The Good Citizen Podcast #329 A New Day in Addiction Recovery with Dan Johnson
Drug addiction has reached epidemic levels in the United States and is impacting cities and families from the inner city to the suburbs. What are the latest trends in this epidemic? And how are ministries responding as churchgoers report rates of addiction as high as the general population? In this conversation, I spoke with Dan Johnson from The NewDay Center about his ministry’s response and the developing challenges and opportunities in addiction recovery.
Dan Johnson (BA, MA) serves as NewDay’s Founder and President. In his role, Dan oversees NewDay’s vision, values, and curriculum. Dan regularly shares NewDay’s story with church, business, and government leaders. Before beginning NewDay, Dan served as a pastor for over 20 years. Since formally establishing NewDay in 2007, Dan has worked with hundreds of individuals and families grappling with substance abuse and addiction. He is also the author of 6 books.
Key Takeaways:
- The remarkable story and model of The NewDay Center.
- An explanation of two primary ministry philosophies/models in the addiction recovery space.
- The challenge of readily available marijuana (much more potent that even before) as a gateway drug.
- The startling statistic that substance abuse rates are similar among people that attend church and the general population. Also, a sober reminder that addiction impacts every zip code and tax bracket.
- Why small groups are critical in helping those struggling with addiction in our churches or communities.
- A preview of the small group resources available for churches in NewDay’s Resource Center. Also, NewDay is available to equip church leaders and committed Christians in addiction recovery ministry.
- How Christian ministries are creating ministry pipelines to assist individuals from detox to discipleship to mentorship to employment and reintegration into family and church.
- How you and your church can help.