Peniel

One of the most serious maladies of modern life is the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Those who are caught in the despair of dependency come from every strata of society The insidious onslaught of drug addiction has engulfed both rich and poor, both ghetto and mansion. Drugs are often the cause of criminal behavior ranging from petty theft to murder. Multitudes of spouses and children are affected by the devastation of family life brought on by this modem plague.

Vast sums of money have been spent in recent years to combat the drug abuse problem. However, the problem has not gone away. Most law enforcement officials would tell us drugs are practically out of control in America. Efforts to slow or halt the spread of drugs has yielded only temporary results at best. Rehabilitation programs and psychological counseling have done little to change America’s hard-core addicts.

Psychology takes a three-dimensional stance toward the nature of man. The behaviorists say he is a reactive being; the psychoanalysts say he is a reactive being in depth; the phenomenologists say he is in the process of becoming and possesses both tentativeness and commitment. But he is also something far greater. Theology says he is made in the image of God.

Because sin lies at the root of society’s problems, the only true answer for drug and alcohol addiction must be a spiritual one. For more than 17 years Peniel has been helping people find deliverance from drug and alcohol addiction. Founded by Dr. Marion Spellman, Peniel is one of America’s leading rehabilitation agencies.

Combining a work program with Biblical instruction, Peniel has dramatically changed scores of lives. Peniel’s success rate is among the highest in the nation, including both secular and religious agencies.

As a pastor, I saw firsthand the success of Peniel’s Biblically based treatment program. In particular I remember a young lady whose life was devastated by drugs. On three occasions she almost succeeded in committing suicide. I firmly believe that she is alive today only because there is a place like Peniel where pastors can refer people who are trapped in the despair of drug dependency I highly recommend Peniel’s drug and alcohol treatment program. It is a place where desperate men and women can find loving care in Christian surroundings; a place where the hopeless can find new hope; a place where fallen individuals can begin to have the image of God renewed; and a place where men and women can say with Jacob of old, "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (Genesis 32:30, NKJV).

Dr. Paul Walker chats with Bishop Spellman during his visit at Peniel