The Bible tells us that there is a roaring lion in the house, and the question is how do we stop him? The roaring lion (the devil himself) is destroying our families, communities, and even our churches. One of the methods he has continued to use since the beginning of time is drugs, including alcohol. We are facing a world-wide epidemic which if left untreated, will destroy our society as we know it. This problem crosses religious, ethnic, financial, and societal lines. As Christian parents, pastors, and church members, it is essential that we do not remain like the ostrich, with our heads in the sand. We must understand that addiction is not simply a moral failure, but a complex issue that must be addressed and overcome for the sake of the addict, along with the family and friends their addiction is affecting. The epidemic of alcoholism and drug addiction is not limited to just the community around us, or to the inner-city, or to just other families on our street. The problem of drug addiction and alcoholism is gripping young people, families, and churches around the world. Addiction has no respect for the individual; it does not care if you or your children are White, African American, Hispanic, or Asian, nor if you are rich or poor. It knows no age limit, social or economic level, nor denominational affiliation. With over 25 years of experience in the substance abuse field, I have personally counseled hundreds of individuals and their families. Some of my clients became addicted as early as seven years of age. Heads Up! If I hear one more pastor or church leader tell me, there is not a problem in our community and especially not one in my church, I am going to scream. There is no greater denial for a pastor, children's pastor, youth pastor, or parent. Our children and teenagers face the same challenges of drug addiction and alcoholism that all other children face. The only desire that addiction has is to get the individual hooked, and when hooked (as one teenager so eloquently put it "your hit") life slides downward in a horrific spiral. Hopefully, men and women are becoming increasingly more aware of the need to get involved in helping the addicted find new life. As a counselor, I look for certain signs that tell me alcohol or drugs are causing problems for the individual, their families, and their friends. The following five questions (criteria) can generally provide a clear idea of where the individual stands in addiction. If the answer to one of the following questions is yes, I'm confident alcohol or drugs are having an impact and the individual is addicted. Have drugs or alcohol: 1. Caused you problems with the legal system (DUI, paraphernalia charges, drug possession, or trafficking)? 2. Caused you problems with family and friends? 3. Caused you problems with your finances? 4. Caused you problems with your health (either your physical or mental health)? 5. Caused you problems with your housing? Remember a yes may not mean addiction, but certainly the person is heading down a dangerous path. I have been in pastoral ministry for over 35 years working as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor in both faith based and secular programs. Sadly, I have counseled more than my share of good, church attending kids and adults. They didn't mean to get hooked on drugs or get in trouble, but they made bad choices and it happened. Yes, I Think We Have a Problem! The goal of this book is help to you as a parent, pastor, friend, spouse, child, or sibling understand the complexity of this problem (epidemic), and develop a plan of what you can do to help. Throughout this book, we are going to use the old newspaper methodology of getting information: WHAT, WHY, WHO, WHEN, WHERE & HOW I hope you will take the time to explore this problem gripping our world. It could mean the difference between life and death for you or someone you love. Don Allen
