E231. Someone Told You They Are Struggling with Addiction. What's Your Next Faithful Step?

What do you do when someone trusts you enough to say, “I’m struggling with addiction”?

For many ministry leaders, that moment can feel overwhelming. You care deeply, but may not know what to say, where to begin, or how much responsibility you should carry.

In this episode, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey talk about how churches can respond to addiction with compassion, curiosity, and healthy boundaries. They explore why addiction is often connected with trauma, grief, and mental health, and why someone’s recovery journey cannot be reduced to one simple solution or program.

Together, they share practical questions ministry leaders can ask, common responses to avoid, and ways churches can connect people with appropriate treatment, peer support, and recovery resources.

This conversation is a reminder that churches do not need to become treatment centres or counselling practices to care well. The church can offer belonging, purpose, hope, prayer, discipleship, and long-term companionship.

You do not need to know every step of someone’s recovery journey. You simply need to listen well, help them find their next faithful step, and continue walking alongside them.

Quotes

“When someone shares their story with you, they’re feeling desperate and they’re wanting some hope. They’re wanting to be heard.”   Rebecca Bailey

“You don’t want to jump into solutions and trying to get to the underlying details of things. Instead, you really want to say, ‘Thank you for telling me. I’m glad that you’ve been vulnerable enough to share this with me.’”  Rebecca Bailey

“Questions are offered as curiosity so that they feel they can express and share and go deeper.” Laura Howe

“You have to let the person also be a participant in their recovery journey. You can’t do things for other people.”   Rebecca Bailey

“It’s not knowing all the answers. It’s just loving the person that God has placed right in front of you.”   Laura Howe

Resources

• Curious Questions for Care Conversations
  A practical list of compassionate questions to help you listen well, understand what support someone already has, and help them identify their next faithful step.
• Continuum of Care
  Learn more about the different roles of pastors, peer-support leaders, counsellors, social workers, psychologists, medical professionals, and other care providers.
•  Faith-Based Recovery Resources
  Explore trusted recovery programs and resources, including Celebrate Recovery and Life Recovery.

   Project Exodus - https://www.projectexodus.net/

   Life Recovery - https://newlife.com/groups/

   Re:Generation - https://www.watermark.org/ministries/regeneration-recovery

   Celebrate Recovery - https://celebraterecovery.com/

• Church Mental Health Summit
  Access practical, hope-filled training to help your church respond wisely to addiction, trauma, grief, mental health challenges, and other complex care needs.

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