I recently received a copy of Andy Constable & Mez McConnell’s latest book Addiction and the Local Church. In fact, I was asked to write an endorsement for it which – having read a pre-publish copy – I was more than happy to do.

It is an excellent book. It is easy to read, it is happily quite short, whilst still managing to be substantial. The book engages with modern secular understandings of addiction as well as offering a biblical-theological understanding. Throughout are helpful case studies and examples interwoven with the pastoral insight of the authors in reaching, training, keeping and persevering with the addict.

My endorsement for the book said the following:

Addictions are everywhere – they existed in the rural area in which I mainly grew up and they exist in the post-industrial Northern town that I now live in. Wherever there are Christian churches, you will almost certainly find people with addictions. The big problem is, lots of us don’t have a clue what to do for people who struggle with them.

That is why I am so pleased to have this book. Andy and Mez carefully help us think through what addictions are, how they operate and what Christian churches can uniquely do to help those facing addictions to become faithful men and women of God. Drawing upon their experiences discipling dozens of people from addicted backgrounds, they have given us a fantastic tool to not only think through the nature of addictions, but to truly help those from addicted backgrounds as they come into contact with our churches.

If you work in an area where you regularly engage with people struggling with addictions, you should definitely get this book. If you live and work in an area that makes you think you probably don’t have these kind of people or problems in your area, I would recommend you get a copy even more!

You can purchase a copy of Addictions and the Local Church here.