FAQs

What Does The Center of Addiction & Faith Do?

The centerpiece of The Center of Addiction & Faith is our annual national gathering of ecumenical and interfaith spiritual leaders from across the country, to learn about addiction in all its manifestations and the role of faith in the healing process.

Along with the annual conference, The Center of Addiction & Faith hosts a robust website providing extensive resources to educate, inspire and equip leaders seeking to provide meaningful ministry to those in recovery.

  • Addiction is the number one health crisis facing our society today and is growing worse.
  • Community leaders are crying out for help and solutions.
  • Faith Communities are well positioned to play a vital and effective role in the addiction epidemic.
  • Addicts of every kind turn to the church for help and too often walk away disappointed.
  • The church could do much more to understand and respond.

The Center of Addiction & Faith provides essential education, inspiration and practical

tools for ministry.  It will develop leadership and create congregational vitalization.

The beginning of the healing process begins with understanding. Addiction has a very real pathology and until we understand the science of addiction, we will continue to treat the various symptoms instead of the underlying problem. Despite all we have learned, society and faith communities continue to treat the issue with unfair stigma and judgement. Understanding is the beginning of the healing process. The Center of Addiction and Faith is committed to teaching the truth about addiction through the best and most current research in addiction studies.

There is near consensus in the addiction treatment field that faith plays an essential role in the healing process. While it is not understood completely, it is generally accepted that medicine and therapy alone will not help unless there is a faith component. As people of faith, who better than the church to teach about a God of unconditional love, acceptance, inclusion, and healing?

The Center of Addiction and Faith is committed to bringing spiritual leaders together to learn how faith communities can more effectively address the unique spiritual needs of those recovering from addiction. This requires first of all understanding and then creating safe spaces for community, vulnerability and honest sharing.

The Center of Addiction and Faith brings together the spiritual practitioners from across the country who have been effective in reaching those in recovery. These pioneers are finding creative ways to include those struggling with addiction into the life of the church. These leaders teach congregations how to do this vital ministry and offer a variety of best practices in addiction ministry.

The Center of Addiction and Faith holds an annual major conference bringing together the best teachers of addiction science, the best speakers on addiction and the role of the church, and successful pioneers and practitioners providing tools, ministries, and best practices for effective addiction ministry.

Between Conference offerings, The Center of Addiction & Faith offers an online network of resources offering:

  • Videos and audio tapes from conference talks, workshops, and breakouts.
  • Downloadable resources for intervention, treatment & support.
  • Links to vast resources.
  • Downloadable curriculum, recovery worship services, educational materials.
  • Online community and networking including regular meetings.
  • Podcasts.
  • Coaching and other supports.

The Center of Addiction & Faith is a start-up organization. We need funding, we need expertise, and we need volunteers.

If you are able to make a tax deductible gift to the Center please follow this link to our membership page to see the giving levels available and follow the directions for how to support this works.

If you are an expert in the field and would like to share your work on our website or

speak at our conference please contact Pastor Ed Treat at [email protected]

If you would like to volunteer your time and skill with the website or the annual conference we would love to hear from you. Please contact Louise Olson and let her know what kinds of things you would like help with, [email protected]