Outline of the Breaking The Chains curriculum:
According to professor Sam Williams, a biblical approach to addictions must
Teach spiritual truth and disciplines. Instruction and life-on-life discipleship about how to do spiritual battle and fight the good fight for faith and obedience. This should include practical biblical teaching on sanctification and important concepts like putting off/putting on and renewing the mind. The addict must understand sin and sanctification.[1]
The curriculum consists of dynamic classroom experiences which include the following:
- Reading is assigned from the following – Freedom from Addiction, A Way of Escape, The Biblical Provisions for Addiction, and The Purpose Driven Life. Other books relevant to discipleship and the specific addiction of the student may be assigned.
- DVD's are provided relating to the curriculum.
- Lectures, exercises, and class participation on The Biblical Provisions for Addiction and other relevant material.
- Scripture memory.
- Assignments. These appear at the end of each classroom session. These consist of reading assignments, quiz questions, and exercises.
- Exercises. These appear at the end of each classroom session. They need to be completed and turned in at the start of the next class.
- Quiz. A quiz will be given every week at the start of class on the material covered in the previous class. The questions are provided in the workbook. The Quiz Questions are completed in preparation for the actual quiz following each class.
- The Steps to Freedom in Christ . Neil Anderson’s popular workbook for resolving spiritual conflicts.
- Uniquely You in Christ, by Dr. Mels Carbonell. This booklet contains a Spiritual Gifts Questionnaire based upon motivation[2], a Uniquely You Questionnaire designed to identify the individuals “natural pattern of behavior"[3], and an Opportunities for Ministry Survey[4], to assist in identifying talents and interests.[5]
- Church Attendance. Each student should attend Sunday School, Sunday morning services, and Wednesday night service or class. It is also recommended to attend Sunday evening services.
- Television, Radio & Videos. Each student is encouraged to watch or listen to Christian programs and videos, especially teaching programs, and is discouraged from watching secular programs and videos that oppose, deny, impugn, or are simply inconsistent with a biblical worldview.
- Roadmap to Maintaining Your Freedom. This is a detailed, measurable action plan with clearly defined goals to be implemented with the Encourager.
- Each student is required to have an Encourager of the same gender. The Encourager will work to assist and encourage you during the course and to ensure your Roadmap is successfully carried out following your successful completion of the course.
For information on other services provided with the Provision House Breaking the Chains Seminar , Click here...
For a listing of the materials used in Provision House curriculum, see the Resources page.
Addiction Defined
Students are taken on an expository adventure resulting in the inevitable conclusion that addiction is a spiritual stronghold within which sin predominates. Included is discussion of what addiction is not.
Freedom from Addiction
This section is primarily an explication of the Romans 6 theology that the believer is free from the controlling power of sin. The nature of sin is covered. This teaching is prerequisite to breaking free from addiction. Students who apprehend this truth are on their way to lasting freedom from addiction.
The Thought Life
For the Christian, the spiritual battle is a battle for the mind. Since addiction is a spiritual stronghold, and since the locus of a stronghold is in the mind, a great deal of attention is given this critical area of study. The Think-Feel-Act progression is explained. Rom. 12:2, Rom. 13:14, 2 Cor. 2:11, 10:3-5, Eph. 4:27, 6:10-12, 1 Chron. 21:1, John 13:2, Acts 5:1-5, 1 Kings 22:21-22, Phil. 4:8, Col. 3:2.
Walking by the Spirit
One of the most difficult challenges facing the Christian is what to do about the neutral disposition of the flesh. Walking by the Spirit is not as much a spiritual state as it is a personal activity. Scripture demonstrates that freedom must be acted upon. How we occupy our time determines if we will live in freedom. Gal. 5:16, Titus 2:14, Eph. 5:15-18, 1 Pet. 2:16, Heb. 12:1.
Sanctification and the Command to Serve
The single biggest reason Christians relapse is because they dry up spiritually. But actively serving God precludes a stale and impotent Christian life. Sanctification is incomplete without the essential component of service. None of us become what God created us to be without doing what He created us to do. Gal. 5:13, John 15:1-17, Rom. 6:19, Eph. 4:11-16, Pr. 11:25, James 2:22.
Purpose, Meaning, and Fulfillment
Dr. Charles Stanley says, "Life at its very, very, very best, is discovering God's will and walking in it".[6] God has a “prepared beforehand” purpose for every one of His children. Living out this purpose brings meaning and fulfillment to life that never disappoints. The absence of purpose and meaning is conducive to gratifying addictive desires. Eph. 2:10, Ps. 37:4, John 15:11, 16, Pr. 13:12, 19, Is. 58:6-11.
The Way of Escape
Is the “way of escape” a course of escape or a means of escape? This section is a deep and thorough discussion of temptation, its characteristics,
and the biblical instruction for responding to it.
1 Cor. 10:13, James 1, and various other scriptures.
Suffering and Peace
There are times when a Christian must suffer through it in order to be set free from it. This section is a discussion of the role of suffering in the Christian life, its purposes, and its results. The Philippians 4 model of anxiety resolution is examined, with special attention given to the tripartite nature of man and how this relates to God accomplishing sanctification and healing from the inside out. 1 Pet. 4:1-3, 5:6-10. Heb. 12:4-14, Philippians 4:6-8, 1 Thes. 5:23.
Reasons for Stumbling
What the secular recovery movement calls, “relapse”, the Bible calls stumbling (or falling). Passages covering such topics as disobedience to the Word, not abiding in the Light, arrogance, double-mindedness, the nature of sin, free will in choices, ungodly relationships, and demonic strategies of deception are examined. 1 Pet. 2:8, 1 John 2:10-11, Jer. 50:32, James 4:1-10, Rom. 7:14-25, Eph. 4:27, 1 Cor. 10:20-21.
Antidotes to Stumbling
This section covers the important area of spiritual formation. Scriptural, devotional, and worship disciplines are emphasized. Bible reading, study, meditation, and memorization are contrasted. Elements of prayer are studied. The study concludes with an examination of the heart conditions necessary for personal holiness and spiritual power. Exodus 20:20, Pr. 16:6, Psalm 119:11, Joshua 1:8, James 5:13, Luke 21:34-36, Ps. 37:23-24, 145:14, Pr. 24:16, Ps. 15:2, 5, Matt. 7:24-27.
Footnotes
[1] Sam Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pastoral Care Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in an article entitled, Biblical Counseling: A Biblical Approach to Addictions, at www.lifeway.com.
[2] Dr. Carbonell makes this statement in the booklet: Every Christian is gifted with special motivation to bless them and benefit ministry. These motivational gifts are the specific ways we think, feel and act from a spiritual perspective.
[3] This is the DISC model. However, Dr. Carbonell has changed the descriptions to make them more comprehensible, relates each personality type to biblical characters, and offers suggestions for change from the Bible for each type. These are further expanded through an interesting process that results in “Behavioral Blends”.
[4] There are 133 generic church ministries listed in the booklet.
[5] More information on this booklet is available at www.uniquelyyou.com.
[6] Charles Stanley, message for March 11, 1998, entitled, "God has a plan for you (2)", at www.intouch.org. |