Center for Creative Ministry A research organization and research center for Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their congregations
The Risen Lord
“Our God is a God of second chances.” So sings a group of animated vegetables in Big Ideas’ “Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie.” Timothy Rabolt, manager of Marquette University’s Collegiate Recovery Program, agrees that second chances are possible, and that everyone deserves a second chance.
Since 1989, September has been recognized as National Recovery Month. Over 30 million people in the U.S. acknowledge that they’ve had substance abuse issues, and over 22 million of these people are celebrating some level of recovery. The problem is especially acute on college campuses. Rabolt saw this firsthand while a student at George Washington University. He also went into recovery since his senior prom night in 2011; he had found himself surrounded by frat parties and the sense of loneliness created by the student drinking culture.
Rabolt’s approach to the problem is to address the misperception that abusing alcohol and drugs is the only way to enjoy collegiate social life. The program’s peer-based support groups show a better way to live. “If you know someone that’s struggling with drugs and alcohol,” says Rabolt, “that’s what we’re here for.”
“I think that with recovery comes a lot of fun,” says program attendee Michael Radtke, “which is a common misconception that if you stop drinking, using drugs or going out partying with your friends, you might lose out on the fun. I’m most excited that there’s going to be an association between recovery and fun, and to just break down that stigma of entering into recovery.”
Rabolt regularly hears from students who say they’d be lost without a recovery program. “Even if you just hear that one time, it makes everything worth it. It really is, for some of us, literally life or death. I think that’s where it’s really powerful.”
Life-changing second chances are available, and ultimately worth the effort.
There is no greater second chance at life than the promise of the resurrection—life after death—that comes through the ministry and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As much as we can celebrate the renewed life we’ve received through our relationships with Jesus, imagine the emotional turnaround the disciples experienced on that crucifixion weekend. They went from no hope on Friday to eternal hope on Sunday. They experienced crushing fear as they hid in the upper room over the Sabbath, only to develop a burgeoning sense of courage once they saw their risen Savior. Over one exhilarating weekend, they literally went from staring death in the face to grabbing the abundant life Jesus promised them.
As we experience new life in Christ during this lifetime, it’s merely a taste of the life that awaits us in the future, thanks to Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on our behalf. He is the first fruit of the great harvest that we will experience at His second coming. And yes, this second chance at life promises to be the greatest fun of all!
For Reflection
Connecting: Have you ever been given a second chance when the situation you were facing seemed hopeless? Does that experience make it more likely that you’d give someone else who’s fallen a second chance?
Sharing: The book of Mark concludes with Jesus giving the disciples, and us, the Great Commission to share the good news of salvation with a dying world. What do you see as the best way to fulfill that commission?
- We can’t personally get into every home in our community, but we can mail out books and literature which will reach every home
- We can invite the community to attend outreach seminars and evangelistic meetings
- We can go door-to-door with the gospel message, if we will. It just takes a bit of time and patience
- I can’t personally do much, but I can contribute funds which will do much more than I have the capability to do
- Some combination of all the above
- Other:
Applying: Addiction recovery is available through the ministries of groups such as Celebrate Recovery and Adventist Recovery Ministries. Are any of these ministries operating in your area? Could you or your congregation host such a ministry? See 2 Corinthians 5:17 and consider: How do you see the correlation between life after addiction and new life in Christ?
Valuing: You’ve been given new life in Christ. How do you plan to use your second chance going forward?
~ Chuck Burkeen
The Center for Creative Ministry is fully recognized by the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; it is also a 501c3 nonprofit organization which makes donations tax deductible in the U.S.
