Freedom House is a Christian discipleship program in Holcomb, Missouri, for adults 18 and older struggling with drugs, alcohol, or emotional problems. A branch of Mission Teens, Inc., it’s a nonprofit that takes no government or denominational funding, and there’s no charge for any of its services.
Eight to Ten Months in Four Phases
The residential program runs eight to 10 months and moves through four phases, each lasting two to four months. The first phase is an induction period with few privileges or responsibilities, when a new resident concentrates on following the rules and seeking God. In the second and third phases, household responsibilities grow and residents begin facing ordinary life pressures again, with phone calls and visits limited to immediate family. By the fourth phase, residents move into counselor training: they counsel one person a day, report to senior staff, and are expected to set an example for others. Along the way, residents take on leadership duties such as leading devotions, teaching, and helping hold others accountable. Discipline for breaking rules comes as writing assignments, lost privileges, or extra chores.
Bible Study, Staff, and Cost
Study is the backbone of the program: residents spend five and a half hours a day in Bible study and worship, working through the New Testament in depth along with a survey of the Old Testament, roughly the equivalent of a year of Bible school. Graduates who want to go further can enter a staff training program lasting 10 to 12 months. Nearly all the staff came through the discipleship program themselves and serve as unpaid missionaries. Nothing is charged for the program itself, though residents bring return bus fare plus a small amount of money, held in an account for them during their stay.
