Long-term sustainability is key to any successful ministry! It’s much more exciting to start a new endeavor than to keep an existing ministry moving forward with the same level of passion that was present in the beginning stages. Many find out that the luster loses brightness quickly when working with the addicted and their families, it’s work, it’s hard, and it’s rewarding, but we don’t win them all. Yes, we deal with people and problems, and relapse. I’ve listed a few pointers to encourage us to keep the process going after laying a foundation, and letting the Lord give us direction, anointing, strategy, & His blessing.

1. Vision! Our team must have a vision for nonresidential ministry and the potential of groups in the culture we find ourselves. The venue of ministry groups has no limit in impacting lives in areas where the church often is absent. If we can really catch the vision, there is no limit to the potential of touching lives and reaching people where they are at. We can offer Lifeline groups in our county corrections, as alternative sentencing, drug and family court, veterans with PTSD, factories and companies with high turnover of employees, existing agencies needing relevant groups for residential clients, and the list goes on and on. But, we need vision and creativity to truly reach these people with the gospel through the groups! Your vision should help you form a “Master Plan” of what your team needs to see happen, by the power of God in the lives of the addicted and their families. Program graduates need the encouragement and accountability of the ministry groups.
2. Plan! Life is a process. We need a plan of action to get the process going and keep the process going. “Despise not the day of small beginnings”. Put your vision and plan in writing. Keep it where your “core team” can constantly see and evaluate progress, and don’t be afraid of course adjustments. Most of the team will be fairly new at ministry and in this ministry particularly. Our team of volunteers need guidance and a written plan of action, step by step. Keep the purpose of Lifeline Connection before them always, recovery after recovery; referral, relationships, realignment, re-establishment. Plan your next round of groups carefully. What’s needed most? Where is the greatest pain or what is the greatest pain in our community? Would 3 different groups be better than trying to do 4 or 5? How do we advertise and promote? Both must be done; participants don’t just come.
3. Passion! It’s fairly easy to have passion at the beginning and formative stages, but once we get going, where is the passion we had at first? It’s up to the leadership to have the passion and to keep the passion. We are in the most passionate work on the planet. Passion shows because we love, and are passionate about people, and changed lives. A passionate leader inspires passion in others!
4. Prayer! I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but prayer cannot be overemphasized, “unless the Lord builds the house, our labor is in vain”. Lord, don’t let our labor be in vain! We need to pray with our Core Team, pray over and for our groups and individual group participants, pray for our referrals we helped place in one of our Teen Challenge programs. Without prayer, we have no vision or plan or passion!
5. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Offering trainings for facilitators and “core team” members throughout the calendar year is imperative if we are going to succeed in implementing a plan behind a vision with passion. The Living Free video series, and curriculum overview is all a vital part of preparing our team leaders to succeed and to inspire new members to come aboard. This then gives them the ability to offer fresh contributions and perspectives. Always going back to our mission and purpose is vital. Keep the goal before your leaders. In the nonresidential ministry of Lifeline Connection, we minister at a distance compared to the residential programs where we see students on a daily basis and have a lot of control. It is a different ministry, yet we are seeing very similar results. To God be the glory. Leaders need a Core Team manual, and review the Living Free participants & coordinators guides often. The Small Group Skills guide is another tool to keep leaders prepared. The Life-Plan of Recovery can be adapted and customized for your particular ministry. Use as you deem best, but please use! Decision, positive peer choice, accountability, boundaries, and consistency are components in the Life-Plan that are essential for a life free of addictions, in all matters of life!