Wives' Ministry

Many of the men who come to Teen Challenge are married. Due to their addictions, their wives have been forced by their husband's irresponsibility into roles not intended for a wife and mother. Their addiction becomes a family affair.

Further complicating the issue of deliverance from addiction and restoration of the home is the fact that in order to have married an emotionally unhealthy addict, the wife must have some unhealthy patterns in her own life. It becomes increasingly obvious that this dynamic is not corrected by merely dealing with the husband's addiction. Deliverance must also be a family affair.

If our married students receive personal restoration and healing only to return to a home wherein dysfunctional patterns have remained intact, they are placed under a tremendous amount of pressure to revert back to their old roles and behavior patterns to keep the peace.

Out of a desire to minister freedom and restoration not only to the individual husbands, but to their marriages as well, we have developed a wives' ministry at Teen Challenge. The individuals working in this ministry keep in regular contact with the students' wives. They offer encouragement, prayer support, and are able to help with questions that the wives may have about the program or their personal circumstances. Teen Challenge also hosts Wives' Weekends quarterly. These are a 2 1/2 day retreat designed to minister, teach and build relationships with the wives of the married students. The wives also may receive individual prayer ministry during these retreats. The wives also receive mailings to keep them informed of events or policies which are pertinent to them as student wives. Wives are encouraged to connect with a Christ Life group when they live in an area where this is available. In the near future a group may be started at Teen Challenge for wives who live in the area.