The final prophecy in the Old Testament envisions the entire purpose and accomplishment of the New Testament.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And He will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers …” (Malachi 4:6)
Through Jesus, the restoration of relationship with God primarily — and then each other — has begun through the Gospel.
“For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.” (Colossians 1:19,20)
Through His Way, this restoration is taking place daily. In fact, our mission statement highlights this pursuit:
“Reclaim individuals from a life of addiction.
Rebuild them in spiritual sobriety in Christ.
Restore them to productive, Christ-like service in society.”
God is reclaiming men and women through reconciliation with Himself. Jesus highlighted through three parables in Luke 15 God’s desire to restore lost ones through whatever lengths it takes.
“Just so, I tell you, there is JOY before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)
God’s reclaiming is about reconciling every person back to their creator through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
This is the daily intention of everything that happens at His Way from the biblical teaching, the practical teaching, the rules enforcement, the relationships and conversations. The fundamental foundation of recovery life is rooted in an ever-abiding relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
God is rebuilding, through our acceptance of God’s love, grace, mercy and promises, a reconciliation within ourselves with our new identity in Christ. We are no longer addicts, felons, abusers, liars, cheaters, thieves, but sons of God, beloved of God, heirs of God. We are forgiven sinners called saints. We are learning every day how to appropriate His grace in our lives and our self-perception so that we can be reshaped into His image daily.
“But to all who receive Him, who believed His name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
God is restoring relationships. Once we are reconciled to God and ourselves, He then begins the process of restoring relationships. For those in addiction, relationships have been difficult. It has been said that most addicts do not have relationships. Rather, they take hostages because they are trying to fill the God-shaped void in their lives with people. They are using people to make themselves feel better until they do not work anymore, and then they discard them like a used tube of toothpaste.
But once they find fullness in Christ (Ephesians 3:19), there is a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7) that resides within them. And then sitting in that peace, like the restored demonic, “clothed and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15), they begin to find people drifting back into relationship with them, as though they felt the water was safe to re-enter.
Most families of loved ones in addiction have been hurt like a wounded animal. They are not going to return based on some event or demand but rather return gradually, when they sense that things have genuinely changed. They will return when it appears safe. This may take years. For most who are coming out of addiction, who have always pursued spontaneous life, this is difficult. But those who can do it reveal the internal wholeness that God has brought into their lives. Lives of true recovery.
A Testimony of Restoration
Steve Shelton had lived a life of hopelessness away from God and even experienced homelessness until he came to church at 2820, a church community for the disenfranchised. After Steve’s conversion to Jesus Christ, the 2820 community supported him to enter His Way. While at His Way, Steve went through a metamorphosis through God’s Spirit. He graduated in 2022 and has continued as an employee at The Saving Way thrift stores.
Through no effort of his own, Steve was recently reunited with his father and his family in Germany, which he never knew he had. He had been separated from his father for 59 years, not even knowing if he was alive.
Truly the Gospel of Reconciliation is about restoring sons to their fathers and fathers to their sons.
Steve’s testimony is the fulfillment of what the Messiah was prophesied to do in Isaiah 61:1-4:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.”
Our purpose at His Way is to reclaim, rebuild and restore. If you’d like to be a part of this mission, contact us today to learn how you can get involved.