This post is just a reminder of what Free! Recovery is all about. I have also delved into our founder, John’s, message of freedom as found in The Addict’s Choices. The wonderful thing is that the message of Free! Recovery has not changed from the the very beginning and we are still going today!
It is for freedom…
Discover Lasting Freedom: How Free! Recovery Helps Connect Lives with the Source of Freedom.
Free! Recovery, a UK-based Christian ministry, is on a mission to help people break free from life-controlling habits—such as addiction, anxiety, and destructive patterns—by leading them to the true freedom found in Jesus Christ. Rooted in Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…”, this program offers a distinctly biblical alternative to secular recovery models.
But what does lasting recovery actually look like? For many, it starts by confronting not just the pain of addiction—but the choices behind it. That’s a message powerfully echoed in The Addict’s Choices by John Wesley Childress, whose life story deepens, parallels and drives the heart of Free! Recovery’s approach. This book is available on www.amazon.co.uk and www.amazon.com in kindle format.
🧭 Who We Are
Free! Recovery began in Westminster in 2016, born out of a need for a Christ-centred course that dealt with life-controlling issues without leaning solely on psychological or 12-step systems. Drawing directly from the book of Galatians, the program is designed to lead individuals from bondage to freedom through God’s Word.
It is for freedom…
By 2020, the ministry had gone online, extending its reach across the UK and even internationally. Thousands have now experienced the life-changing impact of its structured support groups, practical resources, and biblical teaching.
📘 A Shared Message: The Addict’s Choices by John Wesley Childress
John spent over 30 years battling drug addiction, all while clinging to a Christian identity. In The Addict’s Choices: From the Depths of Isolation to the Heights of True Deliverance, he boldly challenges the common framing of addiction as merely a disease, instead calling it what it truly is: a series of sinful, destructive decisions that can only be undone through genuine surrender to Christ.
John writes with striking honesty about his descent into isolation, deception, and despair—and how God’s mercy delivered him from that pit. His message speaks into Free! Recovery’s conviction that transformation comes not just from coping strategies, but from deep spiritual renewal. Like Free!’s 10-week course, the book focuses on:
- Owning personal responsibility
- Facing sin instead of masking it
- Pursuing daily surrender and obedience to Jesus
- Finding true identity through God’s grace
Each chapter ends with questions for reflection—tools designed to help the reader recognize unhealthy patterns and respond in faith. In this way, both Free! Recovery and John’s story provide a framework that doesn’t gloss over pain but instead uses it to drive people toward redemption.
it is for freedom…
🧩 The 10‑Week Recovery Course
The heart of Free! Recovery is its 10-week course, which includes:
- Weekly teaching and personal story videos
- Gender-specific support groups of 6–8 people
- A Daily Ponder-Action-Prayer devotional (for 70 days)
- Reflection on common struggles: temptation, idols, lies, gratitude, and relapse
This structure reflects the same call to intentionality and spiritual discipline found in The Addict’s Choices, offering not a quick fix—but a lifelong walk in freedom through Christ.
John’s message in his life-story has not changed and is still a core part of our 10 week programme.
It is for freedom…
💬 Real Stories, Real Impact
As both Free! Recovery participants and Childress himself testify, the road to freedom is hard but holy:
“Free! has changed my life. Being able to be totally open about my sin with people who don’t judge… has been very freeing.” – Janet
“Life-changing, thought-provoking, action-oriented… bathed in love, hope and joy.” – Anonymous
“Addiction didn’t happen overnight, and neither did my healing. But it began the moment I stopped lying to myself and cried out to God.” – John Wesley Childress
🏠 For Churches and Individuals
Free! Recovery is designed to be used in local churches—creating communities of honesty, grace, and transformation. The program offers full training and downloadable materials to help facilitators lead with confidence.
If your church or ministry wants to support those struggling with life-controlling issues, Free! Recovery provides:
- A gospel-driven structure
- A scalable course for both small groups and large gatherings; either incorporated into an already established setting (life/home groups/part of a sermon series), or as a separate support group ministry.
- Resources that can be run online or in person.
- A safe, accountable environment where truth and love go hand in hand
Training, either online or in person, for new facilitators in local churches. (we do ask for a donation to cover expenses).
✅ Summary: A Better Path to Freedom
In a world that too often labels addiction as something external and unchangeable, both Free! Recovery and The Addict’s Choices point to a better truth: freedom is possible—through Christ, through the power of confession, and through walking daily in obedience to God’s Word.
This kind of recovery doesn’t just fix behavior. It changes the heart.
To learn more or get started, visit free-recovery.org. And for a companion story of personal transformation, consider reading The Addict’s Choices—a stirring testimony that proves how God redeems even the darkest choices.
Sally Childress
Co-Founder and Resource Developer of free! Recovery alongside her husband, John Childress, author of The Addict's Choices.