Recovering HopeHistoryHope for Addiction’s founder, Liz Beck was married to an addict for 17 years. Although she attended church with her family, her home life was separated from her church life in many ways. Addiction was considered a disease and the gospel did not have a place in the chaos that addiction brought to her family’s life. In 2005, Liz and her family began attending a different church and saw that the gospel had power not just for salvation, but to radically change. Liz’s pastor and small group walked with her family through the darkest times in her life. Through their counsel, she found that addiction is not off limits to the saving grace of the gospel, and that transformation is possible in the life of an addict. Because of the care Liz received from her church, God led her to start Hope for Addiction in December 2013 to be a true gospel-centered option for addiction.
Recovering Hope Ministry @ SonRise Community Church HistoryDebbie Neyman was first introduced to this Gospel-centered ministry at a G3 Conference in 2023.  Deeply moved by its unwavering focus on Christ and its message of hope, she felt called to bring it to SonRise Community Church. Her passion for this ministry is also personal—Debbie has walked through the pain of addiction within her own family and understands the deep need for Christ’s healing power.

This ministry is not just for those facing addiction, but for anyone struggling with the strongholds of life. Whether it’s addiction, fear, anger, pride, or any form of bondage, the truth of the Gospel offers freedom to all. As Romans 6:6 proclaims, “We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” And 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and behold, the new has come.”

In Christ, we find new life—and through this ministry, many are discovering that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

Our culture has heavily influenced the way addiction is viewed, defining it both as an identity and a disease. If this is true, there is no hope for change or freedom. When the church acquiesces in these viewpoints and embraces the language of the culture, scripture becomes irrelevant to the addict and he remains trapped in addiction.

The answer to the world’s definition of addiction as a disease or illness is "recovery." Recovery is defined as, "return to a normal state of health, mind or strength." For a struggling addict, a return to "normal" is not always appealing as "normal" means facing all the pain and suffering that led to addiction. The real problem is sin - idol worship and seeking comfort in something other than Christ; which is true of all of us.

An addict suffers from the effects from sin and desires to find refuge in a substance rather than finding refuge in the Lord. Due to the cravings that occur when someone is physically dependent on a substance (and the change in brain chemistry when someone uses drugs), it seems as though he truly “needs” the substance to survive. We all need a refuge, and our refuge is found in Christ (Psalm 9:9).

Conversely, when addiction is viewed through the lens of scripture, there is hope for change. When we biblically identify words we can confidently connect Scripture to common problems and bring hope for real change. That is why we are committed to equipping churches with biblical training and tools to effectively and confidently engage addiction culture. 

The good news of the gospel answers the problem of sin and brings hope in the midst of suffering. Christ's finished work at the cross and his resurrection gives hope for sin and gives freedom, not just sobriety (1 Corinthians 6:11). 

The transition from finding refuge in drugs or alcohol to finding this in the Lord is not easy. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit, a willingness to die to self, and humility to ask for help. The answer is easy; the process is not.

As a believer in Christ, an addict is given a new nature and he is no longer defined by the struggle with sin. Freedom is possible. The power of the Holy Spirit at work means that an addict can say no to sin and live to glorify God (Romans 6).

The good news of the gospel brings hope to the addict: for sin, for suffering, for identity, for pain, for refuge, and so much more. Recovery doesn't come close to delivering what Jesus does

Thank you

Debbie