How Much?

A man comes to Rapha to enter the program.
He doesn't know what to expect or how this "recovery" thing works out.
His main focus is the fact that someone is asking him to give up his best friend, his lover, his confidant.....a.k.a. drugs and alcohol.
The man cannot think about anything else but what he is going to have to give up.
He doesn't see the life that he could have.
He doesn't understand that recovery is more than the absence of drugs and alcohol.
But he comes to Rapha anyway.
He may be ordered by the courts....
He may be entering back into society after years in a penitentiary.
He may simply be between stays at the Etowah County Detention Center.
He may simply be worn out and tired.
The best man to work with in recovery is one who is sick and tired of being sick and tired. They will pretty much do whatever it takes to recover.

He arrives at Rapha and begins to hear about "Jesus."
He thought he knew about Jesus, but finds out that he really didn't.
By the time this man finished Phase I of the program, which is seven weeks, he will have been introduced to the following.

7 hours of soaking prayer- He gets to simply lay in the presence of God as he is being prayed over.
7 Saturday night meetings (voluntary) where he is taught what it means to be a part of a church. He gets to participate and learn how to worship. He is afforded the opportunity to receive more prayer during the "clinic" time, or ministry time as some call it.
14 hours of Bible study (these are mandatory) during the week. We go back to basic teaching of "Who is Jesus and why did he come to our time and space." We teach basic Bible understanding (memorize the books so you'll know where they are-- We explain how to study, where to start, what it means when someone says look up chapter so and so and read verse so and so.) Never take it for granted that everyone knows how to use the Bible.
14 hours of Voluntary Bible study -  These Bible studies are held at 9 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday nights. They are a little more in depth and we try to begin to lay out what it means to be a disciple.
21 hours of morning devotional - Each morning the camp meets in the day room for morning devotional. It is an interactive time where each man is given an opportunity to share what is going on in their life. A really good way to start the day.
7 hours Sunday Morning - Each Sunday the men are taken to a local church for services. Here they get a broader view of the Body of Christ.

Total- 70 Hours- Planned interaction that helps them to understand and make a decisions as to God's offer of Salvation. 70 hours that is devoted to nothing but Scripture and ministry to the individual. This doesn't even take into account the 84 hours of classroom instruction that points a client to the fact that Jesus is the only higher power than can break this addictive cycle and give new life. These hours I have listed does not take into account the voluntary Bible studies that take place, or the prayer meetings that are held in the chapel by the men. As each man moves through his seven weeks, we find that some really are changed and they become leaders in their group. They put together the Bible studies for their dorm and then lead them.

I am blessed beyond measure to be able to drive out to Rapha each day and be a part of what God is doing there. I get to witness the greatest miracle in the world........a life changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
That is worth getting up for each day.
God on you....
mb