So what did you do? Did you recommend the secular place that uses the 12 steps and psychological techniques? Or did you recommend the Christian place that uses the 12 steps and psychological techniques along with a smattering of Bible verses and a few biblical principles?
Well, this is a tough call for me.
My personal choice was NOT listed: send them to a PURELY biblical program in its approach. I only know of two of them in the entire U.S. – His Steps Ministries in Atlanta, GA, and Vision of Hope in Lafayette, IN. But this choice was not available so…
I would rather send someone to a SECULAR program by warning them that what they are about to enter is going to have some wrong, humanistic teachings that may “brain-wash” them with man-centered ideas IF they are not careful. Why would I pick a purely secular option? Because a so-called Christian program that teaches lies mixed with half-truths CONFUSES people and leads them to more problems. In addition, most people who go to a “Christian program” tend to trust it and its counselors as “experts” so they may believe the man-centered lies and half-truth deceptions without questioning them!
To me, it’s more dangerous to send someone to a false Christian program than to a secular program WITH the warning that the person MUST be careful at the secular place and when they get out, they MUST get involved with the nearest biblical counselor asap…however, the best case is to send the person to a purely biblical program that will deal with the sinful nature issues of addicts. Again, the only programs that I know of that are like that are His Steps Ministries in the (Woodstock) Atlanta, GA, area and Vision of Hope in Lafayette, IN.
-Mark (longing for a purely biblical approach to addiction – grateful to God that He led me to write about one in The Heart of Addiction)
P.S. Please understand, each individual case is different and this was simply a “fun” scenario to think through and to challenge us in our thinking! My answer is NOT “thus sayeth the Lord”!!!