‘‘Etsah Ministries is not your typical counseling service. The uniqueness of their approach is that the focus is not on recovery and rehabilitating as much as restoration, reconciliation and transformation. By building relationships and discipleship through one on one and group counseling, ‘‘Etsah Ministries seeks to see heart change, not behavior modification. Through prison ministry ‘‘Etsah Ministries desires to bring freedom of the heart and spirit of the inmates while incarcerated. 'Etsah also desires to equip the body of Christ in being educated and able to disciple and work with people with addiction. ‘‘Etsah Ministries is also interested in leading outreaches, any church or group that would be interested in community outreach, 'Etsah is willing to help equip, lead, and direct outreaches.

OUR GROUP TIMES:

• Every Tuesday at 6PM for men at The Potter's House, 17 Hoover Lane, Leola, PA
  
• Every Tuesday at 6PM for women at Life Awakenings, Mt. Sidney Rd., Witmer, PA
  
• Every Wednesday at 3:15PM men and women at City Gate Lancater, 218 N.Duke St. Lancaster, PA.

WHY DO WE DO GROUPS?

1. We believe that God has called us to fellowship with each other in Him.
2. This fellowship is seen through the sharing of our hearts with each other and our oneness with each other through Him.  We are called to comfort and edify one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
3. As the new believers continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, we each grow individually and as a group when we steadfastly prepare for each week.  We are called to equip and edify one another.  (Ephesians 4:12)
4. God will move in the midst of the group to bring healing, wholeness and freedom from addiction.  We are called to confess our struggles and pray for one another that we may be healed.  (James 5:16)
5. As we continue in one accord in gladness and simplicity of heart, our fellowship grows into what God intends for us.  We are called to be one as Jesus and the Father are one.  (John 17:11)
6. Praising God together is vital for growth in fellowship.  We are called to praise Him and told it is good to sing praises to our God.  He promises to gather together the outcasts, heal the brokenhearted and bind their wounds.  (Psalm 147:1-3)
7. In this fellowship we respect each other’s views, weaknesses and confidentiality.  We are called to esteem others better than ourselves and look out for the interests of others.  (Philippians 2:3-4)  We are called to show each other kindness, longsuffering, forgiveness and love.  (Colossians 3:12-15)

HOW DO WE DO GROUPS? Addiction Defined The definition of addiction for ‘Etsah Ministries is engaging in impulsive or compulsive behavior even though we know the consequences.  We have found that the emotions, activity and behaviors involved in addiction look the same regardless of the type of addiction.  So we say that addiction is addiction is addiction.  Because of that our groups include people with any type of addiction i.e. drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual, gambling, eating, etc.  We also invite wounded family members to join in our groups so they can grow in their understanding of addiction without confrontational discussions with their loved one.

Types of groups

Types of groups we offer are:

1. men’s
2. women’s
3. couples
4. sexual offender’s

Typical group meeting

          A typical group is from 1 ½ to 2 hours in length.  Our ideal number for a group is 15 however, just as churches struggle with how and when to offer another service due to increased attendance, we often have more than 15 people.

            We always open in prayer and then ask for any prayer requests or praise reports.  We do not take the time out of group to pray for each request at that time but encourage everyone to pray during the week for the requests.  We always have a time of worship by playing Christian music CD’s with lyrics relating to addiction, surrender, or a topic for the night.

            We have a topic for each night.  We work through the books From Addict to Disciple or The Heart of an Addict a chapter a week, sometimes a couple of weeks for some of the chapters.  It is important to realize that the group setting opens people up for deeper ministry in a one-on-one setting where the direct application of topics covered in group can be facilitated.

            Everyone in group is expected to prepare ahead of time through reading the chapter, related Bible passages and prayer.  Everyone is encouraged to share and the group facilitator endeavors to have each person actively involved in the discussion at least once each group meeting.  We always close in prayer.

This is why our groups at ‘Etsah Ministries look different than other groups dealing with addiction and recovery.  Our focus is on Godly fellowship as we speak the truth in love.  Jesus Christ is our higher power, our healer, our deliverer, our Prince of Peace who has rescued us from the power of darkness.  We are called to respond with fervent love for one another, hospitality without grumbling, and to minister to others as we have been gifted.  (1 Peter 4:8-10)

Workshops Listed below are workshops that ‘‘Etsah Ministries has developed for churches, minister’s conferences, schools and communities. This is a sampling of workshops which could be uniquely tailored to meet your community and needs. If there are any topics which are not listed please contact ‘‘Etsah Ministries and in most cases we could quickly design a workshop for your topic or situation.

• The Spiritual Side of Substance Abuse – participants will gain an understanding of addictions as a spiritual battle, look at references to addictions in the Bible, review the cultural and societal uses of drugs in Jesus’ time and find hope in God’s promises of deliverance from bondage.

• Core Competencies for the Church – these competencies are presented as a guide to the knowledge, attitudes and skills essential to clergy and lay Christians ministering to the needs of persons struggling with addictions and their family members.

• The Heart of an Addict – participants will be equipped to understand the heart of those struggling with bondage to addictive sin and through stories of people caught in addiction around the world see the need to develop ministry that is relational focused on reconciliation and restoration.

• What Drugs are People Using and Why – outlines the reasons why people choose to self-medicate, the downward slope from experimental use to addiction and the brain’s response to drugs.

• From Addict to Disciple – reviews the addiction cycle, equips the participant to recognize a person’s readiness to change and outlines appropriate actions and interventions based on that readiness.

• The Book as a Tool – participants will be equipped to utilize the book From Addict to Disciple as a resource in ministering to someone ready to change. The journey through the 12 steps to the walk as a Christian outlined by Paul in the Bible are used as the basis for life changing discipleship.

• Ministering in Jesus’ Name Part 1 – outlines the steps toward addiction, presents the spiritual battle of all addictions and challenges the Church to hear the cry of those caught in addiction and respond in love which brings hope.

• Ministering in Jesus’ Name Part 2 – outlines the core competencies needed for Church to respond in love and initiates discussion on how the Church can elevate the message of hope amidst the hopelessness of addiction.

• The Church’s Involvement in Prevention & Treatment – outlines goals and specific skills to be a focus of prevention programs and compares the components of counseling and other behavioral therapies to the Church as a therapeutic community.

• The High – Depressants – looks at the various substances which are depressants, how to recognize the high and understand the short-term and long-term effects of use.

• The High – Hallucinogens – looks at the various substances which are hallucinogens, how to recognize the high and understand the short-term and long-term effects of use.

• The High – Stimulants – looks at the various substances which are stimulants, how to recognize the high and understand the short-term and long-term effects of use.

• Talking to our Kids about Addiction – focuses on how to hold discussions with our children in regard to all areas of addiction including drugs, alcohol, pornography, masturbation, sex, anorexia, bulimia, cutting, same sex attraction. Various situations will be role played to equip parents with Godly counsel to share with their children.

• Family Reconciliation – is designed to equip the Church to lead families that have been torn apart by addiction through the process of finding help, hope, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration.

• Substance Abuse in the Workplace – focuses on alternatives for companies who recognize the need for initiatives to respond to the growing number of illegal drug users who are employed either full or part-time.

• Outreach Strategies – looks at a variety of outreach techniques being utilized effectively by churches and ministries around the world. Discussion focuses on overcoming fear and feeling of inadequacy to minister into addiction and a model unique to each church and community will be developed.

• Spiritual Gifts – is designed as a response to the enemy’s tactics of convincing people in all walks of life that they have nothing to offer. Focus is given to understanding the various gifts in the Bible and the importance of walking in our gifts to edify the Body.

• Spiritual Warfare – focuses on understanding the role of spiritual warfare in undermining families, societies and the Church. Special emphasis is given to the aspect of spiritual warfare in addictions of all types. Our strengths and strategies as Christians in the spiritual battles will be presented and practiced.

• Deliverance Ministry – is designed to equip Christians with the knowledge and skills needed to lead someone through a “spiritual housecleaning” and the path to take to freedom from the snare of the enemy that has kept them in bondage.

Prison Ministry

When David Hain walks into the Lancaster County Prison (LCP), he usually has some new insights or practical applications to share with his classes. In addition to studying David's Book "From Addict to Disciple" his classes (separate groups of men and women) often have much discussion and transparency. Inmates begin to be open to sharing their hurts and needs. David also has a way of helping people to be reflective, to look inward at issues and to ask how God can change their lives.

Recently David told a men's class from the G-1 housing pod, "Many of you know something about God. You may have walked with God in the past, but allowed other lifestyles to take you captive. I suspect some of you were told, like Jonah of old, to 'go to Nineveh to serve God'. And you ran away from that calling. So this jail experience isn't Lancaster County jail as much as it is Lancaster County whale - and you are trapped deep in the belly of it." David reports that when he came back to this housing unit a few days later, several inmates held home-made signs from their cells, "I"m going back to Nineveh."

David, at mid-50's, has not always been a Bible teacher. He grew up in a business family in Reading, PA. He was a "nominal fence straddling Christian" who very quickly became successful, a world traveler and global business manager. But his life, full of outward materialism and worldly success, was empty and lonely. One night in a hotel room in Germany, God spoke to David in a new way. David responded, "God, I will stop PLAYING Christian and start BEING Christian."

David gave up his good job, sold his material possessions and has not looked back since. He became a missionary to homeless and drug addicted persons. He has lived in and ministered to crack addicts in St. Petersburg, Florida. He has traveled extensively, including ministry trips to China (where he taught English), Swaziland, Botswana and South Africa (where he ministered to persons with AIDS), and in the country of Azerbaijan, a former Russian state with many addicts and refugees.

David and his wife Shawn were married in 1996 and lived for a number of years among homeless addicts in Philadelphia, PA. They remodeled and lived in an abandoned crack house, while reaching out to hundreds of homeless addicts. David's heart is for broken people caught in addictions. He sees in each person a potential child of God. Everywhere he goes, he takes a practical message of love that comes from the Father of God and hope that come from Jesus Christ.

Currently, David and Shawn and their 2 sons live in Quarryville, where they reach out in ministry to many persons through a non profit group called ‘Etsah Ministries. David spends at least 2 days per week inside LCP as a chaplain and addictions counselor with Support for Prison Ministries. He prays for and believes that God will bring revival to inmates. David's definition of revival is from Christmas Evans, an 18th century Welsh evangelist who wrote, "Revival is God bending down to the dying embers of a fire, and breathing into it again and again until it bursts into flame." That same experience is happening today in LCP as men and women's lives are being changed. And praise God, some of them are choosing to say, "I'm going back to Nineveh."