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Faith in Recovery
Banyan Treatment Center’s Faith in Recovery program provides substance abuse and dual-
diagnosis treatment from a Christian faith-based perspective. They utilize a spiritual trauma
program called “In the Wildflowers,” developed by Restoring the Heart Ministries, among other
services.
Anthony Acampora, Faith in Recovery program director, explained, “Since drug addiction is
often the byproduct of something else, we teach them how to manage their emotions and get to
the root cause. We try to get them out of their guilt and shame.”
Acampora suggests every church should have a recovery advocate or liaison. “When someone
struggling with addiction attends church, they need to be met with love and understanding.
Some look at the stigma of heroin, stealing for that and sticking a needle in their arm, but God
looks at them through the lens of love and sees someone who is hurting and broken, who needs
the love of Christ.”
Eric Oakes, chief operating officer at Banyan, agreed people are often short on compassion.
“We still have trouble recognizing alcoholism exists in our own families. We are so far away from
considering our family members may have a real drug problem, but opioid addiction has gone
from the park bench to Park Avenue and it only wants one thing - your soul.”
Road to Freedom
The Road to Freedom at The Treatment Center is a clinically-sound, Christian drug rehab
program in Lake Worth made up of pastors, Christian addiction counselors, doctors and caring
professionals who are committed to the rescue mission of Jesus Christ. They are one of the few
programs offering residential inpatient services, including faith-based, medically supervised
detox in house.
“We’re the first stage of care and IOP (Intensive Outpatient Programs) or PHP (Partial
Hospitalization Programs) are the second stage,” explained Pastor Mike Eleveld, of The
Treatment Center. “Patients in detox are in misery, and we’re doing everything we can to make
them feel comfortable. They’re feeling emotions they haven’t felt in a long time, feeling anxious
and scared, and want people to pray with them.” They also hold church services for patients in
detox who can’t leave the facility.
The Recovery Church
A few years ago, leaders at The Treatment Center became concerned after speaking with
graduates from recovery programs who expressed difficulty finding a worship experience geared
to them. “Some are afraid to discuss their addiction because they’re afraid of the reaction they’ll
get,” said Eleveld. As a result, The Recovery Church was formed. Having outgrown their previous
meeting place, this church created by the recovery community for the recovery community,
meets at 7 p.m. onWednesdays inThe Bamboo Room, located at 25 South J Street in LakeWorth.
Formerly a jazz club, The Bamboo Room seats 300 and they’ve been packing it out for over a year
now.
Recovery Bible Study
Stevie B, of J.C.’s Recovery Center, started a similar Recovery Bible Study in downtown
Fort Lauderdale 10 years ago. It’s a meeting with music, the 12 steps, a Bible teaching and a
lot of energy and enthusiasm on Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m. at First Christian Church Fort
Lauderdale, 201 SE 13th Street.
“All of the recovery houses come in there, worship together, mourn together and strengthen
each other,” said Stevie B. A product of Bob Barnes’ Bible Study, Stevie B decided he wanted to
do something like that for the recovery community. The Recovery Bible Study is attended weekly
by about 50 to 200 people.
In addition to these, there are many faith-based ministries bring hope and healing to those
fighting addiction, includingCelebrate Recovery, Faith Farm, Calvary House and Sonrise Mission.
“Behold, I will bring health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of
peace and truth” (Jeremiah 33:6).
Banyan Faith in Recovery Staff: Paula LaRocca, behavioral
health technician; Ketna Cherubin, therapist; Anthony
Acampora, program director; Julie Woodley, trauma
therapist; Jadus Burgess, behavioral health technician;
and Alexandra Louis, therapist
Steve Boyarski, spiritual director of J.C.’s Recovery Center,
speaks during chapel onThanksgiving.
What Can the Church Do?
1. Realize there are addicts and alcoholics among you. One in ten adults are struggling with
some sort of addiction, but don’t know what to do.
2. Church leaders should communicate they’re a safe place for them to come. Many are
afraid they’ll be treated differently if they reveal their addiction.
3. They’re going to need professional care. You can’t stop opioids cold turkey, but need a
medical detox, then treatment for the disease of addiction.
The Recovery Church at the Bamboo Room on a
Wednesday night.