Recovery Soldiers Ministries opens faith-based men’s recovery center

Published 8:17 pm Monday, February 13, 2017

All you need is a little faith.

It’s a message preached by Josh and Marley Scalf with Recovery Soldiers Ministries. The duo shares their love of Christ and overcoming addiction to churches all across the region to let the public know where you can win the battle as a soldier.

The passion exudes from the duo and the growth is ever-apparent with the ministry opening a facility on Old Bristol Highway in Elizabethton that will serve as a 12-month recovery center for men overcoming addiction.

“Love is an amazing, conquering blessing that God gives us,” Josh told the Elizabethton Star Monday as work continued on the building. “With love, you can conquer addiction. With love, you can conquer the darkness of this world and we’re excited to show these guys true, unconditional love through our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

Faith through Christianity helped Josh and Marley overcome obstacles and that is the main focus of the program.

“We do not allow any psychotropic meds like methadone, suboxone or anything of that nature,” Josh said. “We’re completely medical-free. We rely on the power of Jesus Christ to deliver men and women from the bondage of addiction.”

And the results are evident. Prior to opening the facility, Josh and Marley work with men and women through faith-based recovery initiatives to help them become functioning members of society. With the addition of the men’s facility in Elizabethton, the sky’s the limit when it comes to helping the region.

“As the ministry grows, we’re hoping to have a women’s center,” Josh said. “My wife, Marley, works with a tremendous group based out of Morristown, so we’re wanting to help women too. This first step is allowing us to work with men from the region that are wanting help to conquer addiction.”

Recovery Soldiers Ministries offers a 12-month recovery program for men at the facility that is split into two phases, intake and transitional. Josh added the facility could house 22 men and three students have already started the program.

“It does no good to teach 12 months of recovery and then send them back out on the street corner with no job, no license, no car and no way to pay child support,” he said. “So we now have a transitional-living phase that starts every six months that we’re very excited about. It’s a way to have these men transfer back into the community as functioning Christians. We want to make sure they have a job, a bank account or they’re within the standards of the court … making sure their probation is paid up and they’re ready to reenter society. We don’t want that burden on top of them. With those loosen strings in life, it’s a chance for us to help them sew these things up so that can apply the recovery they were taught here in their lives.”

Going through the addiction program features a variety of hurdles to clear. Throughout the program, Josh stated that members would have a multitude of tools in the final phase to prepare for what life has ahead.

“In that lifestyle, what you lack is structure,” Scalf said addiction. “When you’ve been battling with addiction for so long, those are the types of things you’re lacking. How to manage a bank account, how to handle a job, mend the broken relationships … in the transitional-living phase, we really want to get one-on-one with families.

“Mending those relationships are very important, it has to be applied,” he continued. “I can tell you how I was able to mend the relationship with my father. And I can read you the prodigal son in the Bible. But knowing that information, looking your daddy in the eyes that you’ve possibly stolen from or had an argument with is hard to do. We want to give our guys passes so that in the last six months of their program, they can leave the facility to mend those relationships with their family,” he continued. “Instead of doing that and being left out there, they can come back to this program so we can continue to love on them and access the situation on how we can help the process in a transition setting instead of just throwing them out to the wolves.”

Intake during the first six months begins with showing participants they are forgiven.

“It’s important to know they are forgiven,” Josh said. “If you’re carrying guilt, shame … it’s hard not to relapse and go back to a life you know. We want to get in their heart and show that Jesus Christ can heal these scars. It is imperative to their recovery. We also want to help them with their mannerisms, how to respect their elders and get them back to that humble state. Pride is a vicious weapon the Devil uses; we want to break down those barriers and let them know they are loved.”

The facility offers 22 cots, and a cafeteria with a kitchen included. The pastor added that typically devotions that are expected to last half an hour go longer with the students showing their excitement in the message.

Recovery Soldiers Ministries is also opening a praise area in the facility that will offer contemporary Christian services beginning next month every Thursday at 7 p.m. with men taking part in the program assisting with the services.

“It’s something we’re very excited about,” Josh said with a smile. “We’ll have a nursery for children. This is an opportunity for our men’s families to come out and see the new creation of their loved one. The will see that bond of their son, husband or father leading a song, taking up donations or leading a devotion.”

Watching the facility come to fruition always show the growth of the ministry. Josh added their recent meeting Tuesday, which occurs every week at 7 p.m. at Southside Freewill Baptist,  had over 100 people.

“Jesus is moving in the community,” he said. “We’re in such awe from his blessings and how the community has responded.”

Recovery Soldiers Ministries is hosting an opening house on Saturday, Feb. 18, beginning at 4 p.m. at Biltmore Baptist Church.

Josh encourages individuals that are seeking help to contact Recovery Soldiers Ministries by visiting recoverysoldiersministries.org online or the Recovery Soldiers Ministries Facebook page online. Monthly sponsorships are also available for the public looking to contribute funds to help with the recovery process.