Reply To: Chemical Dependency

[Rodger Niemeier, Exec ElderKeymaster *State: WA*City: Federal Way*Primary Interest in Ministry. : Minister of Administration]

Interesting. Where has been your experience that you’re sharing about? Bahamas, and on the streets?
I would indeed find it hard to believe that 75% of seniors in churches are addicts. I’m curious as to where that statistic comes from. I certainly wouldn’t be surprised that many seniors, even Christians, are taking medications for various health conditions. I just wonder, whatever the source for this information, what “drugs” are this many seniors in churches addicted to?

That aside, I would certainly agree that Christian pastors need to know their people (congregation) well enough to discern if indeed there are families with ongoing addictions (parents or teens/children); but they also need to understand the working of addictions and how to effectively minister to those struggling, as well as to whole families and how to help them through a process of healing and recovery (not just the addict, but all the family members affected). This is true with abuse victims as well (domestic violence; past childhood abuse, of which there is so much, even in the past lives of Christians); Christian ministers need to know how Christ ministers to those traumatized by abuse, serving in warfare (PTSD), etc. It needs to be part of church life and leadership to address these kind of issues, else the grace of Christ and truly effective ministering seem irrelevant (Out of touch with reality) and powerless: and true ministry in Christ is neither of these.