Freedom from Addiction  by Neil T. Anderson and Mike & Julia Quarles (Regal Books, 1996) Purchase Now! Summary: Popular among charismatic Christian circles, this book combines personal story and Biblical interpretation to help those struggling with addictions. According to its authors, the purpose of Freedom from Addiction is to show how Christ is the answer to the problem of addiction and how Biblical truth can set addicts free. In the first part of the book, Mike and Julia Quarles take turns sharing their personal testimonies of how alcoholism affected their lives. Mike came from an alcoholic family, prospered as a successful stock broker, and eventually because a personal follower of Jesus Christ. He then attended seminary, got married, and became a minister. Yet he was unable to resist his alcoholism and ended up losing nearly everything. But when he discovered who he was as a child of God, Mike learned he was “free in Christ.” He testifies that this gave him a power that he did not experience through counseling, recovery programs or Alcoholics Anonymous. The book’s second half explains how addictions begin and progress and discusses the authors’ contention that everyone’s greatest need is to be a child of God. The authors prefer that alcoholics identify themselves as children of God struggling with alcohol rather than calling themselves alcoholics. They express concern over the incomplete nature of some 12-Step programs that, in their opinion, embrace “effort” over the importance of believing Biblical truth. Freedom from Addiction has an explicitly Christian focus and stresses the need for addicts to reprogram their minds with God’s truth and to train their minds to trust God with the assurance of victory. The appendices contain “Steps to Freedom in Christ” (a tool to help the addict submit to God and resist the devil), the “Overcomer’s Covenant in Christ,” and ministry resources. Why does FASTEN recommend this resource? This book will be helpful to those Christian congregations and organizations that share its theological perspective. Co-author Neil Anderson is a well-known, reputable leader within charismatic circles with many years’ experience as a counselor and teacher. The personal insights shared by co-authors Mike and Julia Quarles lend a human quality to the book. In addition, its principles are relevant not only to those struggling with substance abuse, but those trapped in any form of addiction. |
