Starting Freedom Session in Your Location:

Starting Freedom Session is much easier than you might think.  The entire program has been captured on DVD, taught live by my wife and I in 2009.  We realize that not all churches are able to assign staff to run such a ministry.  For this reason we have published Freedom Session in a transferable and usable format.  You don't need experience in all the areas of recovery.  You don't need a teaching gift and your church does not need a separate ministry for every different area of recovery.  In fact, our experience has been that we all have one or more "drugs of choice" we use to numb our pain.  By inviting all the areas of recovery together with Jesus as our Higher Power, we really do experience an equality of sorts and have discovered an authentic healing environment that we have not experienced anywhere else.

That being said, we've learned a few things along the way (from others and often by simply doing it wrong ourselves) that will greatly assist you as you begin this new and exciting ministry.

Freedom Session runs best when it is led by a called team of men/women who love Jesus, believe in the healing work of the Holy Spirit and are authentic about their own journey.  We are trusting you are one of these people.  If so, read on.

90 Days to a Successful Launch (this is the ideal; adjust as necessary)

Days 1-29

1. Pray daily for your family, your own integrity and the people God will be bringing into your ministry.  While we can help you with the details of running the program, there is a spiritual battle you and your prayer team must fight on your knees.  As you know, satan is not quick to give up the power he has gained in people's lives.  It is a good idea to enlist a few intercessors while you prepare your launch.
2. Order your materials. What to order depends on how large your church/ministry is and available finances.  The first kit you must order is "Freedom Session on DVD."  This includes all 27 teaching DVDs and one of each of the three workbooks.  If you are intending to minister to more than 4-6 people, we also encourage you to purchase the "FS Director Kit."  This will provide you with soft copies of the entire program and a number of ministry helps including Director & Facilitator Briefings.  It also includes 5 DVDs you can use to train your leadership team, a promo DVD (4 different promos) and a Sponsor Orientation DVD (used after Session 10).  Click here for current pricing.  That will be all you need until you launch.  Spend some time becoming familiar with the materials.  Watch a few DVDs and complete the homework assignments so you get a feel for what the journey will be like.
   
   Note:  Purchasing the FS Director Kit will also give you a FS registration number that qualifies you for wholesale pricing (~18% savings) on the Participant's Guides.
3. Gain your Senior Leadership support. Ask your pastor and/or staff to watch the FS Promo DVD (included in the FS Director Kit) or ask him to visit the Pastor to Pastor message on this web site.  The strongest endorsement your pastor can offer you would be to ask one elder or church leader couple to attend each year.  That is how we created a culture where taking Freedom Session was normative.  At first this may seem like you are asking your pastor to do you a favor but in reality it works the other way around.  By running Freedom Session, you will be helping create an authentic church community where people who have dealt with their baggage and are ready to serve, love and give back.
   
   You can also ask your Lead or Teaching pastor to preach a message or series of messages on emotional healing prior to your launch and reserve some promo time on stage for you to invite people to attend a no committment introductory evening.   When my schedule allows, I may available to visit your church and bring a weekend message to help you cast a vision that makes the healing/discipleship journey a "normal" part of the Christian walk.

Days 30-59

1. Recruit potential leaders. You are looking for authenticity, reliability and those walking in a measure of healing themselves.  After you've run FS for a few years, your facilitators will emerge from your graduates.
   
   Here are a list of Interview Questions you may wish to consider in your recruitment:
   • Tell me about your spiritual journey.
   • Tell me about your healing journey.
     • What did your addictions/unhealthy behaviors look like?
     • Any other addictions? Smoking, Gambling, Pornography?
     • What brought you to a turning point of dealing with your addictions/unhealthy behavioral patterns?
     • What kind or type of resources are you /did you using to become well?
     • What was it about being involved in this ministry that caught your eye?
   • Are you presently under the ministry & spiritual authority of this or another local church?
     • Do you have any challenges or unresolved issues with any leaders within this church?
     • Are there any concerns you have about serving under my leadership?
     • Are there any concerns you have about the Freedom Session program?
   • Are you currently involved in a small group of any sort?
   • Would you consider yourself a team player?
     • What's your understanding of a team player?
     • Would others who have worked with you consider you a team player?
   • What nights are you available?
     • Do you have any family, ministry or employment commitments I need to be aware of?
   • Is there anything presently in your life that, if brought to light, would embarrass the cause of Christ?  (I.e.  sexual relationship, smoking, vices, business dealings).
2. Select the night of the week you will meet and your start up date. Note:  your start up date is Session 00, a no commitment evening introducing the program.  If you've not purchased the FS Director Kit, download the Session 00 handout and photocopy as many copies as you need for the evening.
   • Invite as many people as you can think of to Session 00 to simply check it out.  Have your registration forms ready (included in the FS Director Kit) and a sample of the materials.  We suggest you offer Starbucks coffee and snacks the first night to create a feel of Freedom Session being something special.
   • Freedom Session is ideally designed to fit the typical North American church ministry year - September through May with a few breaks for Christmas, etc.  In total FS lasts for 27 weeks with one intro night (Session 00) and 5 optional "Going Deeper" nights.  Be careful to consider the rest of your church calendar, making sure that as your FS ministry grows, you will have the room you need.  Don't forget to plan a graduation celebration at the end of the program.  It is critical that you invite your Senior Pastoral team and their spouses to this event.  The stories they hear will likely surprise them.  The Lead Pastor of one of Canada's largest churches is quoted after his first FS grad experience:  I wish everyone in the church was as honest as the Freedom Session grads are...
3. Train your newly forming team by watching the 5 training DVDs from the FS Director Kit.  You can also take your team away for a weekend retreat or attend a live FS Facilitator training seminar where offered.
4. Ask your pastoral staff if there are any people they are ministering to that they would like to attend Freedom Session.  For example, "emotionally needy" individuals going through a very difficult time can be more than a typical small group is equipped to minister to.  These are people who should be invited to take a year at Freedom Session for themselves to deal with all that is going on.  In the end, they and the small group they are currently in will thank you.
   
   Freedom Session can also lighten your pastoral counseling load.  We typically ask people to complete their FS Step 4 before we commit pastoral counseling time.  By that point, many realize they don't need counseling as much as a place to talk about and deal with the issues they are facing.  For others who do seek counseling, the issues are now out in the open and our pastoral staff can much more effectively minister to them.  Just so you know, Freedom Session is full of effective self-counseling tools…intentionally.
5. Pray alone, with your spouse and with your team!

Days 60-90

1. Advertise your Session 00 introductory evening in your church bulletin, Christian book store and local paper.  Realize that non church-goers are as interested in the healing Jesus offers as church people.  Each year we see numerous people accept Christ as their Leader and Savior.   One pastor calls Freedom Session Alpha for the broken.
2. Recruit potential participants. Word of mouth and personal invitations are the best.  Do everything you can to get as many out to the Intro Session as you can.
3. If possible, continue meeting with your leadership team and go through the first few Sessions together by watching the DVDs.  If you are planning to teach live, use the DVDs in your preparation and teach live to your leadership team.
4. Recruit a worship team and media team if needed. We always found it to be a critical part of the healing journey.  We also learned that those who don't know Christ personally can "observe worship" and, within a few weeks, were worshipping along with the rest of us.  If you can't field a worship team, play one or two worship songs and drop the lights a bit before each session begins, letting people relax in the presence of God.  When we've had a lot of pre-Christians registered, we called worship "communicating with our Higher Power."  Some groups don't use worship at all and that is okay.  Do what works in your setting.
5. If possible, have your FS leadership team give short testimonies in church about the healing they have experienced in their lives and why they are excited about Freedom Session.
6. Order 10 - 20% more of Participant's Guide 1 than you think you will need. Last minute rush orders often come with high freight bills so think ahead.  You will likely have a few people join up in the first few weeks.
7. Pray! And make sure to be faithful to your commitments at home.