Phases of our Regeneration Program
The induction class will acclimate new students to our program and help them to feel loved and cared for as they transition into a new way of life. The men will learn the daily discipline required of them at Refuge on the Ridge and how to find refuge from the destruction that drugs and alcohol have brought to their lives. Each man is introduced to Jesus, where they can begin to see hope, despite their past and learn how to live a new life in Christ.
Journaling is one of the most important tools learned at Refuge on the Ridge; it allows a man to start opening up communication between him and God. Journaling is where heart change and thinking begins to truly transform.
Upon arrival, each man will be given a mentor, someone further along in the program to help guide and steer him clear of obstacles that could hinder his regeneration. Men will also participate in classes where they will learn specific things that we believe are crucial to his recovery. The mentor is there to lean on during this critical time of adjustment to all of the changes to and around him. In this phase, each man has the opportunity to start over and begin building a foundation for a new life in Christ.
During the second half of induction, each man will also look at specific areas of their lives, such as: legal, financial, and relational destruction that has occurred through their lifestyle of addiction.
The men are preparing for peer evaluation, where men are taught how to give and receive accountability. We will also begin taking a deeper dive into attitudes, feelings, and emotions through our relationships with one another and our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Induction
6 weeks
During orientation, each man will look at two areas: trust and ownership. A man must be able to trust God and other men in the program in order to break down the walls that have kept them wrapped in their addictions. Equally or perhaps more importantly, each man starts to take ownership of his life and of the choices he made. It will become clear to him how his decisions have negatively impacted not only his but the lives of others. In the end, he begins to take responsibility for his actions and starts to develop an attitude of integrity.
Men will look intently at the consequences of their actions. The denial that has had such a stronghold in their lives begins to dissipate and the reality becomes clearer. They will see what has been jeopardized in their relationships and the opportunities that were lost because of their addiction. Without this help to see reality, most addicts continue to stay in a fantasy world, which enables them to continue in the cycle of addiction. This phase gives a man an opportunity to remove the shackles and distorted vision to see the truth and to start repairing what was destroyed.
This phase is done with a spirit of love and forgiveness with no condemnation or shame and the purpose is to be free from the merry-go-round they have been on with their addiction. Truth and honesty are imperative to recovery.
Orientation
5 weeks
5-15 weeks
Men will begin to understand the physical and psychological aspects of chemical dependency and will continue to examine and accept more responsibility for their recovery. In this phase, we will explore the stages of chemical dependency and the lifestyle change that is necessary for recovery.
The men will be exposed to scientific knowledge about chemical dependency as well as insight into the damage done to our thinking process. It is vital to see how our minds have been contaminated in order to understand the controlling effects of addiction. These lessons help in exposing denial and the false defense mechanisms that have controlled the addict’s life.
At this stage, each man will receive positions of responsibility on the job site, in their cottages, and will become mentors to new men entering the program. Small groups are also introduced as part of their recovery. Two times a week, men will participate in groups, they are encouraged to develop trust and learn to process their past in a healthy way.
Regeneration
9 weeks
Inner Healing
During this nine-week period, men will take a deep dive into issues inside themselves; each of us has experienced situations that have damaged us at some point in our lives. Inner healing help bring the roots of those wounds to the surface and allows each man to look at the pain within that helped lay a foundation to the destructive behavior that they resorted to.
The purpose is not to marinate or stay in a victim mentality but to be set free from the trauma that has plagued them for many years. In the end, inner healing, we believe, is the way to experience authentic forgiveness, love, and healing that only Christ can offer. The lessons in this class are designed to bring out past wounds and hurt and then learn to process them in a healthy way. Some of the classes and discussions will focus on: the causes of rejection, the process of grieving, judging, sexual addiction, and most importantly forgiveness. As a result, the men are brought to a place of healing.
Many addicts grew up in a life of dysfunction where they were victimized or abused as children. We believe that the very same hurt that caused the anger and resentment has turned them from being a victim to a victimizer. The men learn to recognize this and are guided into a healthy and maturing process. Again, we believe taking ownership and responsibility is critical in this area of the recovery process.
9 weeks
Discipleship
In the last class of the regeneration program, the men are held to a high spiritual standard. They are given leadership positions in the program and are expected to be leaders. They are given opportunities that encourage a sense of worth; an example of these positions are cottage monitors, job site leaders, and a journal mentor where they are responsible for teaching their younger brothers how to journal. These lessons taught in the classroom are meant to challenge false beliefs about God and their own relationship with Him. During this phase, peer evaluation is used continuously as a tool to hold people accountable on a deeper level. As a way of teaching important principles as giving back and helping others, the men return to small groups where they help lead and guide the younger members on their journey.
At the end of discipleship, men have completed the program and will graduate upon fulfilling all the requirements.
Additional 10 weeks
Phase II
Phase II is encouraged for graduates who are single, it is a ten-week phase designed to offer additional support for the men to learn deeper their new belief system, by providing them more freedom and knowledge as they step into their new lives.
1 year
Advanced Discipleship Training
Advanced Discipleship Training is a one-year commitment for men who feel called into the recovery ministry. This advanced training introduces men to the concept of being a servant and provides a magnified look at the cost of discipleship.
1 year
Life Training
Men will learn what they are passionate about and what they would like to do with the remainder of their life. Men who have completed all the other phases and who want to explore their passions and explore vocational opportunities and skills with the help of our team and our community.