Brandon Bower of The Lighthouse says serving people in recovery can be incredibly difficult, but it is what God calls believers to do.

Bower recalls a young man named Chris who battled multiple addictions: “Chris actually stole money from us, and the process of forgiving him for stealing that money rocked his world and Chris is now hungry for God’s word.”

Representative photo: praying over a man (photo courtesy of
Jon Tyson via Unsplash)

Later, Bower walked into a room and found Chris reading his Bible. “He looked up, smiled, and said, ‘This is so amazing — what God’s done for me,’” Bower says.

Though Chris still faces the challenges of recovery, Bower says the transformation following that incident was remarkable and points to a bigger truth: “All believers have a responsibility to care for the broken,” just as Christ cared for them in their brokenness.

Another example is Matt, a man whose poor hygiene made him unwelcome in local churches. After repeated rejection, he eventually came to The Lighthouse.

“Some of the first things we talked about were that big guys have to shower, and you have to shower well,” Bower says.

The team lovingly taught Matt how to care for himself. By looking past outward appearance, they saw the value of his soul and encouraged him in recovery. Bower says showing Christ’s love is often practical — helping people relearn hygiene, daily habits, and emotional control.

At the heart of it all, Bower says, “If we’re not loving others well, we’re not representing Christ well.”

But what if loving someone feels difficult? He says acts of love can be simple:

“Sit down with coffee. Read a book together. Buy them donuts and just show them you love them.”

Pray believers would faithfully show Christ’s love to broken people in their communities, even when it feels uncomfortable or difficult. Pray also for The Lighthouse team as they engage in spiritual battles for each person they serve.

Visit The Lighthouse to learn more about how they walk alongside people on the journey to recovery.

Header representative photo: group of friends (photo courtesy of Thomas Benedetti via Pexels).

“If we truly believe that God can change souls, we’ve got to turn to the Bible as the number one place to find help for hurting people,” Bower says.

He explains that real help begins at the level of the soul. Addiction, he says, reflects a broken pattern — one shaped by the world’s misplaced attempts at hope, healing, and purpose.

“Addiction is a pattern of this world. It’s a faulty pattern of where people try to find hope, help, and healing, but they’re mistaken,” says Bower.

While addiction may offer temporary relief, it leaves lasting damage — especially in the brain. Breaking free often requires significant effort and support. Yet Bower notes that even those who pursue secular counseling can still come away feeling empty: “People were still left without a purpose. They were left empty.”

Reading Bible (Photo courtesy of
Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash)

What’s missing is something only God can provide. What’s broken, only He can restore.

He recalls one man who grew up in the foster system, turned to drugs, and eventually landed in jail — angry, isolated, and without hope. But through consistent time in Scripture with The Lighthouse ministry, his life was transformed.

“Now he cares deeply for others — he pursues them when they’re struggling. He has a heart to help people change because he’s seen how much God has transformed his own heart. Today, he’s even on staff with me,” says Bower.

Bower emphasizes that true healing comes through turning away from destructive patterns and turning toward God. “A lot of healing in the addiction world is turning from and turning to the God who actually has the power to transform,” says Bower.

Pray for those trapped in harmful thought patterns that lead to addiction — that God would rescue and renew them. Pray, too, for Lighthouse ministry, that it would have the resources and opportunities needed to reach those still searching for hope.

Visit The Lighthouse website to learn more about the work they do.

Header photo: Man standing crossroads (photo courtesy of Vladislav Babienko via Unplash)

Brandon Bower from The Lighthouse says, “Anytime the government’s focused on addiction, I think it’s a really good thing, because our community members, our family members, our loved ones are struggling.”

He adds that greater attention to addiction can be beneficial for ministries. Still, he urges discernment as public support grows, since expectations may not always align with Christian convictions.

Turning to the bigger picture, Bower says addiction goes beyond alcohol or drugs: “But then you have pornography, you have food, you have gambling, you have codependency — you have many things that could be addiction if it takes precedence over Jesus.”

Addiction can look different from person to person (Representative photo courtesy of Mia Anderson via Unsplash)

That’s central to The Lighthouse’s holistic approach and testimonies of recovery. “We are just proclaiming the Gospel to everyone who walks in these doors,” says Bower.

The Lighthouse has 28 beds for people who need help for a season. And if they relapse, they’re welcomed back, since recovery can be a long journey.

“We help them know that they are not defined by their addiction, and most importantly, they’re not fighting this alone,” he explains, adding that faith and struggle can coexist in believers who struggle with addiction.

“God works through repentance and the renewal of the mind and community,” says Bower, “and we’re just providing a vehicle where they can have that community, point them to a new mindset, and point them to Christ for repentance.”

Please pray that the new federal initiative would inspire coordinated support nationwide.

Also lift up The Lighthouse ministry, asking God to provide the resources necessary to care well for those we serve. Addiction ministry requires sustained effort to connect with individuals who need help, maintain financial stability, and hire staff who are both qualified and aligned with a biblical approach to restoration. Visit The Lighthouse website to learn how you can pray and help.

“I ask that you pray that God opens the eyes of those who are struggling to see their desperate need for Him,” says Bower.

Header photo courtesy of Valentin Antonucci via Pexels.

Charges against the suspects carry mandatory minimum sentences ranging from 15 to 25 years.

(Photo courtesy of Orange County Sheriff’s Office)

“Anytime we can get drugs off the street is a huge win. Cocaine is coming up from our southern border in droves,” Brandon Bower with The Lighthouse says.

“Where [we are] in Fort Wayne is kind of a drug highway because we’re between four major cities: Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Indy (Indianapolis).”

Cocaine is one of the most popular drugs in the United States, second only to marijuana.

“Cocaine tends to be a working man’s drug. It’s popular because it doesn’t have the massive side effects like methamphetamine does, and it’s not as addictive as heroin,” Bower says.

“It’s estimated that there are two million people in the United States using cocaine at any given time.”

Although there were 8,659 fewer cocaine overdose deaths in 2024 than in 2023, cocaine abuse is still most common among young adults, with approximately 1 in 20 reporting use in the past year.

“Cocaine is probably not one of the most dangerous drugs out there, but now they’re mixing it with so much other stuff that you don’t know what you’re getting,” Bower says. “People are dropping dead because it’s mixed with fentanyl and other things.

Cocaine vs. Christ

The Lighthouse is a 28-bed men’s residential program with a Christ-centered approach to addiction recovery. More about that here.

“Cocaine, like any other drug, has root issues in the heart,” Bower says.

“If someone’s had a past of abuse or neglect or abandonment, those things have to be addressed in biblical counseling so they understand their value lies in Christ as a child of God, rather than things of this world.”

Lives change as men find satisfaction in Christ instead of cocaine. “Alfonso* has been addicted to cocaine all his life. He met his wife in rehab, and they have struggled for the last 20 years with his cocaine addiction,” Bower says.

“His cocaine addiction led to pornography, which led to alcohol, which led to theft, which led to him selling all their possessions just so he could continue his binges,” he continues.

“When he came to The Lighthouse, he met Jesus, and it radically transformed his life. He’s been sober for about two years now and is doing fantastic. We’re seeing God restore this man to his family from years and years of cocaine abuse.”

Contact The Lighthouse here to learn what the Bible says about addiction recovery.

“We would love to connect with the audience today, and if you know someone struggling with addiction, we have resources available for you,” Bower says.

*Name changed

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Colin Davis/Unsplash.

The Lighthouse’s Brandon Bower says help may be closer than people realize.

“When we have someone struggling with issues like addiction come to us, and we have them reading God’s Word, talking to God, listening to God, Scripture promises us that those times will be life-transforming,” Bower says.

“God’s Word has the answers for everything when it comes to life and godliness.”

Scripture is an important part of healing from addiction. Photo credits// patrickian4 on Unsplash

The Lighthouse offers biblical addiction recovery services, including a residential program, mentorship, drug testing, and community training. More about that here.

“We turn to God’s Word for answers. We’re studying God’s Word through Bible studies, discipleship, targeted homework, and targeted counseling,” Bower says.

Referring to a gentleman he’s mentoring as an example, Bower adds, “Every day over the next couple weeks, he’s going to be reading one chapter from Romans and then reporting back to me on how the transforming power of God is going to affect his life.”

Does it work? The results speak for themselves.

“You look at someone’s eyes when they come in, and it’s hopeless, and then after a few weeks at The Lighthouse, you can just see this shining glimmer of hope,” Bower says.

“This has been one of my favorite things over the last 11 years, [watching] the transforming power of Christ in the lives of those we serve.”

Connect with The Lighthouse here to learn more.

“Even though we’re in Fort Wayne, Indiana, we are having a national reach,” Bower says.

“We’ve had men from 20 different states in the last couple of years come to The Lighthouse; it’s transforming lives across our nation.”

Pray that individuals struggling against addiction will surrender their lives and wills to Christ. Pray they will accept His righteousness and utilize His power to overcome temptation.

“When we are struggling with life-altering issues like addiction, the Bible is the number one place that we should turn,” Bower says.

“James 1:5- 6 tells us to ask God [for help] when we’re struggling, and the way that God speaks to us is through His Word.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels.

“Families suffer greatly because of the individualistic approach and selfishness of addiction,” Brandon Bower with The Lighthouse says,

The holidays can highlight these painful gaps. “You have to sit in a room with your family; you know you love each other, but you’re just at odds with each other, and it’s creating turmoil and strife and family arguments,” Bower says.

Substance abuse can have a generational impact. As described here,

National and state estimates indicate that 21 million American children lived with at least one parent who misused alcohol or drugs, and more than 2 million lived with at least one parent with a substance use disorder. Children of parents who misuse drugs and alcohol are at an increased risk of neglect, poverty, and mistreatment, as well as a higher risk of developing a substance use disorder themselves.

Addiction often robs the youngest family members of their God-given potential. One in eight teens report using an illegal drug in the past year, and 86 percent of teens know someone who drinks, smokes, or does drugs during school.

“I’ve been working in the addiction field for 24 years, and what we’re seeing is new types of drugs and younger people being addicted to them,” Bower says.

“The younger the person, the harder it is for the family.”

But the Lord doesn’t leave us without hope. “He’s given us all the answers we need to care for one another and to carry one another’s burdens. That’s going to be ugly, sticky sometimes, and very messy, but that’s what we’re called to do, and we’re equipped with God’s Word to help us get through those struggles,” Bower says.

“We need to stop pushing off that responsibility to secular counselors and do what we’ve been commanded in Scripture.”

Connect with The Lighthouse here for next steps.

“We want to be that resource for you to find hope and healing through Jesus Christ when you’re struggling with a loved one who has an addiction, or even if you have an addiction yourself, we want to help you through this process,” Bower says.

“You’re welcome to contact us on our website; there are links on there that say, send us a message or send us a prayer request. We respond to all of those and can point you in the right direction if we can’t help you in our local area.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of TREEDEO.ST/Pexels.

Addiction of any kind is often rooted in deep emotional stress – the type that only the Lord can heal. “We’re told in Scripture that it’s very common for mankind to worship the creation over the Creator,” Bower says.

“They’re turning to something temporal, rather than turning to the eternal God who loves them, who sent His Son to die for them.”

The Lighthouse is a biblical addiction recovery center helping men overcome addiction through Christ. More about that here.

Sometimes, The Lighthouse is a bridge between men and their families in the healing process. “We at The Lighthouse are calling people to trust in Jesus, to rely on the Creator who loves us so deeply, [and] wants to restore our lives,” Bower says.

Celebrating milestones at The Lighthouse!
(Photo courtesy of The Lighthouse)

Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, The Lighthouse offers holistic help for those in its residential program, including education, support, mentorship, and more.

“Secular programs similar to The Lighthouse are getting an 18- to 20-percent graduation rate,” Bower says.

“We’re seeing a 54-percent graduation rate at The Lighthouse. That means the Gospel is taking root, and guys are changing their lives.”

Search for the ministry on social media, or connect with The Lighthouse here through its brand-new website.

“Send us a message,” Bower suggests. “We have a link on our website for prayer requests, and we pray for every request that comes in.”

Header image depicts a Bible and praying hands, both of which are vital components of biblical addiction recovery.  (Photo courtesy of patrickian4/Unsplash)

However, dangers lurk here, too. Pornography sites get more website traffic in the U.S. than Netflix and top social media platforms combined.

“Many people see it as a victimless crime; I can do it in secret, and nobody knows, [but] we know, as believers, that God sees those things,” The Lighthouse’s Brandon Bower says.

(Photo by Limon Das from Pexels)

According to a 2018 Gallup poll, 43 percent of Americans think porn is morally acceptable.

“If we look at all of these people as children of God, whom God loves deeply and cares for, it makes it harder to engage in online pornography,” Bower says.

Porn addictions, like any other sin, can be overcome through the power of Christ. “Pornography is a huge struggle and one of the huge factors that leads to sexual abuse in families, churches, and nonprofits,” Bower says. “It’s something that we have to address.”

Contact The Lighthouse here for help, or turn to a fellow believer you trust.

“The local church is God’s gift to the believers to be able to deal with these things. I would challenge anyone listening to go to their local church and talk to someone about their struggles,” Bower says.

“We know that people struggle with this, and they don’t need to hide any longer. They can find help and healing.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Gilles Lambert/Unsplash.

One in five mobile searches are for pornography, and less than a third of young people believe porn is bad for society. In 2019, 11 percent of men and 3 percent of women in the United States reported having porn addictions.

Based in northern Indiana, The Lighthouse deals with more than drug and alcohol addictions. Executive Director Brandon Bower says, “Close to 100 percent of these guys (in the program) struggle with pornography.”

Pornography can sometimes be a coping mechanism for child abuse survivors. Not all, but many of the men in a residential program at The Lighthouse can trace the roots of their addiction, whether porn or otherwise, to childhood trauma.

Approximately “80 to 90 percent of the men in our program with addictions have been sexually abused in their life,” Bower says.

Take Scott, for example. An alcohol addict for 40 years, Scott came to The Lighthouse after secular treatment programs failed to help. When asked a routine question about abuse, Scott answered, “No.”

“He came back about a week later and said, ‘You know, I wasn’t honest,” Bower says. “I was abused from the age of nine to 13 by one of my family members. That’s why I drink. But no other rehab centers ever talked about my sexual abuse.’”

After walking through Scripture with The Lighthouse staff, Scott found freedom in Christ.

“I remember the day when Scott came back and said, ‘I forgave this person, and do you know what? I don’t have to drink anymore,’” Bower says.

“By dealing with it one-on-one in counseling, he found freedom from alcohol, as well [as] from that burden he’d been carrying for many, many years.”

Help more guys like Scott by partnering with The Lighthouse here. Pray for the salvation of those battling addiction and for the Holy Spirit’s guidance through the recovery process.

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Manu Del Moral/Unsplash.

In 2019, the most recent year with reliable data regarding meth use, Pew researchers found that methamphetamine use, overdose deaths, and arrests soared over a four-year span. Arrests for meth possession increased by 59 percent, while the number of people with a meth-related substance use disorder (SUD) jumped 37 percent.

Common symptoms of meth use include “the inability to sleep; psychotic behavior, aggression, scratching at your skin, teeth problems, paranoia, and mood swings,” The Lighthouse’s Brandon Bower says.

“Meth is a destructive drug, and we want to help people break the cycle of destruction in their life.”

The Lighthouse takes a biblical approach to addiction recovery. More about that here. Many men come to The Lighthouse when other addiction recovery programs fail to help.

“A lot of those places don’t address deep issues that are causing the drug and alcohol use,” Bower explains.

When one of your residents is from Florida and has never seen snow…you build a snowman!
(Photo, caption courtesy of The Lighthouse)

One man sought help for his alcohol addiction from 20 programs before finding freedom through Christ at The Lighthouse.

“As soon as we started talking about forgiveness and God’s plan for pain, he looked up and said, ‘You know what, I don’t need to drink anymore. I have now forgiven my abusers,’” Bower says.

“Today, he’s three or four years sober. That’s the power behind the biblical approach, rather than just changing our behaviors.”

If someone you love struggles with addiction, The Lighthouse offers a healthy way out. Connect with The Lighthouse here.

“We have a spot on our website where they can submit a prayer request, ask a question, or if they’re interested in our addiction programming, they can send an application,” Bower says.

“Even though we’re located in Indiana, we serve the worldwide population. Men from many states and other countries are being helped at The Lighthouse. So, just because we are in rural Indiana doesn’t mean that we can’t help someone you love who’s struggling with addiction.”

Even if you’re overwhelmed by your loved one’s addiction, and you don’t know what the next steps should be, try reaching out to The Lighthouse.

“If someone doesn’t understand the next steps, we’d be happy to chat with them,” Bower says. “We can help them make those plans and connect with people who can help them in their community.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Salvio Bhering/Pexels.