teen challenge

rev wrote:

I'm a pastor who has had a couple of my members go to Teen Challenge. I will not judge what happened/s there because I don't know personally. I do know though that they have not done well after coming through the program and getting out. They have relapsed and nothing that was done there has stayed with them. They could quote hundreds of Bible verses but couldn't connect them with real life or behavior in any realistic way - it's all just rote memorization. I'm not impressed.

i am not being funny, but is it not up to the "church" to support people when they come out of these places

A true person of God would never cut down and try to humiliate a person! A true person of God would try to help their fellow man! So before you pretend to be God and go around judging and condemning anyone else, I suggest you do your research and see that there are MANY others out there who are not happy with the Teen Challenge program! Michael is obviously trying to warn people about a program that clearly isn't all that it advertises itself to be!
Here is a website that shows you that proof- http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com

I suggest you read it in it's entirety!!!

I've been reading this blog for about an hour and all I see is a bunch of bitter hatmongers going after a program that works!!! I've been clean for 16 years and know tons of people whose lives have been change by the power of Christ in TC. No I did not go through it, but can tell you that it does work. True, it's a Christian Organization. To those who claim their kids were respectful, while using???, no they aren't. That's called denial. If someone needs to go to a treatment center, then they are not respectful, honest or doing anything worthwhile with themselves. Jesus said he did not come for those that are not sick, but came for those who are, He is the doctor, and only when you realize you're sick, whether it's drugs, alcohol, or even anger or bitterness, then Jesus will be able to help.

Oh, by the way, I'm a professional in the workplace and a respected member of my community, and I do speak in tongues. Don't knock it if you don't understand it!

I am a graduate of MN Teen Challenge I would say do not believe everything you hear and go and see for your self. I do not feel I have been brainwashed and the program does work for those that allow it to work in their lives. I was a drug addict for 30 years and had been sentenced to prison for 30 years, but through the love of God and a program like MN Teen Challenge I have been sober and saved and living for the Lord not just existing for the last 8 years. You do not have to belieive in the process, but those that choose to get their lives together and have tried everything else including selling your soul to the devil do. So until you can walk a country mile in some of our shoes do not knock it. For some of us it is life or death. Now people have all types of experience some good some not so good. But do not discount the power of the Almighty God. For me information that could help me I took and that that I did not need I stored. There are rules anywhere you go in life. And it is sad that some of us went through life making our own rules and the outcome for us was not so great. I do not agree with anyone trying to force the word of God on you, because all it makes you do is reject it. But the word do ask us to plant the seed, which is the word of God and we should step back and allow God to water it and bring increase in your life. I think if you would go to a graduation or even just get involved through volunteering your opinion may change and if not God bless you any way.

Sally wrote:

BTW- Here is a link to their Daily Schedule- http://www.tcfarm.org/About/daily.html and here is a link to The Student Guidelines- http://tcmid.org/documents/GuidelinesMar06_2.... and here is another link that is an Overview- http://www.tcfarm.org/About/program.html I wonder if new 'recruits' are informed of these rules before they are admitted. Strict dress-codes, no television, no contact with boyfriend/girlfriend/friends, no speaking to the opposite sex unless you have permission, very limited telephone usage, 5-min. showers?

Laura...I hope by now your fiance has graduated from TeenChallenge but for others who might have the same question regarding no contact. Often they don't want fiance's to have contact because there is the possibility that they too were users or co-dependants. To beat this addiction one has to really take charge of their lives and it's hard to do when you're pleasing someone else. Those of us who support addicts have to be patient and just give our love in whatever form we are able to...even if it means sitting on the sidelines awaiting their return...now that's commitment!!!!! All the best to all those brave enough to give this wonderful program a shot...it could be the best gift you've ever given yourself our your loved ones....BELIEVE!!!!!

Every single one of us should be worried about either admitting ourselves or our loved one(s) into Teen Challenge! And- Each and every person should also be really worried about who really resides inside the Teen Challenge centers across America! Karly's post entitled- "Something to Really Think About!!!" should be carefully read and carefully considered, especially if a Teen Challenge center wants to locate itself in your neighborhood!!!

The post is here- http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/2007/07...

Here is part 2- http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/2007/03...

Karly Cordaloni

http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/

Censors comments and deletes any that are favorable to the TC organization.

I graduated from the Teen Challenge program and from TCMI and I thank God everyday for using that program to introduce me to Jesus Christ and discipling me in Christian values. It gave me a knowledge of how to live a disciplined life and how to incorporate these values and truths into my life so that I would not go back to slamming coke and heroin. I feel bad for those who have had a bad experience in this program, however, it was nothing but God-sent in my life.
P.S. for those of you who think that others use Jesus as a "crutch", well, you're partially right, except, He's also the wheelchair, the stretcher, and the whole stinkin' hospital!!!
some of us needed a good brain washing! God bless!

Paul Montoya Sucks wrote:

<quoted text>
Your speech sounds way too over-rehearsed. More than likely that was your testimony whenever it was your turn on a choir outing or some other income-generating endeavor. Develop something new if you expect to be taken seriously, because you're far too transparent.

Michael,
You really just need to get a life......
You love or care for nothing or no one... Not even yourself....Who died and made you God anyway!

He loves and cares for no one??? Are you for real? He is trying to show people that their are some huge concerns about the Teen Challenge centers that people really need to be aware of!

mel wrote:

Has anybody been in Teen Challenge? Is this program really hard? Is it good? Anybody have any good or bad experiences they'd like to share?

I graduated from the Teen Challenge program in March 2007. This is a hard program, you have to be willing to surrender controll of your life for the program. However, it was well worth commiting 13 months of my life to. I was an addict for 5 years. I have been out of the program for 5 months and have remained clean. It took me a month and a half to find a job. I work for 2 attorney and a closing firm, my children have forgiven me and are living with me again, and my family now trusts me.

It will not be easy but if you are tired of living life as an addict and are truely ready to be free from addiction. This is a good program!

Best of luck!

RUN, RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, hell, I can see a cult a mile away.

If you don't like to see yourself or loved ones free from drugs or alcohol, then don't send them to TC. I hear people either that love God and understand, or someone who hates God and would rather the addicted loved one dead or in jail ather than commit themselves to Jesus' love and healing.

Sorry for the turth, but there it is!

"Investigating Teen Challenge" has many new updates! http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/

For those who have benefited from TC congratulations!!

For those who trash it when they have only third party knowledge, shame on you.

It hasn't been my experience that drug addicts and alcoholics are reliable sources of information.
If they are looking for excuses to get out of a program that is helping them, do you think they may not be intirely truthful about their experiences?

This just goes to show that drug and alcohol addiction are very difficult to break free from--I think that most former addicts and alcoholics would agree that freedom from addiction is a long multi-layered process that can take years--Teen Challenge for some is only a stop along the way---but even if all Teen Challenge accomplished was a supervised year of sobriety--it would be the longest sustained sobriety for many in a long time and at a fraction of the cost of many other centers

Drug and alcohol addiction is not hard to to break free from if they have the proper support. The same goes for teens.
The key to breaking the addiction is positive time consumption that interest the person addicted.

BigPappa wrote:

I'm sure that you can get a story made up about teen challenge by anyone that falls off the wagon because they are angry. Why would you trust the testimonies of individuals that are addicted to drugs and alchohol and didn't make it at teen challenge? MAny of these testimonies that I have read are disgruntle individuals that were kicked out of the program because they were unwilling to live by the rules. Every treatment facility in the country has rules that must be followed if success is possible.

I want to reply to your message because I find that alot of what you have said to be very offensive. You obviously aren't in these people's shoes so you shouldn't say anything either. I am a Christian and believe in the God. I don't see anything wrong with talking in tongues or anything to that nature because I have been around it and I know people get excited to worship God. But I also have a cousin that just got out after only being there for two weeks. My family did not want to leave him there. It is not what you think. I think that the intentions of this facility started out to be good and then money got in the way. It will take forever to tell you some of the things that I have heard from him and what I have read and everything has been the same. I would gladly tell you exactly what the problems if you want me too so just let me know. Don't go and talk about something that you don't know about. But like I said if you have any questions I'd be glad to reply to you. Oh and by the way I looked at your profile and for some that hears voices needs to take a look at themselves before you start running your mouth. Thanks.