LEE’S SUMMIT – In a world where opportunities and outlets for sinful dependency swirl, the gospel of Jesus truly is good news, even to those struggling with addiction.
That’s been the message of hope presented by Re:generation, a discipleship program that teaches recovery in Christ when life is broken. The program began in Texas, but has spread nation-wide and it’s thriving as a ministry here in the suburbs of Kansas City, mostly through word of mouth. Abundant Life’s iteration of Re:gen started about three years ago, with just a handful of people, and is now serving over 250 people every week with over 100 leaders and volunteers.
Desiree Hugill-Houston
“There’s no quick fix to life’s brokenness, but with consistent, committed discipleship based on God’s Word, we see people finding freedom over their struggles,” said Desiree Hugill-Houston, Re:gen administrator.
“We have a lot of hurting people who are looking for community and healing,” said Carol Magan, another administrator.
Both Hugill-Houston and Magan have been through Re:gen themselves. For Hugill-Houston, it was finding gospel freedom from pride, feelings of low self-worth, and shame. Magan said her story is very similar.
“Because of Re:gen, I found out I didn’t really have low self-worth, I had a low image of God,” Hugill-Houston said. “I had to figure out that my self-worth comes from who I am in Christ.”
Although non-believers are welcome to participate in Re:gen, they hear the gospel at every meeting. And since identity in Christ is the ultimate goal, it is appropriate that during a summer celebration, Re:gen saw nine baptisms.
Although it can bring to mind comparisons to programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) (a tool Re:gen leaders do not discount), the scope of Re:gen goes beyond that. It begins with the foundational biblical doctrine that idolatry/misplaced worship is at the heart of every sin, including addictive behavior. Instead, through consistent, committed discipleship based on God’s Word, people have found freedom from struggles like substance abuse, codependency, pornography, eating disorders, pride, depression, fear, control, emotional/physical abuse, same-sex attraction, people-pleasing, anger, obsessive thoughts, and more.
Carol Magan
And while it includes 12 steps that also harken back to AA, they have been rewritten with an eye toward biblical sanctification, not “just” recovery. So instead of admitting they are “powerless over alcohol,” that their lives have “become unmanageable” and that “a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity,” participants admit they are “powerless over our addictions, brokenness and sinful patterns,” that “in our own power our lives are unmanageable,” and come to believe that “God is the one whose power can fully restore us.”
Further, sobriety from behaviors and addictions are not the goal of Re:gen. Instead it is one of road marker on the journey toward full devotion to Christ. Along the way, the people of Abundant Life see more than sobriety as well: They see transformed lives, restored relationships, healed marriages, and new brothers and sisters in Christ.
“It’s really cool to see that happen,” Magan said.