Addiction | Grace for the Journey

Follow Addiction | Grace for the Journey
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Whether the struggle is personal or you’ve experienced the pain of watching a loved one, virtually no life remains untouched by the problem of addiction. What can we do? What should we say? How do we even think about lives that are spinning out of control from seemingly unstoppable urges? Our working theology of addictions is often a mixture of messages we have heard from pop psychology, AA, and pieces of Scripture. Some talk about addiction using the language of disease. Others offer simplistic explanations of sin and bludgeon addicts with the demand to just “stop it.” This conference will explore both the physical and spiritual components of addiction and how to navigate them carefully as Christians.

IBCD - Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship

  • Aug 18, 2017 LATEST EPISODE
  • infrequent NEW EPISODES
  • 1h AVG DURATION
  • 29 EPISODES


Search for episodes from Addiction | Grace for the Journey with a specific topic:

Latest episodes from Addiction | Grace for the Journey

Counterfeit Heavens: How Treasuring Our Eternal Home Invalidates Addiction’s Lies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2017 60:04


Everyone of us is homesick. We’re all longing for our true Home in heaven with all the redeemed and the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we suffer with this homesickness, we try to fill the void with fleet-ing pleasures that become habitual and turn into addictions. The way out of addiction is to wait pa-tiently for the joys that are to come, and to live in the hope of the promises of God: Jesus has gone on before us as a forerunner guaranteeing our safe arrival and complete satisfaction and joy. 

Pastoral Lessons from Dealing with Addictions

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2017 62:38


During 25 years of ministry, we have seen many struggle with addiction. We have made many mistakes, we have seen people abandon the faith, but we have also seen God rescue souls. This session will focus on pastoral lessons learned and will also feature the testimonies of some who repented and were restored.

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Counseling

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2017 63:33


This workshop studies the Biblical concept of the Fear of the LORD. We will define the term, explore its centrality to discipleship counseling both for the counselor and counselee and discuss how to teach this as the core foundation of counseling.

Addicted to Food (and/or Exercise)

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2017 61:01


While some people turn to drugs and alcohol to get high or to relieve stress, many turn to food which can be just as dangerous an idol as substance abuse. Other people are addicted to fitness to the extent that it becomes harmful to their lives and relationships. How can we overcome temptation to make an idol out of our food and our bodies?

Counseling Controlling Husbands

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2017 63:57


In this session author Chris Moles will discuss the important factors involved in counseling controlling husbands.

The Dangers of Self-Help Philosophies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2017 64:20


This session provides a critique of Alcoholics Anonymous (& other self-help groups) and Celebrate Recovery. It seeks to identify how messages in these programs undermine the Word of God and op-pose the Gospel. 

Addicted to Shiny Things: Why & How to Find Freedom in the Age of the Internet

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2017 61:25


To say that we are addicted to our screens is axiomatic. As I wrote and researched this talk, I was in front of a screen. In this presentation, I will discuss a brief history of technologies, how they were received historically, how they changed the world for good and ill, and how pervasive this one is in our lives. I will talk about reasons to unplug (and levels of “unplugged-ness”) and ways to accom-plish that, all in the light of the gospel. 

The Necessity of Individualized Counseling

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2017 62:59


This workshop explores the dangers of mechanical counseling that oversimplifies by employing a one-size-fits-all approach to counseling. We will examine the necessity of applying the Word of God to the needs of the individual and his particular circumstances. 

Crafting Temptation and Repentance Plans to Help Addicts

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2017 65:41


Addressing temptation and practicing biblical repentance are two keys for counseling success in ministry to addicts. This workshop will aid counselors in creating specific biblical action plans for counselees to utilize when temptation arises or repentance is needed.

Psychiatric Medication and Spiritual Depression

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2017 58:27


What does the Bible have to say about the use of medication to treat depression? What does the current medical literature say about the medical treatment of depression? This workshop will attempt to answer those questions from a medical and biblical counseling viewpoint.

Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2017 57:05


Substance abuse is often a factor in situations of domestic violence. In this session author Chris Moles will help counselors learn to deal with situations like these.

Helping Family Members

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2017 58:59


Families of addicts often need help as much as the addicts themselves. This session gives biblical passages and practical help for counseling the families of addicts. It also discusses how idolatry im-pacts the family, how enabling hurts rather than helps, and what can be seen when an addict truly repents. 

Gospel Hope for Instant Gratification Junkies

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2017 54:25


Instant gratification junkies are hooked on immediate satisfaction at any cost. This trap can make you susceptible to addictions, anger, jealousy, and negative impulsive behaviors. The pursuit of instant gratification has detrimental effects on your Christian walk. When there is a problem, you want God to fix things quickly. When He does not, you take matters into your own hands making the situation ultimately worse. This seminar will expose the heart issues of instant gratification and will show how the gospel can help you escape the instant gratification trap.

Medicine and Biblical Sufficiency

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2017 59:16


Biblical Counseling has been shaped by the doctrine of sufficiency. We will examine how that doc-trine and the science of medicine interact when we encounter those with worry, depression, OCD, and other emotional struggles. Can the Bible help when we counsel those with medical emotional labels?  

Addictions and the Discouraged Counselor

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2017 61:18


All counselors struggle at times with discouragement in counseling, particularly in harder cases like addictions.  This workshop will offer biblical hope and encouragement to the discouraged counselor in need of spiritual refreshment.

Self-Harm

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2017 62:16


Learn how to offer hope in your biblical counsel of self-injurers by treating it as sinful heart issue rather than mental illness.

Lies: Believing Them and Telling Them

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2017 60:23


A neglected biblical theme for addiction is the movement from lies to truth, and from the Liar to the Truth. Our job is to do whatever we can to invite strugglers to be open and honest.

Living with an Angry Husband

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2017 63:12


Some women live with husbands who routinely express anger in its many forms. The Bible gives direction on this subject. Counselors will be taught how to help these women before the anger of their husbands becomes abuse. 

The Attributes of a Christ-like Counselor

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2017 63:37


This workshop explores the attributes of Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor and the Holy Spirit, the Other Counselor. We will examine what makes them the competent counselors that they are. Also, we will examine how these attributes must be and can be in your counsel. Finally, we will learn how you can develop these attributes. 

Basic Principles, Procedures, and Strategies for Counseling Addictions

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2017 63:49


Addiction cases can be some of the most complicated cases in counseling ministry.  This workshop will present a toolbox of biblical principles applied to various aspects of counseling those struggling with addictions.

Overcoming Abusive Speech

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2017 60:02


The Bible teaches that words can be as destructive (or abusive) as fists. Every time we open our mouths we are either promoting God's kingdom by building others up or we are extending the realm of the Evil One by tearing others down. How can our sinful tongues be tamed?

Relapse Prevention

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2017 66:14


When an “addict” repents, you will know it. Learn how to identify the fruit of repentance found only in an abiding relationship with Christ. 

Hear the Addict’s Story, Retell the Addict’s Story

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2017 59:36


Our help comes in two parts: knowing a person's story and knowing Scripture's retelling of their story. Both are essential. In this session you will learn to really listen to your counselees and then help them reshape their stories from a biblical perspective.

Helping People Come to the God who Satisfies

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2017 60:16


All addicts are seeking a satisfaction in something that will never truly satisfy them. In this session Dr. Jim Newheiser will discuss the need to lead addicts to the God who satisfies.

How the Physiology of Addiction Complicates Counseling

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2017 51:00


Counseling those who struggle with substance abuse is a challenging problem in our society. We will discuss how addictive drugs affect the brain and how that may complicate counseling from a Biblical perspective. 

Understanding Temptation: The War Within Your Heart

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2017 55:18


In this session we will identify three idolatrous heart issues in all people and find out how these desires connect our flesh with the temptations of the world’s system and the devil. This topic helps counselors work with any counselee, especially the addicted

Biblical Insights into Addiction

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2017 57:42


Gain insight into the heart of an addict to learn how to competently counsel someone struggling with addiction through an exposition of Proverbs 23:29-35.

To Be Human is to Say “No”: A Biblical History of Temptation

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2017 55:32


Self-control is not a popular teaching, and we can offer it in ways that are not inviting. Our task is to learn it in such a way that we find it attractive and can make it attractive and compelling to others.

Every Addict Lives with Shame

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2017 63:38


Listen to addicts and you will hear shame, shame that preceded the addiction and shame that resulted from the addiction. And here, in their shame, they can hear some of the most beautiful words they could possibly hear.

Claim Addiction | Grace for the Journey

In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

Claim Cancel