recovery support.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

6. “The church can pray with someone while also encouraging honest communication with recovery supports.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

7. “Sponsor conflict should be handled carefully, not by taking sides too quickly.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

8. “Recovery group structures should be ignored if the church has a strong discipleship program.”
   ☐ Wise
   ☐ Unwise

Part 9: Testimony and Dignity

A person with three months of sobriety says, “The pastor asked me to share my whole story this Sunday. I feel honored, but I also feel nervous and exposed.”

Answer the following.

1. What dignity concerns are present?

2. What readiness questions should be asked?

3. What family or privacy concerns may need to be considered?

4. What would a wise church leader say?

5. How could the church honor the person’s story without rushing public exposure?

Part 10: Family Support Without Enabling

Families impacted by addiction often need as much care as the person in recovery.

Family Support Reflection

A father says, “My daughter is in recovery. She keeps asking for money and rides. I want to help, but I do not know whether I am helping or enabling.”

Write a wise church response:

Family Ministry Needs

Check what families may need.

☐ Prayer and spiritual encouragement

☐ Education about addiction patterns

☐ Boundaries and enabling awareness

☐ Grief support

☐ Safety planning when needed

☐ Domestic violence awareness when relevant

☐ Support for children impacted by addiction

☐ Referral to counseling or family support groups

☐ Help rebuilding trust slowly

☐ Guidance on forgiveness without pretending

☐ Encouragement not to carry what belongs to the person in recovery

☐ Other: __________________________________________

Part 11: Church Culture Reflection

Respond honestly.

1. How does your church or ministry currently speak about people impacted by addiction?

2. What language should be changed to better protect dignity?

3. Where might your church be tempted toward shame?

4. Where might your church be tempted toward enabling?

5. What would help your church become more prepared rather than fearful?

6. What would help your church become more compassionate without becoming careless?

Part 12: Ministry Launch Checklist

Before launching or expanding recovery ministry, complete this checklist.

Leadership

☐ Pastor or elder approval

☐ Deacon or mercy ministry input

☐ Chaplain or recovery ministry leader identified

☐ Volunteer roles defined

☐ Supervision structure established

Safety and Boundaries

☐ Confidentiality limits written

☐ Crisis escalation pathway created

☐ Money and benevolence policy clarified

☐ Transportation policy clarified

☐ Meeting space guidelines established

☐ Communication guidelines established

☐ Child and vulnerable adult policies reviewed

Recovery Support

☐ Sponsor-support guidelines written

☐ Recovery group relationships clarified

☐ Referral list developed

☐ Counselor or treatment referral options identified

☐ Family support plan developed

Spiritual Care

☐ Prayer-by-permission practice taught

☐ Scripture-with-consent practice taught

☐ Worship connection plan developed

☐ Discipleship pathway identified

☐ Testimony guidelines written

Sustainability

☐ Volunteer training scheduled

☐ Debriefing rhythm created

☐ Prayer support team formed

☐ Review and evaluation plan created

☐ Ministry launch date chosen only after readiness is confirmed

Part 13: Personal Formation Reflection

Respond as a future or current Addiction Recovery Chaplain.

1. What excites you about helping a church become a wise recovery community?

2. What concerns you most about church-based recovery ministry?

3. What role would you be most prepared to serve?

4. What role would be beyond your current training?

5. How can you help your church prepare without becoming fearful?

6. How can you help your church care without becoming reckless?

7. What is one next step you could take toward building a recovery-aware church culture?

Closing Formation Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Make your church a community of grace and truth for people and families impacted by addiction.

Teach us to welcome without enabling, speak truth without shaming, pray without pressuring, and serve without pretending to be what we are not.

Help us see each person in recovery as an embodied soul created in your image. Protect us from gossip, fear, savior behavior, careless compassion, and cold distance.

Give our churches wise leaders, trained volunteers, healthy boundaries, strong referral pathways, respect for sponsors, care for families, and courage to walk in the light.

May our recovery ministries become places of dignity, honesty, restoration, and hope in Christ.

Amen.