Rush Center Religious Summit

Rush Center Religious Summit Makes History

National, regional denominational leaders produce commitment to utilize Faith Partners Model to transform addiction illness

An historic meeting of more than 60 religious leaders from across America examined, affirmed and expanded a Call to Action that would signal their commitment to work together to transform addiction into a manageable health issue.

Keynote speakers, panel presentations and small group discussions allowed attendees at the first Rush Center religious summit to explore effective faith-based approaches to alcohol and drug abuse prevention and addiction recovery support.

Participants praised the Rush Center, a unit of the Johnson Institute, for bringing the diverse religious group together. They were encouraged and challenged by those with strategies and programs in place. They identified many common understandings of the role of the religious community and they learned of the effectiveness of the Rush Center congregational Faith Partners Model team ministry approach. That approach – already producing results at more than 150 congregations around the country -- identifies members with knowledge and experience in addiction illness and encourages them to work closely with their clergy and community resources to provide awareness, education, referral assistance and recovery support to the people they serve.

“A common belief spoken by many throughout the summit was the belief that a transformation is necessary to recover from this disease, whether you are the alcoholic or addict or the family member,” said Trish Merrill, director of the Rush Center, which hosted the summit in Austin, Texas, from March 31 through April 2, 2005.

“We all agreed that several disciplines—medicine, counseling, social services among them—have a role to play to move people toward that transformation,” Merrill continued. “But no resource is more important for transformation than the religious community. We—pastors, priests, rabbis, members of faith communities —affirmed this call to action, which brings together the resources of health care providers and the resources of churches, synagogues, mosques – i.e., pastoral care, spiritual guidance and growth, worship and fellowship and faith community support.

The eight-point “Call to Action” identifies best practices that:

Champion the power of faith and science, working in concert to save lives.
Use multiple opportunities for awareness, education, and recovery support within congregational life.
Deliver accurate information and guidance for all life choices, especially those involving alcohol and other drugs.
Teach each other to see and respond to early symptoms that cause concern.
Define addiction as a family illness, responding to those affected and those are afflicted.
Honor people in recovery, valuing their spiritual journey as a congregational strength.
Link congregational help to resources within the community and neighborhood.
Advocate for a society that responds equally and with compassion to all chronic illness.

In addition, individual attendees further refined this Call to Action by discussing barriers, challenges and specific action plans on how to implement those eight practices to assure they become a reality in congregational life.

Some of the wisdom coming out of the small groups for implementing these practices included:

Remember the power of the story. Put a face on addiction and recovery.
People in the pews are largely supportive.
Language of faith and the language of recovery need space to stand side by side, not one overrunning the other.
Meet people where they are.
Brokenness is universal.
Many people are already educated – we need to connect the pieces.
Look beyond addiction to prevention.
Continue to find common ground such as the love of God and reaching out to the hurting

Johnson Institute President Johnny Allem implored the religious leaders that the time to act is now. Churches, schools, courts, workplaces and other institutions have shown they are ready to help conquer addiction in our lifetime, he said.

“We have a window of opportunity,” Allem told the gathering. “Americans are fed up with policies that don’t work. Don’t wait for somebody else to do it. We are the people we have been waiting for.”

Besides plenary sessions, participants met in denominational, state and organizational groups. Each group expressed interest in working with the Rush Center . Commitments include: support a pilot team ministry project; identify one person from each congregation to be a contact; take this information to their board or higher denominational leadership; bring new people and congregations on board; advocate for and sponsor presentations and consultations with Rush Center staff; create and participate in the network; strengthen work with existing congregational teams; see the potential legislative advocacy possibilities with the team ministry and finally, urge the Rush Center to “crow about” this model.

Attendees represented the following faith denominations or traditions:

American Baptist
Church of Christ
Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints
Episcopal
Lutheran
Muslim
National Missionary Baptist Convention
Nondenominational Christian
Presbyterian
Roman Catholic
Seventh Day Adventist
Southern Baptist
United Church of Christ
United Methodist

In addition, Rabbi Samuel Barth, Congregation Agudas Achim of Austin and a participant on the national clergy panel for the development of core competencies for clergy, was a special guest and presenter on opening day.

The long-term impact of the summit’s effectiveness will last well beyond the three days that these leaders met face to face in Texas, Merrill predicted.

“When you bring the religious community onboard, you bring on a lot of resources,” Merrill said. “Besides the pastors and priests, you bring on members of the faith community, many who have walked this path before. And you bring opportunities for fellowship and deepening one’s faith. You bring on multiple opportunities for transformation to take place.”

This historic summit continues the pioneering work of Johnson Institute. The Johnson Institute, throughout its 40-year history, has pioneered practices that enhance awareness, intervention, treatment and recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Founded by Vernon Johnson in 1965, the Johnson Institute today mobilizes and trains people in recovery for advocacy campaigns, conducts policy research and promotes congregational team ministries through its offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Austin, Texas; and Washington, D.C.