Living for and remaining from (abstinence) are not the same. The first draws strength from life, the other depravation. The first looks forward, the other is always being chased. The first in relational denial of self. The second for self.
One immersed in life! No longer counting days. Any institution or person that derives its power from other than God, always falls short and ultimately fails.
The disease concept falls short because it places it’s value on a dead thing.
The source of power of self. | Life only comes from life. That source of power being God’s love. That Love, which creates value, bringing subsequent forgiveness and healing in an individual’s life, being core to recovery; since recovery can only take place as fast as healing.
The three bridges of life – who I was, who I am and who I want to be.
Together they create our social identity comprised of our life’s experiences, other’s judgement (how we believe others see us) and our social comparisons ( the way we want others to see us.) Altogether, they cause us to walk around with an extremely skewed sense of identity… to say the least!
The role of addiction always plays heavily into this. Those lies believed about ourselves and acted out, result in a form of bondage. One of the many layers of impediments to true freedom in Christ. Only in a relational Christ centered discipleship atmosphere – to live with, to learn from, to live like can these issues be effectively dealt with.
Some time back, I was running an errand with a student. He began to tell me about his life – where he had come from, his family, and how his decisions had brought him to the Men’s Ranch. What struck me as most, was that this student strongly voiced, “after four months here at the Ranch, I finally realized that I really didn’t have a drug problem as much as I had an attitude and a bad way of thinking about myself and the world around me.”
Cincinnati Teen Challenge is now Cincinnati Challenge Ranch! In the letter below, our Executive Director, George Martin explains:
To: Friends and Family of Teen Challenge Cincinnati Fr: George Martin Re: ministry rebranding
You may have already been made aware or are surprised to see by now that we have rebranded. The idea of rebranding TCC has been kicked around for the past six years. Primarily, if not exclusively, for the need to resolve the confusion between the word “teen” and operationally being an adult center ages 18 and up. Those ‘legacy’ supporters, such as myself, both identify with and endear the David Wilkerson Teen Challenge name! No confusion to us – we grew up reading The Cross and the Switchblade!
But the seasons and times change and along with it the need to remain relevant to the population we are called to reach. So, on one hand – 50 years positive, name brand association with David Wilkerson and an established national association (recently rebranded to “Adult and Teen Challenge”). Contrary to this, is the near constant confusion and sometimes viewed as, deceptive implication we are serving youth. This happens regularly, in the court system, in fundraising and most importantly the refusal of a potential intake saying they are not going to a place called “Teen…”!
At the Fall 2021 board meeting, I recommitted that I would establish a committee and refocus on the rebranding issue. We also put together a survey to help guide our creative and decision making process. At the following February 28, 2022 board meeting, we presented a new branding solution addressing the following:
• Remove brand-actual operations confusion. • Maintain continuity with roots of where we came from and who we are. • Remain an accredited affiliation with Adult and Teen Challenge USA. • Leverage established “Cincinnati” home base. • Umbrella name so as to combine Men’s & Women’s ministry. • Create Fresh Look enhancing operational identity. • Provide an opportunity to reconnect and have a farther reach than our existing donor base and potential intake resources and candidates.
I hope it is clear. We are not launching a new ministry, but simply a new look. Same walk with a new set of clothes. Ever true to our roots.
In His service,
George Martin Executive Director Cincinnati Challenge Ranch
