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God and Addiction and Recovery
Brought to you by the Center of Addiction & Faith in partnership with Faith+Lead Academy, develop a spiritually grounded, grace-filled, and scientifically accurate approach to supporting those in addiction.
About this Course
Discover the complex science of addiction, ways to support people in crisis and over the long term, and the spiritual dimensions of addiction and recovery in God and Addiction and Recovery. You’ll cultivate the spiritual grounding needed for the long-term work of culture change, as you learn to make the church a safe and welcoming space.If you have been referred to the course by the Center of Addiction & Faith, please enter the code CENTERGAR26 in the coupon code box when you enroll.
What You’ll Be Able to Do:
Addiction is complex. Too often, shame adds an additional barrier to those struggling with addiction or navigating recovery, even in the church. But with God’s grace, Christian communities can be places of welcome and transformation. If you're a pastor, leader, or person who cares—you have an opportunity to create space where healing becomes possible.
This partnership course—created in conjunction with the Center of Addiction & Faith—provides a theological framework and practical skills for ministry leaders who want to serve their communities with greater confidence and compassion. In God and Addiction and Recovery, you’ll gain a holistic overview as you learn about the medical condition of addiction, the stages of recovery, and how to care for people in addiction and recovery. Through this course, you’ll cultivate the spiritual grounding needed for the long-term work of culture change and move forward equipped with concrete strategies rooted in the power of community and connection.
Modules
Understanding Addiction in a Faith Context
In this module, you will...
- Understand addiction as a complex medical condition involving biological, psychological, and spiritual dimensions rather than moral failure.
- Reflect on the "elephants" in your own life and ministry context and examine how shame prevents healing in your community.
- Develop compassion for those struggling with addiction by recognizing the universal human patterns of denial and disconnection from God.
Theology of Addiction and Grace
In this module, you will...
- Understand how false images of God can become barriers to healing and how spiritual bypassing uses religion to avoid transformation rather than facilitate it.
- Examine your own beliefs about God and reflect on how shame versus grace operates in your ministry context and teaching.
- Develop authentic spirituality that integrates pain rather than avoids it, and experience God's compassionate presence in the midst of suffering.
The Science of Addiction
In this module, you will...
- Understand the neuroscience of addiction, including how trauma rewires the developing brain, narrows the window of tolerance, and makes substances function as medication for overwhelming emotions.
- Develop godly compassion grounded in the reality that connection heals what disconnection wounded and that the church can become a place where traumatized nervous systems find safety in God's presence.
- Apply the ACE study framework to recognize how adverse childhood experiences increase vulnerability to addiction and assess how this understanding changes your pastoral response.
The Recovery Journey
In this module, you will...
- Understand the stages of recovery as a nonlinear journey and recognize the difference between sobriety and full recovery, including how trauma and arrested emotional development impact the healing process.
- Develop patience with the healing process by recognizing that recovery happens in layers over time and that connection within a safe community facilitates the nervous system's rewiring toward wholeness in God's presence.
- Explore multiple pathways to recovery, including 12-Step programs, therapy, harm reduction, medication-assisted treatment, and faith-based approaches, to assess how your ministry can support diverse recovery journeys.
Care for People in Addiction and Recovery
In this module, you will...
- Understand the distinct communication and lifesaving approaches needed for people in crisis, as well as longer-term addiction and recovery
- Develop humility and practice suspending judgment in your role by recognizing both your limitations and your calling to be a steady, grounded presence that creates a safe space for healing in God's community.
- Prepare to apply practical care strategies, including appropriate language, clear boundaries, crisis management, referral protocols, and support for families.
Congregational Readiness and Culture Change
In this module, you will...
- Understand the elements of congregational readiness, including awareness, openness, and safety, and recognize the principles of sustainable ministry built on shared leadership, community partnerships, and recovery-friendly policies.
- Cultivate patience and faithfulness for the long-term work of culture change by recognizing that sustainable ministry measures success through presence and accompaniment rather than immediate outcomes, trusting God's grace working through consistent community over time.
- Assess your congregation's current readiness for addiction ministry and develop actionable strategies for moving forward
Being Sustained and Moving Forward
In this module, you will...
- Understand how clergy vulnerability to burnout and addiction parallels the dynamics studied throughout this course and recognize spiritual formation as essential stewardship rather than optional self-indulgence.
- Develop spiritual practices and peer support that sustain your calling by cultivating a non-anxious, grounded presence rooted in God's grace rather than your own competence or productivity.
- Plan concrete first steps for addiction ministry in your context.
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$55
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- Modules:
7 Modules
- Format:
Self-Paced, On-Demand
- Access:
Lifetime Access
Get to Know Your Instructors
Ed Treat
The Rev. Dr. Ed Treat is the director of the Fellowship of Recovering Lutheran Clergy and Founder and Director of the Center of Addiction & Faith, whose mission is to educate, inspire, and equip congregations for addiction and recovery ministry.
Treat is the author of The Pastor (2018), a psychological novel about a small-town pastor facing a congregational tragedy, and is writing The Lie That Kills Us: We All Have Elephants, a memoir-theology exploring denial and its biblical roots.
He has been in long-term recovery from addiction for 39 years. He holds an M.Div. and a D.Min. from Luther Seminary and served as a parish pastor from 1995 to 2020 in rural Nebraska and the Twin Cities, including a mission start.
Treat and his wife, Karen—also a Lutheran pastor—live in Woodbury, Minnesota. They have four grown children, all of whom are graduates of Lutheran colleges, and two grandchildren.
Ready to Enroll?
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One-time purchase
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- Access the course workbook for individual study
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- Access to this on-demand course
- Access to all 40+ on-demand courses
- Public display license for all on-demand courses and workshop recordings
- Access all leaders guides for group study
- Access all course workbooks for individual study
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What to Expect with a Faith+Lead Academy Course
You’ll get a transformative learning experience that combines trustworthy theological teaching with spiritual practices, interactive elements, and a supportive online community.
Know
Expand your theological toolkit with fresh insights for today’s ministry landscape. Connect timeless wisdom with practical frameworks for navigating change.
Be
Do
Practice skills to lead confidently in your ministry context. Take actionable steps to invite your community into God’s unfolding story.
Every Academy course is designed to
Help your growth in one of these core areas:
Develop a Christ-centered identity, grounded in theology, scripture, and spiritual practice, that empowers community members to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life.
Tell the story of Jesus and invite neighbors into Jesus’ way of life and love through words and actions they can recognize.
Listen deeply, name God’s presence in the midst of everyday life, and form life-giving relationships across all dimensions of diversity—both within and beyond the church.
Through mutual relationships with the neighbors among whom you’re hosted, join in acts of compassion, justice, and reconciliation as a witness to the ministry of Jesus—especially in places of suffering and despair.
Harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, fundraising, entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have been referred to the course by the Center of Addiction & Faith, please enter the code CENTERGAR26 in the coupon code box when you enroll.
What can I expect when I take an Academy course?
Academy courses consist of 6-10 lessons or modules, each walking you through the “know, be, do” learning framework. You’ll learn some new information with instructor videos and other resources (know). You’ll engage in a spiritual practice that will help you develop your faith around the topic (be). Then, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned through activities completed online or in the “real world” (do).
How long will it take me to complete a course?
Each module is designed to take 15-45 minutes. Some learners complete the course in as little as one day. Some do a module a day or even a module a week. We suggest allowing some time between modules to process what you are learning, but not so much time that you lose momentum.
What resources are available if I’m a group leader?
Each course includes a flexible leader’s guide with multiple pathways for group facilitation. You’ll find thought-provoking discussion questions and practical activities that connect faith with daily life, designed to work with whatever preparation time you have available. These resources equip you to foster meaningful discipleship experiences that meet your community where they are.
What do I need to know about the free private online social group?
The private online group allows you to connect with others. Because our courses don’t have a required start or stop date, you will encounter others in different places in the course and even in different courses altogether. This is by design. Feel free to interact as much or as little as you like.
What should I do if I have questions or problems with my registration?
Reach out via email to faithlead@luthersem.edu with your question and we’ll get back to you with a response within two business days.
What if I have a suggestion or request for a course topic?
The best way to connect with us is to complete this form with your suggestion. We always want to hear your feedback. You may also include it in the comments section of the course evaluation.
Don’t see your question addressed?
Email us at support@faithlead.org for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!