Teen Challenge of the Mid-South
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 am to 4 pm
Our goal is to restore the lives of individuals which have life controlling addictions resulting in consequential destructive lifestyles.
Teen Challenge of the Mid-South has been on the front lines of the battle of addictions for over 35 years. Our organization stretches beyond drug addicts. The greatest part of our ministry is the Residential Program where nearly fifty men and women are enrolled in our 12-month long Rehabilitation Program. In 2008, we completed a $3.1 million Building Capital Campaign. The purpose of the new buildings and renovations of the old was to enable us to expand our program by 100%. We will help over 100 men and women when we are at full capacity. Even though we are in the 4th year of a long economic recession, we continue to see lives changed and families restored. We continue to believe with the partnership of many people we will see our facilities full.
The "average" student (adults 18 to 50 years old) in our program has been in nearly three treatment programs or jail before arriving at our doorstep. We work with those who have "life-controlling addictions". Their life has spun out of control and they are now willing to take the final step to get their life in control. Most often than not, it is a life or death situation when they finally reach our doors.
For 35 years, Teen Challenge of the Mid-South has remained unwavering and dedicated to a program that has not only impacted the lives of the over 4000 men and women who have entered our residential program, but we have seen literally thousands of people empowered to turn their lives around and become functional productive citizens with-in the community. We had been able to offer all of our services such as housing, food, transportation and council, at a low cost to those in need because of the many faithful partners and staff. Our staff, humble men and women called by God, come here to love on the hopeless and desperate. They give without expectation and pour love into the students. The reward for our staff is certainly not salary as they work way below normal wages; their reward is seeing an addict set free from addiction and families being restored.
Teen Challenge has become known worldwide as "The Faith Based Solution to the Drug Epidemic." Government and university studies since the early seventies, show a documented success rate of 86% for those who have graduated from the Teen Challenge program. The success rate is based on graduates 5 to 12 years after they leave Teen Challenge.
All residents adhere to a daily schedule which includes both individual and group classes and work assignments on or near the grounds. The students are "stretched" taking in-depth character and personal development classes. They are involved in individual counseling as well. The individual studies are designed to assist each student in dealing with their own personal issues. When the principles being taught are applied, transformation takes place. Our program addresses the central issues that lead today’s young adults to harmful actions such as drug addiction, promiscuity, rage, and violence.
In addition to our long-term program, we have outreach/drug education programs where we share the danger of drug abuse to those in our community, jails, prisons, youth detention centers, schools, youth groups, and churches. Through dramas, skits, puppets and personal testimonies, we offer hope to those who have none. Our students along with staff speak to many groups and have the opportunity to see the reactions of others when they share their own personal stories.
After graduation, Teen Challenge graduates become useful, productive, and trustworthy members of our society. Many go into church and mission work because they want to share the good news of Jesus Christ. What an amazing testimony they have when they graduate! Others return to the business or trade they had before coming to Teen Challenge and live as productive members in our community.
Provide an effective and comprehensive faith based solution to drug and alcohol addiction as well as other life-controlling problems. Teach how to live a life to the point where they can function as contributing citizens in society by applying morally motivated principles to their lives, relationships in the family, the local church, their chosen vocation, and the community.
As with a Mission Statement, Core Values needs to be brief. They need to be refined down to a few "pillars" of the organization. Like the Mission Statement, they need to be narrowed down to the point where they can easily be committed to memory for all those involved in the ministry. Therefore, we have developed a set of five (5) Core Values that I believe define the ministry of Teen Challenge of the Mid-South.
1.) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law." Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV)
These are in reality two. It is a basic fact that our first priority is to love God with everything in our being. It is also a fact that if we do not love Him with our whole heart, we cannot love our neighbor (our students) as ourselves. If we are not secure in our relationship with Him, we will not have anything to give to our students. Biblical love means we are willing to lay our lives down for our students. (John 15:13)
2.) Build relationships based upon mutual respect and trust.
We have learned the hard way over the years that the ministry to the students will be an overflow of the respect and trust we build amongst ourselves as staff and volunteers. Based on our respect for each other we do not allow gossip, complaining or backbiting.
We protect each others reputation. We must also love the truth and not be afraid to speak the truth in love.(Ephesians 4:15)
3.) Love expects the best of the other person.
In I Corinthians 13 we see clearly how love ALWAYS expects the best of the other person. Love goes the distance. It is not easily offended or hold grudges. We are not jealous of another’s gifts or abilities. We will defend each other from any attack on their character. We have made this core value known by giving each staff member a copy of this scripture in a frame to keep in their office. (I Corinthians 13:4-7 Living Bible)
4.) Conduct all of our efforts at Teen Challenge in honesty and integrity.
There is a tremendous deficit of character and integrity in our nation today, in business, politics and even in the ministry. No longer does the term "my word is my bond" apply. Cutting corners and taking short cuts is the order of the day. We have replaced "charisma" and "personality" for character. At Teen Challenge, we determine to set and live by a higher standard. We are stewards of all that He has entrusted to us. That means our finances as well as our time. We covenant together with each other to use both faithfully.
(Hebrews 13:5, I Timothy 2:2, I Timothy 2:24-25)
5.) Give God all the Glory!
As human beings, we will never arrive at perfection in this lifetime. But we do not use that as an excuse for known sin to continue in our lives. We must always be unafraid to set an example for those we desire to impact for the cause of Christ. When lives are changed as a result of the ministry of Teen Challenge, we will give God all the credit. (Psalm 100)
