I am not an expert on alcoholism, drug addictions, and mental health issues, but I know someone who is: my brother, Nick. He is an expert on them, not because he has studied them intensely or is a trained psychologist, but rather because he has struggled with addictions and bipolar disorder for decades. Thankfully, through many twists and turns, he has transformed his life and now works tirelessly to help others like him get back on their feet.

In fact, he even allowed me to share a bit of his story in the book Moving Forward After Messing Up: A New Future With the God of Second Chances, which chronicles not only the ups and downs we experienced together as we walked through his struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder but also recounts the numerous times the God of Second Chances gives people a fresh start.

In full disclosure, my brother is not a Christian … yet. But when I craft sermons, I always keep people like him in mind. Since my brother lives on the other side of the country and is still hesitant about the church and Christianity, he will most likely not walk into my congregation next Sunday. But it is very possible that someone’s brother or sister, like mine, will.

I always try to remember that someone’s loved one who is in denial of their addiction or substance abuse will most likely be there this upcoming Sunday. Someone’s son or daughter who has been a prodigal could decide to try church again. Therefore, I need to be ready to clearly preach to them and give them something to walk away with.

Since someone's loved one, like my brother, is listening to my sermon, I make it a point to personalize my sermons for individuals like him. Therefore, knowing what I know about the drug, alcohol, and mental health world from Nick, my sermons always try to have two main elements: 1) the truth of God’s Word and 2) practical next steps to take. Because if my brother is anything like other brothers and sisters out there, I would want him to hear about the amazing truths and power of Jesus. But I also recognize that my brother would like to know what to do next.

For this article, I will focus on the next steps that those who are struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues need to hear to move forward.

Step 1: Being Surrounding with a Support Network

The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on the fact that we were created and wired to live in community with others. The detrimental effects of isolation on our physical and mental well-being became glaringly apparent. Studies revealed heightened anxiety, depression, and substance misuse during 2020, highlighting the importance of human interaction.[1] God taught us through the pandemic that living in community with others and getting connected with people is vital to our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

If you thumb through the pages of Scripture, you will continue to see helpful relationships and support networks. So, when we preach, it won’t be challenging to connect the need for community examples from the Bible.

• Moses relied heavily on his older brother, Aaron, and later his father-in-law, Jethro, who gave him some excellent advice.
• David required help from his faithful and loyal companion, Jonathan.
• Jesus chose a dozen men and some women to help him during his earthly ministry.
• The early church relied on and encouraged each other to proclaim the good news about the resurrection of Jesus.

The pages of Scripture are filled with people who believed in God but also who knew that life is too complicated to make it alone. They needed help from others. So do we, especially those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

Encourage listeners to find a network they can trust and rely on when they need help. Also, make sure that people know where to go to find the community they need. Here are a few suggestions to establish a support network:

Professional Counseling

Research clearly shows that the more time you invest in professional counseling and therapy during the first two years of recovery, the more likely you will not relapse.[2] Professional groups, either individual therapy sessions, recovery educational sessions, or group therapy sessions, have proven to be highly successful for people wanting to make significant changes in their lives.

Self-Help Programs

There are several self-help programs for various needs. For instance, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Rational Recovery, and Women for Sobriety, among others, aid in helping someone overcome alcohol and narcotic addictions. These groups have many things in common, including but not limited to: asking participants to abstain from using, regularly attending to build relationships with others, connecting with an established member (often referred to as a sponsor); and they promote a program of designated steps to help people get back on their feet.

Church or Christian-Based Group

Most people recovering find the need to invest regular time in developing themselves spiritually in groups like Celebrate Recovery or through a specific recovery group their church hosts. Whether it is a church group or a non-church Christian recovery group, at the heart of any spiritual program are three activities: (1) fellowship with others, (2) prayer and meditation with God, (3) group worship and acknowledgment that true power and redemption comes from the God of Second Chances.

These are just a few of the support networks available for people to take their first steps toward their second chance. Remind them, they are not alone. There are countless numbers of people who are there to help. Encourage them to keep pressing forward, knowing that a vibrant community awaits them on the path to healing and transformation.

Step 2: Setting Goals and Crafting a Personal Development Plan

Moving forward into a new life requires learning a new set of behaviors, and like any behavior or habit, to keep it, we must practice it. Some say, “Practice makes perfect.” But remind your listeners that the goal is not to be perfect. Instead, it is better to say, “Practice makes permanent.” Permanent behaviors are what we are striving for—a perpetual lifestyle that glorifies God and enjoys life his way.

Challenge your listeners to start identifying specific goals in different areas of their lives: personal, professional, relational, and spiritual. For instance, their personal goals could be centered around having a proper diet and exercise plan. Having goals in these areas has proven effective to help those on the road to recovery.[3]

They may need to set professional goals, like implementing better time management skills. Relational goals are a bit more challenging because they often involve somebody else. But challenge listeners to try to build their relationship goals around things they can control. For instance, maybe setting a goal of wanting to talk to ten strangers every week. Or perhaps writing letters or sending texts to family members at least once a month.

Spiritual goals are vital because often, the closer we are to God, the more likely our thoughts and actions begin to align with his will for our lives. Therefore, setting daily goals such as Bible reading and prayer is essential.

Writing down their goals and the steps they will take to reach them will give your listeners guideposts to follow and milestones to accomplish. As much as possible, make goals measurable and achievable. Don’t forget to include short-term wins.

Step 3: Seeking Amends and Restoring Connections

It is almost impossible to move forward without trying to mend and restore relationships with those who have been hurt in the past.

This may be the most difficult of all the steps because it involves family, friends, coworkers, and people who are close. The enemy of our soul, Satan, wants nothing but conflict, pain, and suffering to continue.

However, the gospel teaches us a different story. If God has forgiven us for all the sins in our lives, we ought to be able to forgive others who have sinned against us. Likewise, if we can ask God to forgive us, we should humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness from those who have been hurt.

None of us relishes the thought of approaching those we have hurt the most and asking for forgiveness. Yet, restoring these relationships is essential to living the life God desires for us. Encourage your listeners to take intentional steps to reach out, whether through a heartfelt letter, a phone call, or a face-to-face conversation with those with whom they have been distant. What matters is that they extend a hand of forgiveness and take responsibility for their part in the relationship. By doing so, they create space for healing and growth.

Step 4: Empowering Others Through Your Journey

Those moving forward are on an incredible journey with God and must be reminded that he is just beginning with them. God longs to transform our messes into messages that can shape the lives of others. Therefore, we should encourage our listeners to seize every opportunity to serve others by vulnerably sharing their triumphs and trials. Through their past experiences, they have gained invaluable insights about themselves, about God, and about resilience. Now, it is time for others to benefit from those lessons.

They did not know this at the time, but it is very possible that the reason they went through the things they did was so that they could help someone else. Their story is important, and if the God of Second Chances is at the center of it, its power can surpass anyone’s wildest imagination.

I can guarantee that the enemy wants our stories to remain silent. Think about it: from the time of Jesus to today, the enemy has wanted believers in Jesus to keep quiet. Fear, shame, embarrassment, and even persecution have been employed to prevent people from sharing the extraordinary work God has done in their lives. However, a bold message requires bold messengers.

Let’s encourage our listeners to never stop sharing their journey and story. Their past has the potential to change someone’s future.

Conclusion

We may not be able to include all these elements in every sermon, but maybe over the course of several weeks, we can give our listeners some practical steps on how to move forward. Helping our listeners take the next step in both their walk with Christ and with their addiction and mental health issues has the potential to help them heal and move forward.

[1] Tonya Cross Hansel et al., “COVID-19 Behavioral Health and Quality of Life” Scientific Reports 12.1 (2022): 961; Emanuele Caroppo et al., “Will Nothing Be the Name Again?: Changes in Lifestyle During COVID-19 Pandemic and Consequences on Mental Health,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18.16 (2021): 8433; Peter A. Hall et al., “Biobehavioral Aspects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Review,” Psychosomatic Medicine 83.4 (2021): 309.

[2] David Capuzzi and Mark D. Stauffer, Counseling and Psychotherapy: Theories and Interventions (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2016). Douglas L Polcin, “Professional Counseling Versus Specialized Programs for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment,” Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling 21, no. 1 (2000): 2–11.

[3] Jennifer Cowan and Carol Devine, “Food, Eating, and Weight Concerns of Men in Recovery from Substance Addiction,” Appetite 50, no. 1 (2008): 33–42.

Chris Rappazini is an Associate Professor of leadership at Anderson University’s Center for Leadership and Organizations and Founder of Faithful Steps Forward, which provides leadership coaching and training to pastors and business leaders. He has also served as the head of the Pastoral Studies program at the Moody Bible Institute, where he was on faculty for eleven years. Learn more at FaithfulStepsForward.com.