Over 20 years ago, my parents started Shenandoah Valley Adult Teen Challenge with a simple vision: help a few people get their lives back together.
Our family had no idea what the last month would bring, but it’s time to announce what we’ve been working toward.
After much planning, prayer, and consideration, we’re making a major transition – moving from residential programming back to the community-based model my father started with.
How We Got Here
In the early days, SVTC was a one-room referral office. My dad made phone calls, connected people to resources, and met them right where they were. That model worked.
As the ministry grew, we expanded into residential programming. We launched a men’s home in 2007, added a women’s home in 2011, and at our peak we had over 60 students across multiple campuses.
Then COVID hit.
Like many residential programs, we faced some hard decisions. We closed our women’s home in 2020 and sold our 15-acre campus to consolidate operations down to one building.
We graduated our last two residential students in September. After a two-year legal process, we finally received the deed to this building in December. And now we’re taking the next step.
Why We’re Making This Change
Let me be clear: residential programs work. I went through one myself. I’m a product of Teen Challenge. I believe in long-term residential recovery.
But the landscape has changed.
We’ve realized we can serve more people more sustainably by going back to how we started – community-based recovery that meets people where they are.
Not everyone can step away from their job and family for 12 months. But they still need support. They still need community. They still need discipleship that goes beyond just staying sober.
That’s what we’re building.
What’s Next: Content, Community & Coaching
Our new model is built on three pillars:
Content – We’re continuing to produce the Rebuilding Life After Addiction podcast and resources that challenge people to think differently about recovery and discipleship. This isn’t about maintenance. It’s about moving from sobriety to actual freedom.
Community – We’re launching non-residential support groups and 12-step programs here in the Shenandoah Valley. A place where people can show up after work, meet consistently, and build real community without having to uproot their entire lives.
Coaching – One-on-one mentoring for people who need deeper support as they rebuild their lives. Personal discipleship. Real accountability. Walking with people through the hard work of building something sustainable.
What This Means Practically
We’re currently searching for office space in the Shenandoah Valley – somewhere accessible, somewhere people can actually get to for weekly meetings and support groups.
This building we’ve been in for 16 years? It’s too far out. It was great for residential programming, but it’s not practical for what we’re building next.
The proceeds from this property will fund the transition – securing office space, launching community groups, and building the infrastructure for coaching and long-term support.
The Mission Hasn’t Changed
My father’s vision was always simple: help a few people get their lives back together.
That’s still the mission.
The building was never the point. The programs were never the point. People were always the point.
After everything we’ve learned through two decades of residential ministry, we’re going back to the model that started it all – meeting people right where they are, walking with them through recovery, and pointing them to the only real source of freedom: a relationship with Jesus Christ.
How You Can Support
Pray – We’re searching for the right office space to launch this next phase. Pray for clarity, provision, and the right location.
Give – Transitions require resources. Your financial support helps us secure space, launch groups, and continue producing content that reaches people who are rebuilding their lives. Donate here.
Stay Connected – Subscribe to our YouTube channel and join our email list for updates on when community groups launch and coaching slots open.
Reach Out – If you or someone you know needs help, we’re still here. The mission continues. Contact us.
Building Something New
This building holds a lot of memories. A lot of stories. A lot of lives that were changed within these walls.
But the work was never about the walls.
It was about the people. It still is.
After 16 years in this facility, we’re stepping out to build something new – something that looks a lot like what my dad started with two decades ago.
Same mission. New approach.
Let’s build.
